Speaker A/B Option With Separates?

Thanks to you all--you gave some things to think about. I wish my Rotel receiver had pre-out jacks so I could use it as an amp/speaker selector . . .One thing is still not clear to me: from my preamp, where would the interconnects go to/come from? The preamp I want (Quicksilver) has main out and tape monitor out and in.

I have a very early (probably 15-20 yr old) versatile Niles "Speaker Selector/Volume Control" box Model SVC-4 which allows two separate amps and 4 sets of speakers to be attached. Each speaker has a volume control. You can select either amp A or Amp B to drive a particular speaker or leave that speaker off. On the front of the unit there is an "in or out button" for each amp marked "leave out for "1 pair 4 ohm or 1-2 pair 8 ohms" or push in for "2-4 pair 4 ohm or 3-4 pair 8 ohm speakers on that particular amp. The only down side is that the speaker wire connector terminals on the back are a push down spring tab for inserting a small bare wire (like on circa 70s Marantz Receivers). It cannot take spades or banana plugs. Niles may make a more modern version now. Great versatility but obviously not for ultra critical listening.

I am not sure what the parasound left/right volume control gets you in the context of a multi-room application but it is no doubt a good option and I did not intend to slight the recommendation. By having a second amp or receiver you can play different sources in different rooms at different volumes. I have a multi-room receiver as well as an additional receiver in my system so I can drive my mains, kitchen, and screened porch at different levels and with different sources, i.e. the kids can be watching a movie and we can be on the porch listening to a CD or even vinyl if we want. I guess it depends on what you want to accomlplish in the end.

You can also run a second set of wires from the same amp binding posts and hook up a separate volume control (Niles Audio has a nice impedance-matching model) either in the wall or on a table. I have this set-up for my patio and living room fed from an amp in my family room. It works very well, and you don't need another amp or receiver.

The Parasound amp I mentioned has Left and Right volume, snatch one up!

I agree with Elevick. I would find a decent used receiver that you can hook the pre-outs from the pre-amp into and then have a seperate volume control.

You can get a simple little Adcom switchbox, A/B/C speakers. The only problem is you won't have separate volume controls. That's why multiroom receivers are so nice. Different volumes in each room and even different sources.

Paraound HCA series amps have them (atleast the 800 did), I had a HCA 800 and it was like 90w and sounded great.has A/B switch right on front and these can be had for around $200 used.