rocketman50 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I have 2 amps that I want to connect to my single pair of Cornwalls. I have been told that I can use a speaker selecter box, wired in reverse, to connect the 2 amps to the speakers. I will use only 1 amp at a time. Can this be done or is there a better way.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiob Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Im using 2 amps to a pair of chorus2s, however I just ran 2 seperate sets of speaker wire with bannana connectors to make amp change a breeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman50 Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 That would work...but my amps and speakers are in cabinets and aren't very accessable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I use a Niles DPS-1 switchbox. Works flawlessly. About $90. Worth the extra $$$ to get a good box like this. Rat Shack has one for about $10 made of plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipschfoot Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Careful about the choice of speaker selectors. There are resistors (or something) in some that are designed to protect speakers and amp when using multiple speakers. I presume they are there for a reason and are not designed to be used backwards. Use a multi-source selector instead just to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman50 Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 A multisource selector. Are those common...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I think this would be okay. There is an "issue" about whether it is good to run an amp without a load attached. It may be that a switch box which puts a resistor across the amp which is not connected to a speaker might prevent some harm. I do look at this as a theoretical issue only. Point 1. I think most of our amps allow us to switch to headphones only, which are typically almost no "load" and there is no history of amp damage or recommendations regarding this. Point 2. I've never heard of an amp manufacturer saying there is potential damage by not having a speaker attached. It may work out best for you to find a unit which is specifically designed for the application. If it costs a few dollars more, you may sleep better. Which counts for something. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I'm using the dual prong banana plug scenario to switch my three Cornwalls (R,L, and Center) between 2-channel and HT. It's very reliable with no potential problems from poor contacts in a cheaply-built switch box. However, I'd try a good switch box if I could find one. Maybe I'll look for the Niles unit that GaryMD mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I use the Niles switch box for the speaker wires only, this way I press 1 button and swith from SS B&K to Tube Heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Hi, I'd like to try 2 amps with my K-horns. I'm currently running K-horns and 3 Heresys in an HT/2 channel listening setup. Is it best to use RCA Y-connectors from my SACD/DVD/ player's Left and Right channel outputs. This would split the signal for each main channel and then run the speaker wire, from each amp, to a switching box? Any thoughts? Smilin: Can you hear a huge difference between SS and Tubes or is it like cables where some people can hear a difference and others can't? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I found a link for the Niles switch box. Do the amps L&F channel, using RCA cables, connect to this box? http://www.800stereo.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=8&Product_Code=niles-dps-1&Category_Code=spksel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrench_peddler Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 The speaker wires hook to the Niles box. I use this box also for my Scott tube amp and my Yamaha ss amp. It works great. I attached the wires from my speakers to the center/common connections and the tube amp wires to the A connectors, the SS amp wires to the B connectors. The box has an in/out pushbutton so one amp or the other is always connnected to the speakers. The nice thing about this box is that it maintains a load on the amp that isn't being used. I don't think this is a big deal with a SS amp but it is with a tube amp. The niles works great and I would highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I use two different sets of banana plugs on my dual amp setup. One using a side loading connector is used for my 2 Channel Amp and is the first one into the rear of the speaker. The second, for my HT, is a back loading connector banana type and simply plugs into the back of the first banana. Both cost about $4 a pair from www.partsexpress.com. IMPORTANT! If your using an older receiver make sure there is a load on it from the speakers. My Sansui 5000 (circa 1969) explicitly states in the instruction manual to never turn on the receiver without speakers connected. This may or may not be true today, but when I was growing up the first rule of hi fi was to always have speakers hooked up before powering on. One other caution, if for some reason to pull one receiver, also pull that receivers speaker wires at the same time. Did not do this recently and my modern Denon's protection ciruit kept kicking in until I pulled the speaker wires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman50 Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thanks for all the good advice. I found a Niles DPS-1 Amplifier/Speaker selector at J&R MusicWorld, WWW.JR.com, for 58.00. It is exactly what I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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