Bests way to connect two input sources to one set of speakers?


One source is a stereo amplifier. The other source is an A/V receiver. I use the A/V receiver when watching movies. I use the amp when listening to music. I have one set of speakers and I am looking for a convenient way to connect them. I would prefer automatic switching, but manual switching would be OK if that's the only affordable option.

I heard about the Niles SPK-1 but it does not seem to be manufactured any longer. What are some recommendations?
lowoverdrive

Showing 5 responses by lowoverdrive

I found the Niles SPK-1
Speaker Level A-B Switcher; 12V-Triggered | Niles Audio https://www.nilesaudio.com/product/speaker-level-b-switcher-12v-triggered-FG00240
Cost is around $130 I think.

The discontinued item is the Niles ABS1 Black (FG00271) Speaker Level A-B Switcher.

There is no reason to spend thousands on an additional set of speakers when a switch box will do the job with no degradation in sound quality. Furthermore, a 2nd set of speakers in the same room, even if one did want to spend the money, is usually not a good acoustic solution at all. Only one set of speakers can be positioned optimally.
@reubent
> No time to go into details at the moment. However, if you want more detail, I can get back to you in a couple of days....
Yes, thanks. Here's my equipment:

  • Receiver: Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A1070
  • Amp: Yamaha A-S801 Integrated Stereo Amplifier
  • TV: LG 4K OLED65C7P
One reason I don't want to run the L&R front pre-outs from receiver to amp is that the receiver introduces about 1 second delay in the audio coming from the HDMI connection on the PC. There is no problem with video and audio sync'ing. The A/V receiver by itself seems to be working properly. I have assumed this was a "feature" of the Yamaha (like a buffer) because my prior Sony receiver did not do this (same 4K TV, same PC, same settings, etc.).

For most scenarios, that 1 second delay in audio starting is not a big problem, so I have not put any time into investigating it.

However, whole-house music distribution that audio delay from running the signal through the receiver will cause this one room to be out of sync with the other rooms. I can avoid that by running the sound from PC to DAC to Amp to speakers without going through the receiver. (Alternatively, I guess I could figure out if there is a way to get rid of the delay in the receiver, but that might end up requiring a lot of time to sort out.)
> How is the niles controlled?  Must one use a 12 volt trigger?
Yes, for the Niles SPK-1.
The discontinued model, the ABS1, does not need a trigger. I saw the ABS1 for sale on ebay.

The web page is a bit confusing, but this looks like it would also work:
The Decware Zen Switchbox model ZSB http://www.decware.com/newsite/ZSB.html
Am I right?