I have a stereo SS amp and a home receiver. I want to use both amps, one for music and one for home theater. I'd like to use my hi-fi stereo speakers for both purposes (music with the stereo amp and with surround speakers for home theater). If I hook both amplifiers to the speakers, but only run one amp at a time, will I damage the amplifiers? If so do I have any other options aside from using a speaker selector type of switch box?
simple answer
Probably yes. Probably no. Even tube amps, which would not be damaged in parallel, would load each other down with outputs tied together without a set of contacts in a switch or relay to isolate. Analog switches isolate, but not very much, and not at the power levels useful. Triacs isolate, but not at upper audio frequencies, and not very much. Buy a mixer, connect the two sources at the 1 volt AC (preamp) level to two mixer inputs, use one amp stage. Some DJ mixers have a 200w stereo amp built in, see craigslist.
Probably yes. Probably no. Even tube amps, which would not be damaged in parallel, would load each other down with outputs tied together without a set of contacts in a switch or relay to isolate. Analog switches isolate, but not very much, and not at the power levels useful. Triacs isolate, but not at upper audio frequencies, and not very much. Buy a mixer, connect the two sources at the 1 volt AC (preamp) level to two mixer inputs, use one amp stage. Some DJ mixers have a 200w stereo amp built in, see craigslist.
The "IF I connect BUT only" is the big reason NOT to connect two different amps to one set of speakers. Sooner or later BOTH amps will get turned on and all three could be will be history. Don't do it. Saw it many times with amps and TVs connected to one set of speakers.
Craig
Craig
I can attest to what Craig said. I hooked up my PA/mixer amp, an HK AVR, and a pair of Voice-of-the-theatre speakers thru a cheap AB speaker switch reversing the normal connections (i.e., running the PA amp output into side A, the AVR output into side B and the speaker cables into the normal amp input of the switch). It worked pretty well for a while, but one day it didn't work so well. Now I have a very nice Harmon Kardon AVR boat anchor.
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