Audio Out Keeps Shorting my Amp

So a weird problem here - I have a 17inch iMac (my parents') that has been repeated connected to their stero system through the normal audio out jack. When they recently began connecting it, a loud hissing sound or "thump thump thump" would come out over the speakers and the amp would turn off almost as if it was shorted.
I've reset the PRAM based on some advice but the problem still persists. Strangely enough, I can connect my powerbook to the amp with no problems.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
-John

Laast month I bought an iFi speaker kit from Klipsch to connect to my iMac G5 20" (rev B). During the night after a few days I heard loud thumping from the subwoofer. I got up, realized it was coming from there, turned the speaker kit off. In the morning when I tried, a woofer on a satellite was out of commission. They replaced it, I installed it, and 15 minutes later it did the same thing. Loud thumping, loud buzzing, and this time, no more sound, and a test of the speakers on another kit on the PC reveled that again on the same side, the satellite was bust. I just sent back the whole kit today for repair/replacement, but seeing your post now makes me fear that the problem is with the machine. I have also wondered if it was the stereo jack cable that I used (bought brand new, but cheap one).
The thing is...the first time it happened the iMac was turned off (but I don't know if this means there was no power in the audio jack). Also, I have used a similar subwoofer+speakers kit (different model from same brand) on the same machine before for a few weeks with no problem, and I often use headphones as well...

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