2. amps-preamps
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2 amplifiers connected to 1 set of speakers

I’ve been in the hobby for a few years and my wife asked me a question that stumped me.

Can you have 2 amplifiers, connected via their own individual sets of speaker cables, connected to the same pair of speakers at the same time? I told her I didn’t think that would be advisable.

The question came about when she saw me disconnecting cables from my solid state amp and connecting the cables from my tube amp. (both were off of course). She asked me why it wouldn’t be ok and I started babbling that the signal from one amp would then travel through the other set of connected cables into the amp that was not in use. Even if the other amp was off that could be problematic. If the other amp happened to be on then it could prove catastrophic for both amps and potentially cause an electrical fire.

What is the correct answer fellow audiogon members? Ralph?
ghasley

Showing 3 responses by oldhvymec

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
The cables have different inductor values, and maybe a little different HF inline XO.  Yup, Snap, Crackle, POP,  just like the cereal.  ;-)

Do the Douglas Fargo on Eureka. LOL...

Regards
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
I had a speaker cable from a tube (valve) amp fall onto a cable plugged into a class d amp. It was biamped. The weird thing, the class Ds were not ON, just plugged in. That cable drop tripped a 20 amp breaker, took out a channel on my MC275 GG and a second VTL 300 MB. 
I had to laugh, what a fumble. I'd have never thought a cable could cost 2500.00 in repairs. Not long after, my main preamp a C2500, lost the right channel.  Coincidence, I don't think so.. I have all my gear hooked to cleaners and maintainers. NOT a single blown fuse, or tripped breaker, only at the main when it first happened...

Be careful.. 50+ years of this. I never pulled one like that....

Regards
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
POP a fuse if your lucky, if not it's all down hill from there, from a pop to a BOOM, get my drift? 
There is a way to combine amps if they are made for it, "strapping" or "bridging". You bridge the amps, then run a single set of speaker cables if you have a single set of speaker binding post. A lot of pro/car audio stuff is that way.  Mcintosh, too, they can be strapped and stacked..
Grateful Dead, used 2300 or 2500, maybe both.

You want an A/B switch... be careful.. Don't switch live.  It will be in the signal path. Something to think about.. A cheap switch box, maybe not a great idea for quality sound...

A good passive preamp.. good traces, good wire, good switches.. 100.00 and you can fiddle a bit. Still in the path though...

Regards
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