Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo One pair of speakers, two amps..?

Paul, another welcome back, and yes,it would cause damage even if only one amp was on. While it may not be immediately apparent, what you propose is a "Y" type of arrangement with the operating amplifier feeding the speaker on one branch of the Y and the other branch feeding the inactive amplifier(regardless of whether it's switched on), as if you were driving it in parallel with the speaker. The power from the operating amp doesn't know that you don't want it to go into the other amp; it just follows the wires.

If both amps were on would that pose a problem?

Let me try to diagram what you were saying

[Tube Amp] -> [Other Amp] -> [Axioms]

no comment.

Thanks for making me feel stupid
I'm kind of confused as to what JohnK was suggesting. >-<

John was just describing the setup chrono envisioned, which would be like this:

[receiver]===[Axioms]===[tube amp]

An inactive amplifier, powered off or not, will present a complex load to the active amplifier if it is in the signal path, regardless of where in the chain it is located.

Dan, as the "Y" characterization indicates, the power can't just go into the speaker; it follows the speaker wire into the other amplifier. A switch box or similar device is needed to keep the amplifiers completely separated.

Yea, that is what I was thinking initially, for some odd reason the way John described it made me think the other way around.


We're talking having both the red and black wires match up from both amps...right?

Sure, it's a parallel(not series)connection. The power comes down the red wire from the active amp and right up the red wire into the other amp, besides going into the speaker.

Ahh okay, so that's a bad idea. Thanks for the info guys, you saved my equipment, ahaha.

Hmm I guess the Russound AB-2.2 sounds like a good solution then.

Saturn, Johnk and Peter all note good points here.
There is something in the routing about some switch boxes that you have to note and be careful in what is being switched when/where in the signal path. The Russound unit i have is dependant on the load of speakers attached and it has a manual with a graph of the proper setting prior to hooking up equipment.

I would consider asking an electronics pro friend before using my switcher with tube amps.