A Selector Switch?

[JohnnyBoy]

How important - or is it even necessary to have a selector switch to rotate between two incoming sources?

 

[Yves Smolders]

What do you mean? You want to hook both(or multiple?) sources all together and not switch them at all?

 

[amt]

If you are comparing a rotary against a toggle switch, I think the rotaries are far better in the long run. They tend to wipe the contacts off and remain cleaner than toggles. I just put together a DACT based input switcher and I will tell you that just looking at the build quality and construction of the switch, there is no doubt it will outperform a toggle for years to come.

amt

 

[JohnnyBoy]

What do you mean? You want to hook both(or multiple?) sources all together and not switch them at all?

Correct. With just a CD player and a FM Tuner (2 inputs only) I thought why not bypass the selector switch and run both inputs direct to the board? I don't plan to play both sources simultaneously, it's just more of a purist approach that is what I'm after.

 

[Pano]

I thought why not bypass the selector switch and run both inputs direct to the board?

Not a very good idea. The output circuit of you FM tuner is now part of the input circuit when you play CD, and vice-versa. Some output circuits can be very weird when not powered. You'll lose way more quality than you would with a good switch.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Thanks Panomaniac, I appreciate your response and expertise. My CD player is actually a Pioneer DVD 343 modified by Steve Deckert (Decware) and it has a SET output stage that remains powered up even if the unit is switched off. This would probably make things even worse for not having the switch. Since I do not use my tuner that much, I could get by with a single pair of inputs and manually switch them over on the rare occasion I want to listen to FM.

Thanks again.