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Have you ever used a separate speaker selector unit to audition speakers? Would you?

I'm anticipating a big "bake-off" between speakers competing for my affection. I have a tube amp that requires shut down, short break, between speaker changes. So, I'm thinking of getting a speaker selector box to do this. I don't want to spend a mint, but if the speakers are multi-thousand, it seems that spending a little money to really compare them might be worth it.

I know that such interpositions of wires and hardware degrades the sound. But this would be done to all speakers being compared -- so it would remain a level playing field.

Of course, if it trashes them all, then no comparisons can really be done.

Any thoughts about auditioning speakers at home with a speaker selector box?
128x128hilde45

Showing 2 responses by decooney

decooney
1,905 posts
 
@hilde45  "I have a tube amp that requires shut down, short break, between speaker changes"

@tablejockey "What is the reason for the shut down?"


OP runs tube amps.  Not a good idea to hot-disconnect and operate a valve/tube amplifier without a load. Without a load on the secondary, the output transformer primary presents a high impedance load to the output tubes, resulting in higher-than-normal voltages that can damage the tubes and/or transformer. Damage is likely if you operate the amplifier with a large input signal but no load. Might get away with it if there is no input signal and not recommended for most tube amps.  
decooney
1,905 posts
 
@b_limo 
Sometimes you don’t appreciate or understand a speaker until you’ve listened to it for a week or two.  

+1 
Agreed.

 



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