Safe way to change cables with tube amp on...

'Nuff said, thanks for the advice. I've decided rather than using a resistor I just stick my tounge across the terminals heh heh. Seriously though I guess the old fashioned way of powering down is really the safest.
Cheers!

A agree this is not a wise thing to do for so many reasons. And putting a resistor across the amp? You plan on removing/reconnecting this resistor each and every time to swap cables on/off the amp? This only doubles the possibility of shorting the terminals on the back of the amp. The strip terminals on these older amps are a pain enough when the amp is off. And who said the amp necessarily needs a load when it is powered on anyway. Just because it is a tube amp does not mean it is unstable without a load. A call to ARC would answer this for your amp......but this whole process is only asking for trouble. And if a disaster occured, you would most likely become a recipient of a Darwin award. Don't do it.

The resistor would theoretically avoid the no-load condition that might damage the amp. However, human error while you are messing around with the wires remains a hazard. Why risk it?

Go ahead - try it! No guts, no glory...

But, before you do anything like that, make sure you have already ordered your new amp. 'Nuff said.

I would strongly second Warner's caution above. You shouldn't leave a tube amp without a load and using a resistor across the taps is very prone to mistakes -- remember a resistor would have to be connected to the live taps!!

If I were you I wouldn't try it. Too many times a tiny error has ended up in a blown amp. It's better to just power it down. One tiny mistake and you'll wish you never thought of leaving it on.