Question Possible to connect two amps to same speakers?

[El Puerco Volante]

I simply don't understand why, unless you are going to be changing your amplifiers every 5 minutes, you simply cannot just swap the speaker cables from one amp to speaker cables from the other amp. If you use a pair of wires with banana plugs on the end this will take less than a minute to do and ultimately will be a whole lot safer for you.

I may want to hear a song on tubes and then try it on the big Technics boy. And to be honest, I also like a smooth technical solution 😁 I also know myself and if I have to climb behind speakers and switch cables - I will simply don't do it very often.

One more question if I may : it's OK to connect a source (say a turntable or a streamer or CD player) to multiple amps at same time, right? I will use one amp at a time, just want to have connections to both in place to - well, you probably have guessed it - avoid switching cables 😄

 

[Fandango Andy]

Thank you, very clear and helpful. I won't connect them then and will use a switchbox! Anything wrong with my idea of how to connect using it as I've described above?

I like the hi-fi very much, but, in comparison to most members on this forum, I don't really know that much about it. So the clear advice is always very much appreciated!

I hadn’t seen the post where you mention the Luxman AS-55, I think you posted while I was typing!

Not familiar with the product, but looking at the diagram it looks like it will do exactly what you want it to.

 

[nopiano]

This is craziest thread I’ve seen for years. If you get a suitable amplifier for your speakers - did you actually say what they are? - then all this two amplifier nonsense becomes irrelevant. Why on earth spend such a large sum on Prima Luna if you aren’t complete convinced by them?

No problem to occasionally try a different amplifier, as I do myself, but I guarantee you’ll f**k them up if you pursue some sort of doubling up. As you honestly admit, you do not give any indication you really have the faintest idea what you’re doing.

 

[nopiano]

Now my loudspeakers have 4 connectors, and those amps will only use one pair.

Which speakers?

 

[nopiano]

Based on the feedback from knowledgeable and amazing members of this forum I think I have found the decent switch - Luxman AS-55. It seems to do exactly what I need, but I'm not sure it will work with monoblocks. In the manual I can only see individual amps (attached) but I need to switch between a) two monoblocks powering individual speakers b) an integrated powering both speakers. Am I missing something here?

You might well be missing something. That’s because these types of switch boxes often join the negative channels together, for reasons I cannot explain. Depending on how your Prima Luna convert themselves to monoblocks - and I don’t mean just throw the switch! - I mean how the internal wiring is changed, then connecting negatives together may result in magic white amplifier smoke emerging, very expensively, possibly accompanied by blue flashes.

Unless you get written confirmation from PrimaLuna that your amplifier will work into that box, or any other switching devices (none of which I will direct you to) then you are heading for disaster.

 

[Gray]

Depending on how your Prima Luna convert themselves to monoblocks - and I don’t mean just throw the switch! - I mean how the internal wiring is changed, then connecting negatives together may result in magic white amplifier smoke emerging, very expensively, possibly accompanied by blue flashes.

And when the Genie appears from the smoke, you can make a wish - for a new amp.
(I shouldn't joke, it's not funny🤡)

 

[Al ears]

Well, that shouldn't be a problem. Evo 400 pre-amp connected via XLR to two Evo 400 monoblocks. One monoblock connected to "right" input of "system A" on AS-55 and the other monoblock connected to "left" input of "system A" on AS-55. Then the integrated amp (SU-G 1000) is connected to both "right and left" inputs of "system B" of AS-55. And the AS-55 connected to my loudspeakers. In this way I can choose if power my loudspeakers via EVOs or the SU-G1000 at leisure via the AS-55 selector. Makes sense or I'm gonna mess it up ? 😁

I could not see the inputs you mention on that over-simplified diagram you posted earlier.

This is craziest thread I’ve seen for years. If you get a suitable amplifier for your speakers - did you actually say what they are? - then all this two amplifier nonsense becomes irrelevant. Why on earth spend such a large sum on Prima Luna if you aren’t complete convinced by them?

No problem to occasionally try a different amplifier, as I do myself, but I guarantee you’ll f**k them up if you pursue some sort of doubling up. As you honestly admit, you do not give any indication you really have the faintest idea what you’re doing.

I'm glad you stated it so eloquently....

 

[SohoAudiophile]

Thanks, but indeed I don't plan to use those very different amps at the same time. Just to have a choice which one to use according to mood and music.

But you have said something very interesting to me: are you saying that I could get 4 EVO 400 monoblocks instead of 2, connect them to one EVO 400 Preamp (also ordered) on input side and on output side connect all 4 to my speakers and run them at the same time? Would this make the sound better?

Sounds like a cool idea ☺️

Do you have infinite money?

This would double your power but surely there would be other ways to spend $9,000 that can improve your life.

What are your speakers? How good are your sources? Have you treated the room? Subwoofer?

One thing I know for sure is that this hobby is happy to help if you have money burning a hole in your pocket.

 

[nopiano]

I'm glad you stated it so eloquently....

I should have said nothing, because there were already several very clear ‘DONT DO IT’ type answers! But I just couldn’t let it rest. 🤬

 

[Al ears]

I should have said nothing, because there were already several very clear ‘DONT DO IT’ type answers! But I just couldn’t let it rest. 🤬

Well, if you hadn't, I was about to.

 

[El Puerco Volante]

Do you have infinite money?

This would double your power but surely there would be other ways to spend $9,000 that can improve your life.

What are your speakers? How good are your sources? Have you treated the room? Subwoofer?

One thing I know for sure is that this hobby is happy to help if you have money burning a hole in your pocket.

Infinite no, but to rephrase my preferred UK philosopher "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and hi-fi. The rest I just squandered" ...

Speaker-wise I currently run B&W 603 S2 Anniversary in one system and GoldenEar Triton Two+ in the other. Main sources are Rega P8 and AudioLab 9000n. I plan to upgrade the speakers a tad and add a SACD player. Also almost tempted by a better streamer, but I really shouldn't, since I've just bought the 9000n 😁

 

[Al ears]

Infinite no, but to rephrase my preferred UK philosopher "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and hi-fi. The rest I just squandered" ...

Speaker-wise I currently run B&W 603 S2 Anniversary in one system and GoldenEar Triton Two+ in the other. Main sources are Rega P8 and AudioLab 9000n. I plan to upgrade the speakers a tad and add a SACD player. Also almost tempted by a better streamer, but I really shouldn't, since I've just bought the 9000n 😁

I would be interested to hear why you need a better streamer than that 9000n and why a SACD player?
Forget front end as most noticeable improvement will come from speaker upgrade.

 

[El Puerco Volante]

I would be interested to hear why you need a better streamer than that 9000n and why a SACD player?
Forget front end as most noticeable improvement will come from speaker upgrade.

And I would be interested to hear an answer to my question in the post N26 😁

Apart from the jokes, there is no such thing as "I need it" for me. I don't really need any of those things. I buy them because I enjoy high-end audio a lot. It's fun to keep improving and changing your system, at least for me 🙂

We are all the children at our heart, it's just the toys that get more expensive.

SACD I never had, so I want to try it. I'm undecided between Esoteric and Accuphase, but if I go with Esoteric - they have a cool master clock that can be hooked to it. Then they also have a streamer that can be hooked to that master clock 😄

So you say a pair of better speakers would do good to my system, Al?