Thread: Question re incorrect use of preouts

preOUT. No input involved.

Originally Posted by BlackAWD

Hi everybody,

I have a Clarion DXZ946MP. The other day, when installing my carputer I accidentally connected the sound output of the computer onto what I assume are the preouts of the Clarion (gray cable with L & R) - and lo and behold I heard the sound coming out of the front speakers ON TOP of the radio (from the headunit) which was already going...

Furthermore I could NOT adjust the volume of this new source with the volume button on the Clarion (but I could adjust it with the computer obviously).

While I like this - so that I can use my carputer GPS while lsitening to the radio, I was worried that it might damage the headunit, so I just put it through the Aux input - which means I can't lsiten to radio and GPS at the same time...

My question is - can someone explain how connecting an INPUT into a preout on a headunit results in sound coming out of the corresponding speaker - and whether this is a bad thing to do?

This unit also has 2-zone but I haven't quite figured out how to use it, plus I don't really want to listen to music with one set of speakers and the GPS with the other set...but I guess I could live with that if I had to

think of it like this

radio ----------> amp --------> speakers
signal...|
...........-------> pre outs

edit: had to add in dots to make it display correctly

So instead of the radio signal going out the pre out, you have your soundcards signal going in. The soundcards signal and the radio signal are both amplified and sent to the speakers.

If this will damage your headunit or soundcard i dont know, it probably wont, but dont take my word for it. Its never a good idea to have 2 outputs going into one amplifier.