Can I use a 3.5mm splitter to merge 2 audio sources into a single speaker?

[00RaZoR11]

I'm curious if this would work, and whether it's dangerous for my speaker or not. I would like to plug a 3.5mm splitter into the speaker input, and connect 2 different sources to it.
I have 2 PCs and 1 speaker set, and I would like to get sound from both at the same time, so I could watch youtube from the weaker system while playing games on the other. The secondary monitor doesn't have speakers in it, only a 3.5mm audio out.

To be more exhaustive: I have 2 PCs available, one with a 7700k and the other with an fx8320, a 60hz monitor and a 144hz. Basically I want to get youtube's load off from the 7700k system to get a few more frames. Also it's kind of annoying when a 60fps video starts playing on the secondary screen, the game on the primary screen starts to stutter like crazy. I have to alt-tab and set the video quality to 480p. I have solved the issue of sharing the keyboard and mouse, both PCs have internet, now I just need audio from the FX system.

[rice guru]

17 minutes ago, 00RaZoR11 said:

I'm curious if this would work, and whether it's dangerous for my speaker or not. I would like to plug a 3.5mm splitter into the speaker input, and connect 2 different sources to it.
I have 2 PCs and 1 speaker set, and I would like to get sound from both at the same time, so I could watch youtube from the weaker system while playing games on the other. The secondary monitor doesn't have speakers in it, only a 3.5mm audio out.

To be more exhaustive: I have 2 PCs available, one with a 7700k and the other with an fx8320, a 60hz monitor and a 144hz. Basically I want to get youtube's load off from the 7700k system to get a few more frames. Also it's kind of annoying when a 60fps video starts playing on the secondary screen, the game on the primary screen starts to stutter like crazy. I have to alt-tab and set the video quality to 480p. I have solved the issue of sharing the keyboard and mouse, both PCs have internet, now I just need audio from the FX system.

You could but it's not recommended. I've done it caused some issues like grounding and made a little t of electrical noiseotherwise worked ok. Much better to just get a  cheap little mixer.

[00RaZoR11]

14 minutes ago, rice guru said:

You could but it's not recommended. I've done it caused some issues like grounding and made a little t of electrical noiseotherwise worked ok. Much better to just get a  cheap little mixer.

Thanks for the info!

[Spuriae]

1 hour ago, rice guru said:

You could but it's not recommended. I've done it caused some issues like grounding and made a little t of electrical noiseotherwise worked ok. Much better to just get a  cheap little mixer.

...if the output impedance of one amplifier is near zero, how much current will get sunk through it compared to the load?

Circuit Simulation

 

This is a bad idea, one that can destroy amplifiers without protection circuits or large output resistors – it's similar to shorting both devices. With a PC it might not break anything only because the current is so limited. Then again, I could see some of the simple op-amp buffered motherboards potentially killing each other's audio outputs.

[Derkoli]

4 hours ago, 00RaZoR11 said:

I'm curious if this would work, and whether it's dangerous for my speaker or not. I would like to plug a 3.5mm splitter into the speaker input, and connect 2 different sources to it.
I have 2 PCs and 1 speaker set, and I would like to get sound from both at the same time, so I could watch youtube from the weaker system while playing games on the other. The secondary monitor doesn't have speakers in it, only a 3.5mm audio out.

To be more exhaustive: I have 2 PCs available, one with a 7700k and the other with an fx8320, a 60hz monitor and a 144hz. Basically I want to get youtube's load off from the 7700k system to get a few more frames. Also it's kind of annoying when a 60fps video starts playing on the secondary screen, the game on the primary screen starts to stutter like crazy. I have to alt-tab and set the video quality to 480p. I have solved the issue of sharing the keyboard and mouse, both PCs have internet, now I just need audio from the FX system.

I really would not do this.. you would join the two ground's together and cause humming, you might also cause issues like @Nimrodor said. The output on one pc might put voltage into the output of the other pc which can fry cheap components.

[00RaZoR11]

 

On 5/9/2019 at 6:26 PM, Nimrodor said:

This is a bad idea, one that can destroy amplifiers without protection circuits or large output resistors – it's similar to shorting both devices. With a PC it might not break anything only because the current is so limited. Then again, I could see some of the simple op-amp buffered motherboards potentially killing each other's audio outputs.

 

On 5/9/2019 at 9:27 PM, Derkoli said:

I really would not do this.. you would join the two ground's together and cause humming, you might also cause issues like @Nimrodor said. The output on one pc might put voltage into the output of the other pc which can fry cheap components.

I didnt think the signals would reach the other mobo. Putting either mobo in harm's way isn't worth it for me, I think I'll get a mixer. Or upgrade to ryzen 3000.
Thank you for your input!

[Derkoli]

5 minutes ago, 00RaZoR11 said:

 

 

I didnt think the signals would reach the other mobo. Putting either mobo in harm's way isn't worth it for me, I think I'll get a mixer. Or upgrade to ryzen 3000.
Thank you for your input!

as soon as you send an analogue signal down a cable it goes wherever it can lol. you can fry an amplifier so easily if you input voltage into its output