Unplugged My Speakers While They Were On

[Meteora]

I have a 30W Hewlet Packard 2.1 Speaker System.

I was replacing them in the house, so I had to unplug them from where they were plugged. I didn't notice that they were on when I unplugged them.

Is this generally unhealthy for the speaker, and what are the possibilities of unlugging speaker systems this way?

Thanks.

[badman]

Yes, it's unhealthy for the speaker as you can create spurious thumps that can damage them. Don't do that. You'll know if they're damaged because they'll usually "buzz" when you're playing bass heavy content.

[tinitus]

Yes, always cut the power first

But you will no doubt clearly hear if damaged
If they still play fine, no problem

But you say "unplugging speakers" ?
Normally that should not be a big problem, other than risking shorts

Or are your speakers active powered speakers, and you unplugged your signal source

[sumaudioguy]

If the music is playing it is often more unhealthy for the amp than the speaker and unhealthy for the connector for sure!

[Meteora]

Originally Posted by badman

Yes, it's unhealthy for the speaker as you can create spurious thumps that can damage them. Don't do that. You'll know if they're damaged because they'll usually "buzz" when you're playing bass heavy content.

Thanks. It wasn't intentional though, just saying.

Originally Posted by tinitus

Yes, always cut the power first

But you will no doubt clearly hear if damaged
If they still play fine, no problem

But you say "unplugging speakers" ?
Normally that should not be a big problem, other than risking shorts

Or are your speakers active powered speakers, and you unplugged your signal source

I unlpugged the actual speakers not knowing they were on (there was no source it was connected to, well no source that was on, at least).

Originally Posted by sumaudioguy

If the music is playing it is often more unhealthy for the amp than the speaker and unhealthy for the connector for sure!

What is the "amp" and the "connector"?

To better describe my situation, I unplugged my speakers from where they were. They were on, but what they were connected to (my computer) was not on, so there was not much to tell me they were on at the time.

However, afterwards, I pressed the power button again, so that when I plugged it back in, the speakers were set to OFF, if that makes sense.

Then, I used my speakers normally with my computer. I was just wondering if this may cause anything to my computer considering what I had originally done with the speakers...that being, I unplugged them earlier while they were on, yet the signal source (my computer) wasn't on when I first unplugged the speakers.

[Meteora]

Someone?

[Pano]

Well this is a powered speaker system, right? Amp built into the system?

If so, I doubt you did any harm. The power switch may be as simple as a break in the AC power line. It is in a lot of equipment. So turning off and unplugging are the same thing.

[Meteora]

It is powered by itself via a power cord, if that is a "powered speaker system", yes.

Your post made me feel a lot better...but why are the first 3 posts very different in what they're saying?

[picowallspeaker]

Because one thing is to do like how you did with your active speakers ,another is to sudden disconnect something that has lot of power flowing through it. A "toc" is not a "bump"!

[Meteora]

Originally Posted by picowallspeaker

Because one thing is to do like how you did with your active speakers ,another is to sudden disconnect something that has lot of power flowing through it. A "toc" is not a "bump"!

Well you see...the guy above me literally said "it is as if you turned off the power button"...

If you agree with this, then, if my speakers were using up a lot of power, then I decided to press its power button (on/off button), then this would do no more harm then unplugging it while it is on? This is what I got from his post. Not saying he's wrong, I would just feel a lot better if this was the truth.

But the second post of this thread said "always turn off the power button first"...is it me or does this contradict what the other guy said?