myram Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 Will any harm be done if I hook up both my Denon 1601 and my Adcom GFA-555 to my Quartets? I use the Denon for HT use, and the Adcom for music....and the Quartets are the main speakers for both systems. Will signal from one travel back to the other not in use and do any damage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klewless Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 myram, Are you asking for trouble? If you mean connecting both amps to the same speakers at the same time, then I would recommend NO NO NO. This is a disaster waiting to happen. There are amplifier swithes which will allow you to manage multiple amps to common speakers. It keeps you from ever accidentally having both amps ON at the same time. ------------------ John P St Paul, MN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myram Posted March 26, 2001 Author Share Posted March 26, 2001 What if there is "no" chance of ever having the 2 amps on at the same time? Where and how much are amp switches available? It is just a pain to have to reach down in back of the speaker and change the connections to go from one system to the other....that is why I was hoping I could just hook up both speaker leads to each speaker. But my big concern was signal flowing back into the amp not in use and hurting something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 Klewless, Are you saying not to bi-amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 myram,on 03-22-95 I bought a Russound SDB-2 120 speaker switch box that has connections for two amps or recievers and two speaker pairs,with volume control for each speaker pair.I paid $183 total.I used it to control two amps and one pair of speakers.It is a handsome and well built piece.It measures 9"W X 5 1/2"D X 2 1/2"H.It weighs 4 lbs. Accepts wire up to 12ga.Power rating 60 watts RMS,150 watts average,275 watts peak(as per manual)It has impedance protection:impedance at amplifier 8 ohms minimum with 4 ohm speakers.10 step volume control.Uses transformers(no power resistors).I used it for several years and it has sat in my closet in the box with all original packing and manuals.It works well in a situation as you describe.If you want one and cannot find one send me a private message and I will consider selling mine.I used it to send a signal to "surround backs", as they call them now,either "stereo" for music or surround for HT.Worked great.Although I believe I read a claim somewhere of "sonic transparency" I did notice a slight drop in SPL (never checked w/the RS meter) but it was minimal.Hope this helps you. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klewless Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 No, I am saying never directly connect two amplifier output stages together. In bi-amp you end up with each amp seeing it's own unique load, which are separated from each other. I have never tried to use amp switches. But whenever you go to audio stores who can compare two amps on the same speakers, they are using them. This is a little different from standard speaker selectors which connect different speakers to one amp. Perhaps someone else can point you to a source. ------------------ John P St Paul, MN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 I wonder ... what would happen if two amps were connected to the same binding post? For instance, what would happen if you sent "LFE/Subwoofer" output from one amp, to the same binding-post on a set of speakers being driven by another amp sending them "Small-Speaker" output? Conversely, what if you disconnected the woofer from the crossover? Could you still bi-amp full-range three-way speakers by sending "Small-Speaker" output from one amp to the main 5-way connection (using the existing crossover), and then use another amp to send LFE-Subwoofer output directly connected to the woofer? If either of those scenario's is possible, then could someone use a tube-amp to power the horns and a ss-amp to drive the cone woofer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 Bluesteel, think about something else that will cost less to repair. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 Bluesteel, Keep in mind that the INPUT impedence on speakers is going to be anything from a few ohms to a few dozen ohms, depending upon frequency, and the OUTPUT impedence on a solid state amp is <<<< 1ohm, what will happen is that the might-er of the two amps will fry the output transistors of the lessor of the two amps, and while doing so little sound will be eminating from the speakers. If you REALLY want fireworks, use tube amps and turn 'em both on at the same time. Ray ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myram Posted March 27, 2001 Author Share Posted March 27, 2001 So what is the general answer? Should I just keep switching speaker wire at the back of the speakers? Can I hook up both the receiver and amp to the same speakers? The receiver and the amp are "never" used at the sametime, one is for music and one is for HT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 myram, go to www.russound.com and click as follows isabled-Catalog-Speaker Selectors-SDB-2.1 Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myram Posted March 27, 2001 Author Share Posted March 27, 2001 Thanks for the link. After looking around there site I found the perfect solution for me.....the Russound AB-3. It automatically detects and switches between 2 amps and one pair of speakers......perfect! Now I just need to find an online dealer that sells that peice for a good price, none of my local dealers sell Russound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted March 27, 2001 Share Posted March 27, 2001 Thanks for quantitative answer Ray. But the other question remains: What if you disconnected the woofer from the crossover? Could you still bi-amp full-range three-way speakers by sending "Small-Speaker" output from one amp to the main 5-way connection (using the existing crossover), and then use another amp to send LFE-Subwoofer output directly connected to the woofer? Would you have to add a "dummy" load to the open woofer circuit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted March 28, 2001 Share Posted March 28, 2001 Bluesteel, Most woofers have a frequency response that, if unfiltered, would extend well up into the midrange. The crossover typically includes some elements that, at the very least, roll off the high frequency response of the woofer at 6dB per octave (or more) above some cutoff point (called a "low pass" filter 'cause they pass low frequencies and attenuate higher frequencies); in a three way with a normal woofer, this point might be around a few hundred hertz. More complex crossover designs include elements that "shape" the response of the woofer to reduce peaks and smooth the overall response, in addition to the low pass function they perform. By eliminating the crossover and driving the woofer directly, you eliminate whatever shaping and filtering the crossover is doing. Depending on the specific speaker, this could sound (a) really, really awful, if the woofer has some breakup modes and resonances which the crossover was fixing (typical), ( not too bad, if the physical characteristics of the woofer itself performed most of the low pass filtering and the crossover wasn't adding a lot more (less frequently encountered), or © a lot better if speaker was poorly designed and the crossover was a weak point, and the woofer itself happens to be a design that won't go all floopy on you if you drive it directly (very unlikely). Ray ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesteel Posted March 28, 2001 Share Posted March 28, 2001 Thanks, udaman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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