# do rca splitters degrade the sound?



## TheMuffinMan_01

if i put splitters on my amp and ran cables from my dvd player and cd player into it, would that work? would it degrade the sound? i guess i would have to keep only one of them on at a time...


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## usc goose

i used to think they didn't but now that i've moved up and on i can detect a slight loss in quality when i use them. i wouldn't really lose sleep over the loss though.

 edit: and i guess i'll add that i've only noticed a loss in quality when splitting a signal and not with putting 2 signals into an amp. with the split, it seems to bring up the noise floor or something. probably from some kind of electrical interference thing i can't even begin to comprehend. that or paranoia.


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## jefemeister

Quote:


 _Originally posted by TheMuffinMan_01 _
*if i put splitters on my amp and ran cables from my dvd player and cd player into it, would that work? would it degrade the sound? i guess i would have to keep only one of them on at a time... * 
 

as goose says, they will degrade the sound a bit. Depending on the system, you may not notice it at all or just barely. The bigger issue is misuse. I would only do this if you can make sure that everyone who will ever use the system knows to only use one at a time. voltages sum and you have the potential for twice the input voltage. It may or may not be a problem depending on the amp's input topology.


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## TheMuffinMan_01

is it true that if you take the interconnects out of the amp, they require to be re-burned in for a while? thats what im worried about.


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## usc goose

Quote:


 _Originally posted by TheMuffinMan_01 _
*is it true that if you take the interconnects out of the amp, they require to be re-burned in for a while? thats what im worried about. * 
 

i hear it's actually beneficial to unplug and replug in your interconnects from time to time. it ensures good clean contact area or something.


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## TheMuffinMan_01

screw the splitters then!


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## Hajime

Quote:


 _Originally posted by TheMuffinMan_01 _
*is it true that if you take the interconnects out of the amp, they require to be re-burned in for a while? thats what im worried about. * 
 

No, that's silly.


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## jefemeister

Quote:


 _Originally posted by TheMuffinMan_01 _
*is it true that if you take the interconnects out of the amp, they require to be re-burned in for a while? thats what im worried about. * 
 

There are folks that believe every time your interconnect moves it needs some amount of burn-in to sound its best again. (usually an hour or something.) I definitely believe in burn-n but this pushes it a little far. Unplugging and replugging your interconnects frequently is not a good idea as you will wear out the contact area and they will not provide a secure connection after awhile.


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## spaceman

I use vampire splitters to connect two amps (only one powered at a time) to a single source, and I have not noticed any kind of sound degredation.


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## ooheadsoo

I read that bunch of phooey too. It was regarding some silver IC's sandwiched in some clear tape with loose twisting (or was it no twisting at all?) They claimed that moving it in the slightest would change the sound and require reburning in. Phooey...At least it was a DIY design, not a commercial product.


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## Howie

I'm not one for scientific details but with with mono/solo crystal technology it does sound convincing to me anyways that the crystals need to be "re-aligned". Any thoughts?

 Pertaining to the original question. I would not split the audio signal in my audio system if I don't have to. I split my satellite analog signal since it's low quality. But if you've spent some money trying to get your system to sound as good as it can be, adding a splitter in there can really screw your sound.


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## Melchior

The problem with splitters is that they introduce a potential for noise from something other than the source you "want" to hear at the time. For example, on my Gilmore V2 I used some splitters so I could use my gamecube and PC on the same input. I picked up this wierd nasty clicking noise all the time, which I thought was electrical noise picked up by my Delta 410, in fact it was interference from the poorly shielded gamecube cables. I've since moved the gamecube and splitters so that I can mute them via my soundcard whenever I'm not actually playing a game.


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## Rainbow Randy

So the better question seems, do quality RCA splitters degrade the sound? I'm considering $15 Audioquest splitters for my Udac output.


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## twylight

no they dont, education link
   
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm


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