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switching between unique amps using biwire posts?

This may seem like a crazy idea, so I thought I would test the waters here to see if anyone has done this before I may cause potential damage.

Scenario:

I currently have my main front speakers JM Labs Chorus 706s (with biwire capabilities thatI do not use). What I do do however is routinely switch between my digital amp, and my tube amp routinely using banana plugs at the speaker. Because I am getting sick of manually switching plugs each time I change amps, here is my question:

1) Could I wire both amps in using the 4 connections on the back of each speaker simultaneously? ie. LF's to the tube amp and HF's to the digital amp. I would keep the biwire jumpers in place. Of course I would make sure that I would only have one amp powered up at a time.

2) Could this scenario cause any harm to either the speakers or the amps? I wonder what would actually happen if I turned both amps on, w/o removing the biwire jumper? I wonder if I would have impedance issues even if one of the amps is turned off?

3) If it is just plain risky, should I just pick up a Niles DPS-1 amp selector and use that instead? I'm just worried I would suffer signal degradation doing this.

Just trying to see if other people have come up with creative ways to use their bi-wire connectivities.

Thanks,

Jason
jfiluk

Showing 2 responses by aball

aball
2,016 posts
 
I don't have good answers either - although some of it will depend on the amp designs I think. If the amps don't have an output relay (I think only pro audio does this), you will be paralleling a tough output impedance load with the speaker which is bad. I have been toying with the idea of adding a tube amp to my system so I could have tubes and SS depending on the mood and music. I guess this is the same as you. I haven't been able to come up with an easy swapping scenario either.

I wish someone would just come out with a high quality amp switcher. I would buy one for sure. I bought a DPS1 once and found it way too chintzy to use so I sold it.

I seem to remember someone saying Bryston has a nice amp switcher but I haven't found any info on it (there's only a video switcher on their site). Anyone know?
aball
2,016 posts
 
Jfiluk - the build quality was poor and my big MIT speaker cables had a hard time staying connected with those cheap push-type connectors so I hardly used it.
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