This may sound like a dumb question, but can I hook up my MacBook to my stereo system through the headphone jack safely? I hook my iPod through it all of the time. I'm just worried that the MacBook might burn out the speakers. They're only 80 watts if that means anything... 😕 All help is appreciated.
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Can I hook up my MacBook to my stereo?
- Thread starter Mjmar
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It should work fine. I do this all the time. I assume you're planning to connect the headphone jack on the computer to an input on the stereo. In that case, the computer essentially becomes an external cd player. The only way you'll hurt the speakers is if the stereo is doing it - the computer can't.
sammich
macrumors 601
Okay maybe a tiny bit of fundamentals are in order: the sound card in the macbook and many other devices that use that particular plug for audio will output roughly the same amount of 'wattage'. This 'wattage' or power is really quite small and only powerful enough to drive small speakers like headphones.
Second, because of the above most speaker systems/stereo's amplify the signal from the audio input themselves to get more power (making it louder).
If your macbook could output far in excess of 80W (try at least 160W) to blow the speakers well without any help, lets just say that there isn't enough power coming in from your charger to make it possible.
Second, because of the above most speaker systems/stereo's amplify the signal from the audio input themselves to get more power (making it louder).
If your macbook could output far in excess of 80W (try at least 160W) to blow the speakers well without any help, lets just say that there isn't enough power coming in from your charger to make it possible.
alphaod
macrumors Core
80W is the power output level of the speakers, not how much power is required to power them.