bi-amping with Tube and SS amp


Bi-amping question: 

Is it possible to use a tube amplifier to run my HT speakers without disconnecting HT SS amp? 
In other words, can I connect a tube amp to my L R channel using top binding posts and use the tube amp for music. The HT amp will be off but remain connected via bottom posts. 

zory

No, and this isn't bi-amping.

Bi-amping is for speakers that have two sets of binding posts AND the jumper is removed so that you are, in effect, driving two separate pairs of speakers with two amplifiers in parallel.

To do this, you need a switch that would essentially be a speaker switch run backwards.  I have my Pathos tube amplifier and my Integra HT receiver both connected to my speakers via a custom switch that I have to manually flip the switch on for each channel.  The switch has a dummy speaker load on the other side to keep tube amplifiers happy and also a resister to keep the tubes safe with a load during the switch flip.

Please explain why this would not work?  If you keep the jumper and connect both amps the speaker will sense the signal from either top or bottom binding post. If OP turns off his SS amp, his speaker will only get signal from the amp that is active. 

in theory this should work. Unless the extra SS amp connection will interfere with the tube amp 

If I get what you are doing, you'll have both amps connected and one will be on at a time. The problem with that is that the amp that is not on is now a load to the other amp and you will be feeding the amp a lot of current. Probably a good way to start a fire.