Playing through a Tonelab / Pod etc direct into a hi-fi - recipe for speaker / amp destruction?

[automaton_22]

Hello all.
Any opinions as to whether practicing guitar by running a Tonelab / Pod at lowish levels through a hi-fi system will damage the amp / speakers?

Practicing this way suits me as a combo amp is too loud for my flat, and the lounge is a good chilled out place to play (I have active monitors but they are in another room, and not as sweet to listen to as my Mission speakers).

I take the usual precautions like turning the amp volume down as I switch on / plug in etc.

My guess would be that no damage would be caused unless the tonelab starts peaking. So if I keep the tonelab master volume low I should be alright.

Your views?

[Shingles]

Hello all.
Any opinions as to whether practicing guitar by running a Tonelab / Pod at lowish levels through a hi-fi system will damage the amp / speakers?

Practicing this way suits me as a combo amp is too loud for my flat, and the lounge is a good chilled out place to play (I have active monitors but they are in another room, and not as sweet to listen to as my Mission speakers).

I take the usual precautions like turning the amp volume down as I switch on / plug in etc.

My guess would be that no damage would be caused unless the tonelab starts peaking. So if I keep the tonelab master volume low I should be alright.

Your views?

If this were a problem I would have killed my Cyrus amps and Monitor Audio speakers a long time ago! Just don't go too loud - although I get loud enough to annoy the neighbours.

[automaton_22]

Bumping this for more comments if possible.
Cheers.

[firestarter]

You're just playing a line-level signal of the sound of a guitar through an audio amplifier and speakers - which is what the amp/speakers were built for!

The difference between a guitar amp and you hifi, is that the guitar amp's electronics and speakers are meant to be pushed into distortion to create your tone. A HiFi amp is designed to be operated 'clean'.

So stay at sensible volumes and you'll be just fine.

[jayzed]

Yep, should be fine, the only real problems are going to be the same ones you might have if you disconnect a cd player with the amp volume too high. So, keep an eye on the amp volume when plugging and unplugging anything, make sure your POD or whatever is not putting out too much volume and you should be fine. Just don't leave your guitar against the speaker and go to the pub. I imagine constant feedback (effectively square waves) would not do a hi-fi setup much good if left to ring for more than a few minutes.
The main difference between a hi-fi setup and what most studios have for monitoring is quality; of connectors, of signal path and of sound. Studios often plug guitars through PODs into their monitors.

[ROLO46]

The dynamics of an electric guitar are huge

Without a limiter

And at high pick up gain

You could damage drivers

HIFI deals with already tamed levels

Guitar amps are designed to go well into distortion

Be gentle