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Torn between two amps

I would like to use two different amps, but not at the same time. My Cary Rocket 88 sounds better with CD's and my custom OTL amp sounds better with vinyl. I am not sure the best way to hook these up in my system. I do not want to be switching I/C's and speaker cables every time I want to change source.

This is what I thought of but not sure it's the best way;

1.) I did a quick check on the web and saw a Bryston speaker switch box. Thinking I could run the speaker cables to the box and then back out to each amp. (this scares me a bit as who knows what damage can be done if both amps get turned on accidently and/ or speaker A & B buttons get pushed in at the same time ).

2.) Get an interconnect Y adaptor connecting the pre out to each amp.

Will either of the above degrade the sound?

Anyone know a better way to do this?
markpao
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,306 posts
 
you may not want to hear this but how about selling both and getting a better OTL?

Or maybe sell the Cary and upgrade wire with the money

to my way of thinking, I like vinyl so much better than digital I would honor it first...

but then I am a bit of a purist and do not like switch boxes and y connectors...

good luck
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I would stay away from switch boxes, I have never seen any that were not audible. Y connectors are better but if you only have one pair of speakers you have to change their connections. I would look at my CD playback chain as when an amp has been better on one of my sources it has been better on the other, if the OTL is better on vinyl where does it fall down on CD?
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I agree with Stan. I'll add that the effects of a y-connector arrangement will be highly dependent on the output impedance of the preamp. The lower it is the better.

The preamp will see a load impedance that is equal to the product (multiplication) of the input impedances of the two power amps, divided by the sum of those two input impedances. If the two power amps have equal input impedances, that corresponds to a combined impedance of 1/2 of the input impedance of each amp.

That combined impedance should be at least ten times (and very preferably 20 times) greater than the output impedance of the preamp at the frequency at which that output impedance is greatest (which is likely to be 20Hz, unless the preamp has a dc coupled output, meaning no capacitor in series with its output).

Also, the capacitances of the cables running to each amp will sum together and possibly introduce some amount of upper treble rolloff, if the capacitance per unit length of the cables is high and the cables are long and the preamp output impedance at high frequencies is high.

Regards,
-- Al
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