2. amps-preamps
  3. 1073597490

Why no "speaker B" connection on many SS power amp

A few months ago I asked for advice on adding a power amp to my receiver-based HT system here on Audiogon. I received some really helpful feedback. I will continue to power the surrounds with the receiver and add a 3-channel amp for the fronts. However, in my search for an amp for my needs, (solid state, high current, at least 100 "real" watts), I've found hardly any power amps that provide a connection for a second pair of speakers. I currently run a second pair of speakers in the kitchen and I don't want to give that up when I upgrade the power amp. My receiver's "speaker B" output is disabled when you add an external power amp.

The Arcam P35x3 (and Alpha 10x3) does provide "A/B" speaker connections and would be an upgrade, but none of the other really good, more powerful amps that I like provide the "speaker B" hookup:

Aragon 8008X3
McCormack HT3
Sunfire Theater Grand

Why is that? Will it degrade the amp sonically, is it for cost considerations, what do ya'll think?
john_z

Showing 1 response by diode

diode's avatar
diode
12 posts
 
A Couple of thoughts.

If your receiver has pre out for additional amplification,
it may have a pre in, or main in, back to the internal
amplifier. If this is the case you can use a high quality
Y jack, and split the left/right pre out and send on pair
to the seperate power amp, the other back into the receiver
utilizing it's internal main amplifier to your kitchen.

Finding spkr B outputs on a multi channel amp is going
to be tough. If you decide to use a seperate speaker
selector look into the Niles MSA10. When you are only
using the main pair of speakers it has decent quality
direct connects (bypasses any impedance matching) from
the amplifier to the speakers.
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