Coytee Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I've got a Niles DSP A-1 which allows me to swap two amps onto a single pair of speakers at a push of a button. I was told that if I got a second DSP, I could switch three amps (somthing I'm contemplating). So, without buying another Niles box... is there some way I can make a single box that will allow me to switch between three amps? Would it be just as cost effective to buy a second Niles? Is it possible to also have said box allow to adjust signal levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meagain Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I of course can't help you other than perhaps to bump you up, but my husband sent me a link to this today. It sounds like it would really come in handy. Are you happy with it thus far? (BTW I bought that Behringer DEQ today. You started me on that train & after reading the threads on it - figured it would be a good thing. I appreciate the heads up on it!!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenc319 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Cyotee, Does the Niles enable you to switch between amps without turning the amp not in use off ? I thought it was a bad idea to keep a tube amp on without a speaker load attached to it. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I thought it was a bad idea to keep a tube amp on without a speaker load attached to it. When you have no speaker connected, the amplifier sees an infinite load (well whatever the resistance of air is, 1000000 ohms? we call it infinite because no current flows). It's only when you have no load, as in touching the speaker wires together, that you will damage the amplifier...because then you have a 0 ohm load (or more like 0.000001 ohm or whatever the resistance of the wire is). An A/B/C switch can easily be integrated into a single box. To make it work with a "single switch" will require that you find that kind of switch on the market (kinda like how those old push-button radio tuners worked). I've been talking to GaryMD about making and selling an A/B amp selector that has banana jacks (instead of those wierd pressure fit things Niles uses). I'm even looking to sell it for cheaper [] If need be, I have no problem hunting down a good looking effective switch to turn it into an A/B/C system. I could even rewire one of them to use two switches. It's nothing super fancy and shouldn't even cost that much more for more amps. Are you looking for a DIY project or something the market? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Way to go Meagain! It was Mike using one of those, that helped diagnose my standing wave issue. After fixing that single issue I probably noticed the most single dramatic increase in the quality of my sound over anything else! (I swear). <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Larry, you actually jumped to my yet to be disclosed Question part II. Perhaps someone can enlighten us. The Niles is simply a A/B switch and is not powered. It doesnt know/care if you turn anything on or off. Having a tube amp heading into a dead end switch box WAS something I was curious about. My goal is in part to be able to try to quickly go from amp A/B and perhaps C. Especially if I can get them all fairly balanced. As an aside, the wife gave me some dirty looks tonightshes in frustration mode with the 2 MC-30s, 2 SE-OTLs, dbx and MC-2102 I have laying around Fortunately, I married someone with a GREAT artistic eye and she can decorate things up very nicely. UN-fortunately, this same person does NOT think ANYTHING electronic nor unpainted wood is even remotely decorative and yes, this happens to include quite specifically, my Khorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 Are you looking for a DIY project or something the market? Tried to get back yesterday & suffered the same funk that I guess others did on not being able to post. With that said, I don't necessarily care if it's store bought or something I (or someone else) make. I'm able to slap something together but others can do it and have it look a lot nicer than I can. I'd prefer to make it out of wood, say like 1x4 oak? I was thinking, instead of push buttons, a rotary knob...but now that I think about it, push buttons would make a LOT more sense. Perhaps even having them on TOP so the pressure goes down to the feet instead of pushing the unit backwards & off the stand. (don't ask how I know that [:$]) I LOVE the banana jack idea too... you are right on the Niles system... kinda stinks. If you (or anyone) has an ingredient list and location that would be needed to make one of these, I'd be open to hearing & trying my luck... or if you (or anyone) has ANY reason to make one of these things, I'd be happy to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRBILL Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 It is a VERY bad idea to operate a tube amp with no load. I hate to be the one to take exception with our venerable brother on this issue, but someone might be inclined to take his advice and destroy something valuable or irreplacable. I have read the warnings too many times in too many manuals to be less than sure about this issue. Vacuum tube amplifiers, unterminated with a proper load, can go into self-oscillation which can cause self destruction. You can lose the output tubes, the output transformer and/or the power transformer. The expensive items usually open in time to protect the fuse (as PWK liked to note). In many amplifiers, you will see a resistor from the 16 ohm output to ground. This is an attempt to prevent oscillation. I keep a couple of 8 ohm wire wound resistors with alligator clips on my bench just to be safe. That's the only intent of this posting --"just to be safe". DRBILL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Have to agree with DrBill. Tube amps can stand a hard short but not an open, transister amps can stand an open but not a hard short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I have read that many times about tube amps, but I'm yet to find someone that could explain the scientific reasoning behind it...Because in theory, you would be saying that a 100 ohm speaker would present problems to the tube amplifier (or at least start causing problems as it approaches the 10000 ohm impedance of the air itself). I know 100 ohms is a big number, but I've seen situations where it occurs. Heck, I think some of the klipsch speakers are approaching 40ohm impedances at certain frequencies - perhaps the crossovers are accounting for that? Maybe I'll need to go quiz one of my profs on campus. In concept, vacuum tubes are identical to transistors (especially MOSFET). In function they're different, but I have been led to believe that they can be interchanged as long as correct values are used. Nevertheless, it would be rather easy and not too cost prohibitive to implement some resistors in the circuit. Heck, you could even put a toggle switch to bypass for the SS amps (you know, that whole "signal purity" stuff) [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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