Can You Play Audio Over a PA System Using a Phone?

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SUMMARY

Playing audio over a public address (PA) system using a phone is not feasible without proper amplification. A typical PA system requires an amplifier to boost the audio signal, as the output from a phone or iPod is insufficient to drive the system effectively. Connecting a phone directly to the speaker wires, which consist of a positive signal wire and a negative ground wire, does not provide the necessary input configuration for audio playback. Therefore, using a phone as a direct input to a PA system is impractical without additional equipment.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of PA system components, including amplifiers and speakers
  • Basic knowledge of audio signal flow and wiring
  • Familiarity with audio input/output connections, such as aux cords
  • Awareness of electrical safety precautions when working with audio equipment
NEXT STEPS
  • Research how to connect a smartphone to a PA system using a dedicated audio interface
  • Learn about the role of amplifiers in audio systems and their specifications
  • Explore different types of PA systems and their input requirements
  • Investigate wireless audio transmission options for connecting devices to PA systems
USEFUL FOR

Audio engineers, event coordinators, and anyone involved in setting up or troubleshooting public address systems will benefit from this discussion.

aerohead_18
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I know relatively little about electricity so this might sound kind of elementary. Say you have a public address system installed in a building, and someone is trying to do a prank that involves playing audio over the loudspeakers. Each loudspeaker has a signal (positive) wire and a ground (negative) wire. If you disconnected one of the speakers and attached the stripped ends of the two wires to the plug of an aux cord connected to a phone or other device, would you be able to use the device to play audio over the whole PA system? From what I understand, a PA system usually has to have an amplifier on the input end to boost the signal from the input; if you were to use just a phone/iPod on a large system, would the signal not be strong enough? I guess what I'm asking is whether you could hypothetically use one of the outputs of an audio system as an input.
 
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aerohead_18 said:
I know relatively little about electricity so this might sound kind of elementary. Say you have a public address system installed in a building, and someone is trying to do a prank that involves playing audio over the loudspeakers. Each loudspeaker has a signal (positive) wire and a ground (negative) wire. If you disconnected one of the speakers and attached the stripped ends of the two wires to the plug of an aux cord connected to a phone or other device, would you be able to use the device to play audio over the whole PA system? From what I understand, a PA system usually has to have an amplifier on the input end to boost the signal from the input; if you were to use just a phone/iPod on a large system, would the signal not be strong enough? I guess what I'm asking is whether you could hypothetically use one of the outputs of an audio system as an input.
Thread will remain closed for now.

Why don't you just ask your science teacher about this at your high school? :wink:
 

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