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is it ok to leave a tube amp on without speakers connected

I'm blessed to have two amps but one set of speakers in my listing room - all tubes.  Instead of cutting off one to listen to the other, I would like to listen to the other without powering off the one i'm not listening to.  

Question:  Can tube amps be powered on without speakers connected for hours at a time?
mudbone
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,797 posts
 
You will damage the output transformer with no load on the amp
tpreaves's avatar
tpreaves
2,686 posts
 
Octave Audio tube amps can be run without a load but, you really shouldn't be connecting/unconnecting speakers under power any way.
rcprince
3,070 posts
 
No, and agree you should never connect and disconnect speakers with the amps on in any case.
mudbone OP
19 posts
 
Thanks for the responses.  Makes perfect sense.
migueca's avatar
migueca
112 posts
 
As previously said, you can burn the output transformers. 
I also have two amplifiers and two sets of speakers. I made a switch box that allows me to choose which amplifier am I listening to, connected to which speakers. There are some models on the market (selectores and switches), but I decided to build my own and I'm very happy with it. 
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