Can i have one speaker hooked to two amplifiers?

[ChicagoLR3]

This is kind of an odd question. heres my idea. Is it possible to take a receiver and hook a tube amp to the pre-outs, and run wires from both to the same pair of speakers? my goal is to be able to run the speakers with the receiver when watching movies, and run it though the tube amp when listening to music. I do not want to run power to the speakers from each amp at the same time.

Will this work or would i have to reconnect the speakers and RCA's everytime i wanted to switch?

For equipment i was thinking about a HK 3490 and a emp tek vt-40.2 running sierra-1's.

 

[leousm]

Ok, i see. I thought you wanted to run two separate amps at the same time when I read the title.

Someone else with more experience can chime here, but I don't see why not as long as both aren't sending power to the speakers at the same time.

That being said, if you use the same receiver both both HT and audio how would you stop the receiver from sending power to the speakers (since they are still connected to it) when listening to audio powered by the tube amp?

 

[bandphan]

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product.php?prodID=DPS-1&recordID=Source Switching Systems&categoryID=Switching Systems&catcdID=10&prdcdID=FG00003

 

[Seth=L]

An amplifier selector is needed. You can not do this without one.

If you connected both to the speakers when the one in the receiver was in use it would send a signal to the outputs of the tube amplifier and fry the tube amp for sure, and probably the receiver as well (yes, even if the tube amplifier was off this would happen).

If you attempted to run the tube amp both the receiver and the tube amplifier would be sending signals to one another's outputs. I speculate you'd see more than smoke on this one, probably some fireworks.

I used to have a speaker selector/amplifier selector made by Sima. It allowed two amplifiers to be connected (in this case, your receiver and tube amplifier) and up to 4 pair of speakers connected as well. I wish I still had the piece of equipment, and I can't remember the model.

Niles, a well known manufacturer of home integration products, makes a device perfect for this application.

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product.php?prodID=DPS-1&recordID=Source Switching Systems&categoryID=Automated Switching Systems&catcdID=10&prdcdID=FG00003

 

[Seth=L]

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product.php?prodID=DPS-1&recordID=Source Switching Systems&categoryID=Switching Systems&catcdID=10&prdcdID=FG00003

In the midst of my posting, you beat me.

OP, understand that you NEED this piece of equipment to do what you are wanting.

How it works is simple. You connect the front left and right outputs of the receiver to the right and left inputs of the "A" section on the DPS-1. Then you connect the left and right outputs of the tube amplifier to the "B" section. The outputs go to the speakers.

 

[ChicagoLR3]

I was wondering about the current going to the component that was turned off. Im familiar, although i have neve used, switching boxes like the ones recommended. I used to see them often for RCA cables and old TV's with only one set of inputs.

I dont really know if i'll even give it a shot, it was more of an idea that popped in my head while procrastinating at work.

 

[highfigh]

This is kind of an odd question. heres my idea. Is it possible to take a receiver and hook a tube amp to the pre-outs, and run wires from both to the same pair of speakers? my goal is to be able to run the speakers with the receiver when watching movies, and run it though the tube amp when listening to music. I do not want to run power to the speakers from each amp at the same time.

Will this work or would i have to reconnect the speakers and RCA's everytime i wanted to switch?

For equipment i was thinking about a HK 3490 and a emp tek vt-40.2 running sierra-1's.

One thing you never want to do with a tube amp is disconnect the load while it's on or turn it on/off with no load. That can kill the output transformer(s).

 

[Seth=L]

One thing you never want to do with a tube amp is disconnect the load while it's on or turn it on/off with no load. That can kill the output transformer(s).

If that's the case, then I would advise against doing it all together. It's only a matter of time before that happens.