Have you ever used a separate speaker selector unit to audition speakers? Would you?

Serious point, nowhere near as snarky as it sounds, but when if ever you do get around to actually comparing speakers you will find they are so different in so many ways the whole idea of switching back and forth will seem silly. This is because the range of sonic attributes is essentially endless. Pick any one or two or ten and you can flip back and forth oh this one no that one. But is this anything like what you do when you listen to music? Sure hope not. More likely what you really want is to be carried away. So how are you gonna evaluate that flipping back and forth? Right. You’re not. Can’t.

So why even try?

Yes, one possibility here is that I'm just stupid. But another is that you tend to rush through experiences or don't pay enough attention to realize they are complex. To a gourmand, all food can be gobbled up quickly. But I've read other comments you've made in other places and know that you are a careful listener. Why not draw on that experience and contribute something you've learned to this topic rather than finding a way to demean the question -- and the questioner?

Pretty sure you meant to say glutton. A gourmand will take his time because he enjoys eating. Gluttons gobble. Gourmonds savor. Just a little too much is all. 

All you have done is buy into the same evanescent memory trap as so many others. Its easy to do- at a keyboard. The minute you step away from the keyboard, and actually go and listen, that is when you learn what is what. Once you do it blows the blather away in an instant. 

Like if you read back far enough in my posts this will be about the third or fourth time relating this, the story of back when I believed the evanescent memory blather. I drove 200 miles to where they had just the magic switch you seek. Because surely whatever slight difference there might be between interconnects had to be so miniscule no one could possibly be sure or remember unless switching back and forth fast and often. 

When I got there the magic switch was broken. I had driven 200 miles. Okay I will try without the magic switch. Listened a few minutes to their wire. Okay, pause, put mine in. Instantly, and I mean so fast I hadn't time to sit down, it sounded like I broke the guys expensive tube amp. I could hardly believe. My wife was there too and she could hardly believe it herself. 

There's a million things to say about how to listen. But really its not how to listen, you already do that just fine yourself. Everyone does. Only reason we're here is a million ancestors heard the twig snap and froze or hid or ran or fought. But they heard the twig snap. So you hear just fine. What you need is the language to understand and describe what you are hearing. This you only learn by actually taking the time to listen and compare. Which sad to say cannot be done at a keyboard. 

The differences between interconnects are obvious and easy to hear. The differences between speakers are obvious and easy to hear on steroids. 

Go and listen. You will see. 

 "I have a tube amp that requires shut down, short break, between speaker changes"

What is the reason for the shut down?

The reason is he doesn't want to fry his amp which is what will happen disconnecting speakers with it turned on.


Meanwhile....   

Anyone concerned about not being able to compare or judge because they will forget what they heard in a few minutes should stop and think about that. Ask yourself, if you really can't remember, then why would you care? If you have no memory of something better, how can anything be worse? Seriously. Think it through. Why would you care? 

Look at it another way. If the difference isn't big enough to be sure, how could it possibly be worth paying for? Might as well buy the pretty ones. Which if you can't remember, probably what you're gonna do anyway. So why bother?

I have! Jafco, 1974.

Any thoughts about auditioning speakers at home with a speaker selector box? 

Yeah. Don't.