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switching between two amplifiers; issues of power

Hello and thanks for your insight.

I am ordering a second amp, an inexpensive class D amp, fueled by two Icepower modules, the 300AS1, I believe, which outputs 150 watts into 8ohms and 300 into 4 ohms. It can handle a load as low as 2.7 ohms.

This is a Swiss-assembled amp that I've ordered because my almost utterly amazing Nuforce STA200, also a $500 amp, runs hot when I play it a little into the loud.

My question: when the new amp arrives and I want to swap the speakers to the new XTZ amp, can I leave the Nuforce plugged in and "on," while there are no speaker cables affixed, and visa-versa with the other amp. I would like to compare the two amps and I don't want to damage an amp for lack of speaker load.

Thank you and best regards,
listening99

Showing 1 response by jchiappinelli

jchiappinelli's avatar
jchiappinelli
120 posts
 
A couple of caveats. I had (still have) a similar situation. I have a pair of tubed mono block amps that I use for serious listening and a SS amp which I keep as a backup or use when I just want some background music on but don't want to put hours on my tube amps. Both are connected through a Beresford switch box to my single pair of speakers. When I want to swap amps or do an A-B comparison, its simply a matter of throwing the switches on the Beresford. DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH A SPEAKER SELECTION SWITCH BOX. The Beresford is specifically designed for the exact purpose of swapping amps to a single speaker load. Also I believe i read somewhere that tube amps should never be left on without a load connected. This is consistent with the Beresford design the circuitry of which  includes dummy load resistors to prevent a powered on tube amp from seeing an open load. 

J.Chip
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