# Line level out into headphone amp?



## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Here's a potentially embarrassingly naive question: Can I run an amp's line out into a little headphone amp? I'm not clear on what signals are actually coming out of each of the different types of 'outs' on my amps.
I'm presuming the additional speaker out should never go to anything by a speaker cab of the right impedance. But I have one little combo with a jack marked 'line out' -- what can I use it for? Just slaving to another big amp? Does that mean I get the preamp and miss the power amp stage or something? (Solid state amps use pre and power amp stages too right?)

Thanks


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## Adicted to Tubes (Mar 5, 2006)

A line out just uses a voltage divider to lower the voltage of the output to line level,which is about 1v AC.This is so when you use it,it doesn't overpower devices like mixing boards and even headphone amps.


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## Guest (Mar 23, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> Here's a potentially embarrassingly naive question:


No such thing. We all had to (and still do) ask questions to learn.



> Can I run an amp's line out into a little headphone amp?


Yes, but you cannot disconnect your speaker if you're doing this (unless your amp has a dummy load that kicks in when you disconnect the speaker). And it will sound like ass because your headphone amp and headphones are a full frequency reproduction pair. Guitar speakers are lo-fi filters.



> I'm presuming the additional speaker out should never go to anything by a speaker cab of the right impedance.


Correct.



> But I have one little combo with a jack marked 'line out' -- what can I use it for? Just slaving to another big amp? Does that mean I get the preamp and miss the power amp stage or something? (Solid state amps use pre and power amp stages too right?)


It's generally designed for slaving to another power amp. Where the signal is coming from (pre-power amp or tapped from the power amp signal) depends on the amplifier design but most likely it's the preamp signal only. And yes: solid state amps use a preamp -> power amp design just like tube amps.


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## Adicted to Tubes (Mar 5, 2006)

Most line-out features on solid state amps have a dummy load and they do disable the internal speaker,so that is not an issue.A tube amp may be different,depends on who built it.

www.claramps.com


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## Glasstone Amps (Feb 27, 2008)

What kind of amp is it?

Some amps have frequency compensated line outs for recording, headphones, etc. It's not usually as good as the real speaker, but it can be adequate. Depending on how the line out circuitry is designed, it might be able to drive headphones directly. If it's a solid state amp, you can run the amp without a speaker or dummy load. It won't hurt the amp. Only transformer output amps (tube amps) need to have a load to avoid damage.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Glasstone Amps said:


> What kind of amp is it?
> 
> Some amps have frequency compensated line outs for recording, headphones, etc. It's not usually as good as the real speaker, but it can be adequate. Depending on how the line out circuitry is designed, it might be able to drive headphones directly. If it's a solid state amp, you can run the amp without a speaker or dummy load. It won't hurt the amp. Only transformer output amps (tube amps) need to have a load to avoid damage.


It's an older SS 1x12. Was thinking of different ways to make it useful... 
Good to know. Thanks.


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