2 amplifiers, 1 pair of speakers


Any ideas on the best way to achieve this? My friend has a sony multi-channel amp for HT and a Cary SLI-80 for 2 channel listening. The speaker wires are currently plugged into the Cary. For movies, the Sony runs the surrounds and uses the pre-amp out to the Cary for the main speakers. The sony is off for 2 channel.

He would like to preserve the tubes for 2 channel only but needs a separate amplifier A/B type switch. Online searches have lots of speaker switches but we can't find any quality amplifier switches. One that accepts the spade terminations of quality speaker cables not the spring-loaded type for lamp cord.

Any ideas?

Thanks
stuartbranson
Hi Kr4,

I am not an electrician or anything close to that. Can you explain -- "... even when off, the amp will load the other." What's the effects to sound quality.

Because that's exactly what I am doing. Marantz 9 amps to my Focus Audio FS-888 (and Arragon amp for late night session so I don't worry about burning up the tubes.)
Good ideas. Thanks. To answer the first question, No to the 5 way binding posts.
To the second concern, the Sony is only connected to the center ch., rear surrounds and sub. The L/R are connected to the Cary. Thats the issue. It means that the Cary must be powered for movies or the radio etc. and he would prefer to save the tubes for dedicated 2 channel and the Sony running the movies and the background times.
Newbee. This is the obvious answer but he is a man who relishes, nay, demands the convenience of a simple switch. Though I bet in the end the switch will cost him the price of a second set of cables. Likewise, switching at the amp end is a great problem because his system is in a built-in shelf and is VERY difficult to manoeuver. (I helped him install everything and don't want to mess with the cables back there again in this lifetime.)

Thanks Zoya. I will check into your post.

So there are no good quality switches out there?
Zoya. I would like have more information on what you did. We have been trying to devise some diy solution but haven't gotten very far with it yet.
Kr4 speaks great wisdom! You will N-E-V-E-R want to put yourself into a situation where one amp's output might have a chance to to into another amp.

Nope. don't even ask why as you just might wind up outsmarting your self. Busted amps and possible fires are not worth it.

Oh, and don't play with matches, either.
You can buy some Niles speaker switch from onecall.com to hook 2 amps into one set of speakers without worry about getting shorted .I use them switches to run 3 amps into my
HT speakers system and have plenty of choices .Yes you can do that too.