jrisles Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Guys (& gals if there are any??) I am curious for those who run a HT AND a seperate 2CH system using the same set of mains?? Do you use a speaker switch box? Is there a connector that you can use for one system that allows you to plug into the back of it another set of cables (using banana plugs)?? What is the preferred method? I am a minimalist. So i do like to take the approach of having two sets of speaker cables plugged into my speakers. I guess the risk here is forgetting to turn one amp off when i turn the other on!! What would happen if i did accidentally do this anyhow? cheers Jeff
Roderick Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Guys (& gals if there are any??)I am curious for those who run a HT AND a seperate 2CH system using the same set of mains?? Do you use a speaker switch box? Is there a connector that you can use for one system that allows you to plug into the back of it another set of cables (using banana plugs)?? What is the preferred method? I am a minimalist. So i do like to take the approach of having two sets of speaker cables plugged into my speakers. I guess the risk here is forgetting to turn one amp off when i turn the other on!! What would happen if i did accidentally do this anyhow? cheers Jeff It's not just a matter of making sure one amp is turned off! You have to disconnect the speaker cables from the amp thats switched off, otherwise you could damage it! Best to go with a 4-pole, double-throw switch to switch the speakers between the amps. that way you can't damage anything. If the speakers are wrongly switched, you just hear nothing! Rod
chefscuba70 Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Guys (& gals if there are any??)What is the preferred method? I am a minimalist. So i do like to take the approach of having two sets of speaker cables plugged into my speakers. I guess the risk here is forgetting to turn one amp off when i turn the other on!! What would happen if i did accidentally do this anyhow? cheers Jeff I'm visualising your speaker cones flying across your room, especially if you hook up that Elektra Would be awesome to witness, not so good for you though I did actually do that once years & years ago(& once only) I wanted to bi amp my B&W 801's when I purchased another ME power amp. There are no binding posts on the B&W's(silver wired inside) and no-one at Convoy knew what I needed to do(fancy that). So in my eager & frusrtated state, I decided to give it a go! I had one amp powered to one set of terminals and knowing the ME's stored alot of power(so I could not simply turn them off if a problem arose, they would continue to amplify until they powered down), I didn't connect the cable but slowly approached the other terminal with it. As I got a few centimeters away from the terminal a HUGE spark arced across and created a large crack and electricity disturbance sound through the speakers. It scared the absolute crappers out me!! So yeh don't do it! Rather leave that to the myth busters.
Maton Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 801s wouldnt be my first choice of speaker to test something on lol
jrisles Posted March 13, 2007 Author Posted March 13, 2007 Why do you want to hook it up to 2 different amps? I want to hook my main speakers up to 2 amps so that i can use my mains for BOTH my valve amp when listening to 2ch music & also use my main speakers with my elektra when listening to HT without the need of having to swap leads over from one amp to another all the time
betty boop Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I want to hook my main speakers up to 2 amps so that i can use my mains for BOTH my valve amp when listening to 2ch music & also use my main speakers with my elektra when listening to HT without the need of having to swap leads over from one amp to another all the time jrisles this topic is covered extensively, have a read of the links in the htfaq sticky - link in my sig re combining 2ch and ht systems. theres plenty of us doing it and theres no reason you cant enjoy the best of both 2ch and HT withotu sacrificing one little bit the capability of either system even though its combined as one.
jrisles Posted March 13, 2007 Author Posted March 13, 2007 Thx Al but i couldn't find anything about it in the sticky. Not one that covered my situation anyhow. Problem is my valve amp is an integrated amp & i don't have any pre-outs on my valve amp.
AndrewW Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 I didn't connect the cable but slowly approached the other terminal with it. I knew how that was going to end before I even read the next sentence. I have a similar story involving a High Tension lead and a spark plug on a misfiring V8 Andrew.
betty boop Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Thx Al but i couldn't find anything about it in the sticky. Not one that covered my situation anyhow. Problem is my valve amp is an integrated amp & i don't have any pre-outs on my valve amp. did you have a boys look? hehe check the links in the sticky Q Can I combine 2ch and HT ? link1, Link2 doesn't matter if you have a valve integrated and it doesn't need to have pre-outs
Roderick Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 did you have a boys look? hehecheck the links in the sticky Q Can I combine 2ch and HT ? link1, Link2 doesn't matter if you have a valve integrated and it doesn't need to have pre-outs jrisles. it seems that you, like me, do not like having two electricity guzzling amps swithed on at the same time -- particularly when one is an Elektra . Don't like the above solution. Jaycar have a neat-looking stereo speaker switch in their catalog - AC-1679, for $20. . Should be perfectly adequate, with no losses involved. I heard on the radio this morning that in the UK 'standby' on home entertainment devices is going to be phased out via the law! Seems like the energy police are getting serious now .
jrisles Posted March 14, 2007 Author Posted March 14, 2007 jrisles. it seems that you, like me, do not like having two electricity guzzling amps swithed on at the same time -- particularly when one is an Elektra . Don't like the above solution.Jaycar have a neat-looking stereo speaker switch in their catalog - AC-1679, for $20. . Should be perfectly adequate, with no losses involved. I heard on the radio this morning that in the UK 'standby' on home entertainment devices is going to be phased out via the law! Seems like the energy police are getting serious now . WOW!!! That is amazing regarding the "Standby" situation. However my issue really isn't about using the energy (which perhaps it should be?? ). My issue (if i am reading the sticky correctly) is that i need to feed the left & right main speaker pre-outs of my processor to my valve integrated amp, which are permently connected to my main speakers via the output terminals. With the rest of my speakers connected to my Elektra amp. My concern is the "difference" in sound quality & dynamics. I don't think that mixing the outputs of my valve with the outputs of my Elektra will sound good together. (If i am understanding the sticky this is what i need to do??). I don't believe that i can feed the outputs of the valve integrated amp back into the inputs of the Elektra?? You can't feed the output of one AMP (not a preamp but an amp) into the input of another amp. Can you? cheers Jeff
Roderick Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 I don't believe that i can feed the outputs of the valve integrated amp back into the inputs of the Elektra?? You can't feed the output of one AMP (not a preamp but an amp) into the input of another amp. Can you?cheers Jeff Recipe for disaster, jrisles. Don't do it! . Rod
betty boop Posted March 14, 2007 Posted March 14, 2007 ~My issue (if i am reading the sticky correctly) is that i need to feed the left & right main speaker pre-outs of my processor to my valve integrated amp, which are permently connected to my main speakers via the output terminals. With the rest of my speakers connected to my Elektra amp. My concern is the "difference" in sound quality & dynamics. I don't think that mixing the outputs of my valve with the outputs of my Elektra will sound good together. (If i am understanding the sticky this is what i need to do??). ~ cheers Jeff quite correct this is quite standard practice for people with combined systems and you will need to try it for your self to check the difference. ~I don't believe that i can feed the outputs of the valve integrated amp back into the inputs of the Elektra?? You can't feed the output of one AMP (not a preamp but an amp) into the input of another amp. Can you? cheers Jeff not a good idea.
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