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2 amplifiers connected to 1 set of speakers

I’ve been in the hobby for a few years and my wife asked me a question that stumped me.

Can you have 2 amplifiers, connected via their own individual sets of speaker cables, connected to the same pair of speakers at the same time? I told her I didn’t think that would be advisable.

The question came about when she saw me disconnecting cables from my solid state amp and connecting the cables from my tube amp. (both were off of course). She asked me why it wouldn’t be ok and I started babbling that the signal from one amp would then travel through the other set of connected cables into the amp that was not in use. Even if the other amp was off that could be problematic. If the other amp happened to be on then it could prove catastrophic for both amps and potentially cause an electrical fire.

What is the correct answer fellow audiogon members? Ralph?
ghasley
gdnrbob
4,458 posts
 
Well, there is biamping.
Either Vertical or Horizontal, but you would be sending a signal from each amplifier to a different set of speaker terminations-for speakers wired for such.
B
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,211 posts
 
Instead of swapping cables, I think using a high quality amplifier selector is a safer way to switching amplifiers.

http://www.beresford.me/S/home_htm_files/TC-7220MKII.pdf
ghasley OP
2,507 posts
 
To be clear. I have two amps, two pair of speaker cables, one pair of speakers. I’m not asking if it can be done or how it can be done, I’m asking what would happen if someone tried. Thanks for the responses thus far.
Post removed 
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
POP a fuse if your lucky, if not it's all down hill from there, from a pop to a BOOM, get my drift? 
There is a way to combine amps if they are made for it, "strapping" or "bridging". You bridge the amps, then run a single set of speaker cables if you have a single set of speaker binding post. A lot of pro/car audio stuff is that way.  Mcintosh, too, they can be strapped and stacked..
Grateful Dead, used 2300 or 2500, maybe both.

You want an A/B switch... be careful.. Don't switch live.  It will be in the signal path. Something to think about.. A cheap switch box, maybe not a great idea for quality sound...

A good passive preamp.. good traces, good wire, good switches.. 100.00 and you can fiddle a bit. Still in the path though...

Regards
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