One pair speakers, two sets of power. How to?

I am 50/50 for HT and Music. I use Bryston 4B to drive Paradigm Studio 40 mains. Proceed HT processor and ARC Hybrid Preamp are both connected to the Bryston. When I listen to music, I turn off HT the Proceed and use ARC preamp. Vice versa.

Inspired by Peabody and other tube guys, I am about to put in more tube stuff in my system, like a tube power amp for music. I don't want to add a 2nd pair of speakers and I don't want to watch DVD and TV with the tube amp. Now comes the question. How to share one pair of speakers by 2 sets of power amps?

I know there is kind of speaker selector for 1 amp with differrent pairs of speakers. I wonder if I can connect it backwards and use it as an "amp selector".

I would ask for tube amp recommendations in another thread. Thanks.

...want to check out the Russound AB-3.2 link below:

http://www.russound.com/ab3.htm

...exactly what you want, even auto-switches...I'd avoid doin' a flip-flop on a speaker selector switch as some may have other circuitry that could adversely affect the amp/speaker interface...

jimHJJ(...good luck...)

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Originally Posted by Resident Loser

...want to check out the Russound AB-3.2 link below:

http://www.russound.com/ab3.htm

...exactly what you want, even auto-switches...I'd avoid doin' a flip-flop on a speaker selector switch as some may have other circuitry that could adversely affect the amp/speaker interface...

jimHJJ(...good luck...)

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Thanks.

But this one looks small. My speaker wire is 10 Gauge and SS amp is 250wpc rms. Not sure if it works for me. I will check it out.

Are you thinking that down the line you will have 2 systems, one for each, or is that not a possibility at any point in time?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies

Are you thinking that down the line you will have 2 systems, one for each, or is that not a possibility at any point in time?

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I will keep 2 systems for years. Still feel HT entertaining.

Well what I do is use banana plugs on the speaker ends of the cables and physically plug and unplug from one application to the other. I couldn't find any other satisfying way. Bryston makes one of the best switchers I found but I can't remember which direction the switching went. It was also expensive and I figured I can deal with a little inconvenience. Besides using direct connections is the purest way to go.

Peabody,

The Bryston switch is speaker selector as I remember. I don't know if it can be use backwards as an "amp selector".

I think I would just do it your "inconvenient way", unless I can diy something out.

Thanks

I don't recommend it (the switch), unless you're going to put in a dummy load -- some amps don't like not having loads when they're on.

I think the banana plugs is a better bet, and the marrying-speakers-to-amps idea is the best.