I have a question that is a little bit of "engineering nature". Why can't I plug an audio signal(music from computer) and bass/guitar in the same speaker if I somehow wire outputs together without some device or mixer? I know that these two signals will be added to each other, but will it result in distorted signal or I could hear the difference between music and guitar? And what are 2 input AMPs made of if that is the case?
12
-
1This is a bit woolly at the moment. It's not clear exactly what the signal train is that you want to try. Please be clarer, and it'll help you find goodd, helpful answers.– TimCommented Apr 26, 2021 at 15:53
-
Mixer, yes; hokey DIY, no. Please add details of precisely what you're trying to do.– TetsujinCommented Apr 26, 2021 at 16:06
-
Please explain what you want to achieve. As of now it seems to me like an xyproblem.info– user1079505Commented Apr 26, 2021 at 18:06
-
Ok, I will explain this problem. I want to know, why cant we use DIY hokey. What can Mixer do that DIY hokey cant? What is the difference, I know that mixer is more complex than DIY hokey.– Matija StankovicCommented Apr 26, 2021 at 19:01
-
1@tetsujin what's an hokey? Search engines don't help on that one :/...– TomCommented Apr 26, 2021 at 19:08
|
Show 7 more comments
1 Answer
If you simply want to connect two sources to the same speaker, this is usually a big no-no. The problem is that the two sources will also be connected to each other, and they will try to drive each other, and neither one is meant to be driven by anything, so there is potential equipment damage.
However, if you are only connecting passive guitars or basses, then you should be fine. The pickups do not put out much power and will not be damaged by each other. You can wire two pickups in parallel on a Jazz bass, and there's no reason they must be on the same bass...
I wouldn't attempt doing this with a music source + an instrument.
-
Wiring two guitars together is not a great idea either. You indeed won't burn anything, but each guitar volume and tone pots will affect sound of both instruments. If one of the guitars produces larger signal, you won't be able to compensate for it. Commented Apr 26, 2021 at 20:25
-
I don't mean to suggest that it's a good idea to wire two guitars together, but I think that wiring two guitars in parallel would not couple the controls like you say. Wiring in series would though.– EdwardCommented Apr 26, 2021 at 21:26
-
Yes it would. If you short signal to ground, it doesn't matter where the short is. Commented Apr 26, 2021 at 22:29
-
Oh, I don't know much about guitar electronics. I'm thinking that you could still have the two pickups in parallel to each other and have separate volume knobs just as a jazz bass has, but I suppose that would require some surgery.– EdwardCommented Apr 27, 2021 at 0:38
-
@user1079505 This actually depends on the output load, if any, after the volume pots. Basically, it will depends on specific hardware implementation...– TomCommented Apr 27, 2021 at 8:02