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what does amplified out mean in sound cards?

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2002 8:20 pm
by sithlink
i was looking at the SB PCI 128 and it says the rear line out is 'amplified out'. what does that mean?

Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2002 8:33 pm
by DocSilly
Not 100% sure, but I think some older soundcards had amplifiers for their outputs so you could drive some (really small) passive speakers with them. Todays speakers are all active with their own amplifier built in.

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2002 10:56 pm
by Karchiveur
As DocSilly said,

it has a built in amplifier
he is correct in a way.....
if the card is newer and your using speakers without amplification (ex.headphones)
it will still work because it has a "small" ampliier, but if your speakers are amplified like lets say 70 watts than if the amp in those speakers are burn't out.....
You will be amplified out be cause your card can only provide about 5-10 (2-6 ohms) of watts and you try to run 70 watt speakers on there with no built in amp they will not work (no power)

or you can just check the card and look for burn marks... :)

"Just A Idea"