It needs to be a “break before make” type (break connection to one amp before making a connection to the other amp) to prevent both amps from being connected to each other even for a split second - it should make it absolutely impossible to select both amps at the same time
I'm looking to build something similar, but as an input selector for my amp, which only has one input. I'm glad I came across your video, because you've given me inspiration to make a really high quality piece. You have captured the look of quality vintage Hi Fi equipment perfectly, except you actually went one better and used solid wood instead of veneered plywood. The only improvement I can think of would be to add a chunk of steel plate or something inside to weigh it down a bit.
Very nice job, great idea. I need one of these and found your video. I'm in Toronto Canada and though a handy guy I don't have the best of tools to make one of such beauty and quality built.
This is EXACTLY what I'm trying to do! I have a few questions. I really hope you are still monitoring this... You said connect the speakers to the middle row. How do I know what are left and right? I need to do this for my 2 AV Receivers. I miss the sound fields on my old Receiver. But my newest Receiver has all the new formats. Please help! Also what all did you buy to get it all fancy? If you could post links because I really would want to make this. I've been looking for this for nearly 2 months. I'm so happy to finally find a video that someone else was doing what I wanted. I thought I was the only one who ever thought this up.
I used to play my Teac turntable amp thru the surround sound system amp by simply running a cable from the Teac headphone jack to an input on my Yamaha surround sound. I also used a speaker selector switch in reverse, but the sound was compromised and it was a little risky so I abandoned that. Eventually I bought an amp switch. I am handy with creating things, but not like this guy and I do not have the professional tools required, so buying a switch was the best route. I also have a third amp, my old Rotel unit, that I will still occasionally play using the headphone-out method.
THANK YOU, I'm doing this for a car , I have the original desgined radio with no mp3 and a very good bluetoth dedicated only with great sound unrechable behind a seat, all I need is this switch.
Hi Nice project. I need one of these for the same reason you do. Tell me, is there any noise or feedback or residual noise to the speakers when you flick between amps? Thanks Jay
You're so handy. Would you be interested in building one that I could buy? I have the same need to connect 2 amplifiers to one pair of speakers (2 channel stereo listening & home theater) as you do.
I was wanting to do this too. I was thinking of using my 2nd bi wire inputs on my towers to connect to my intergraded amplifier. While the other input is hooked up to my surround sound avr. Instead of just unplugging my speakers cables to switch from my music to my receiver every time I wanted to do music/tv. I thought I could just have them both plugged in since I have 2 sets of inputs on each speaker for bi wiring and keep my receiver shut down when I want to listen to music through my amp and vice versa(have my amp shut off when I’m listening to music? Would this mess with my signal to much or cause something to overload. I’m new and very dumb when it comes to this stuff. Unfortunately my receiver doesn’t have pre outs or I would just buy a power amp to run with my front towers. I thought of using a speaker level to line level adapter from Crutchfield that is 40 dollars to hook up an amp that way but I heard it will work but make the music/signal very distorted? Any advise would help. If nothing else I’m perfectly fine just unplugging my banana plugs from my tower speakers to plug in my svs sound base intergraded amp when I want to listen to music instead of buying a new receiver. It sucks they don’t make many 7.2 receivers with pre outs these days, I guess they used to a lot more. I have a Sony dn1080 and love the Dolby atmos sound with movies but just want separate amp for my music
So to share the same speakers (main) between an amplifier and Receiver, what sound source from receiver connections actually go to amplifier channel a & B.
What kind of switch would I need if I wanted to choose between 2 different sets of speaker? I'm thinking of one switch to choose the amp and then run that to another switch to choose speakers.
Cool vid! I'm in the process of building one my self. I did a resistance check between all the connections and found one side to be slightly higher than the rest (sometimes). Suspect that particular pole is not making a firm connection. Have you faced this problem before?
I would check connections, then I would test the resistance while pushing on the switch lever in different directions to see if the switch is bad and not making good contact.
Check my comment _ I have three amps as well and use the headphone jack as the output on the amp to play through, with the connection to the main amp through an input port that has a cable adaptor to receive the headphone cable plug. Works great. I assume there is no risk as long as you keep the input amps sound level at a reasonable setting - don’t crank it.
Great, here on Brazil I have 3 klipsh speakers and 2 Receivers (marantz vintage 4300 and new yamaha a1070) I use one switch made for a Brazilian engineer it's very great because is auto switch don't need select manual, it's auto its great and work like a charm!! If you want I can give the contact it's a great person
So how do you use your home theatre with only two speaker wire connections. I want to do this but on one amp I want to have a subwoofer in addition to the two speakers.
The record player, radio, tape deck, and a chromecast audio go into the Yamaha receiver which is only the stereo mains through the switch. Then the home theater receiver uses the same mains for left right but has a center, sub, and left right rear hooked up directly to it all the time.
In theory they should be fine but that is putting a little too much faith in the switch for my liking so I have one amp off. Just keep in mind that tube amps don't like to be turned on with no load, so if one amp is tube than you want to make sure the switch is connected before you turn it on.
@@MerwinMusic I need to have both amps on (but only one driving the fronts at a time), since I want my Stereo Amp to drive the Fronts to use them to listen to vinyls and I need also to drive the Fronts from an 9 channel AVR that will output the surround back to the Stereo to drive 11 channels. Thus, to drive 11 channels i will need to have the AVR and the Stereo On. Is this possible? Do you understand what I try to do? Do you think enough faith to the switch?
Now way can i build this. However, why can't you simply connect a second set of speaker wire from the same set of bookshelf speakers ( in my case Elac Debut 6.2) and connect those wires to the second amp? Of clurse, the two amps would be played separately?
Wish you'd build these on order.. I'd throw my money so hard at you, you'd never knew what hit you! I desperately need these, but every one that is available to buy (if it is available at all...) on amazon is ugly as sin...
Not to be a negative nancy, but I found this to be less explanatory than I'd like. For instance, most people coming to this video need to know the switch wiring to speaker terminals, not how to build a box; yet you spent more than half the video on building the box and flew through the wiring with very little explanation. For instance, what switch poles are connected to which speaker jacks and which jacks connect to the 2 signal sources (amps)? I think it would have been a useful video had you explained the wiring and said nothing about building the box. As it is, it's not even entertaining, much less informative.
The wiring for this project is literally the simplest thing ever but the website article does goes into more detail. merwinmusic.com/2018/12/07/amplifier-selector-switch/
If you look at the question you asked and you can't answer it on your own with common sense, then you shouldn't really bother trying to make one anyway. Better off to go purchase one already made. There is no shame in that.
It needs to be a “break before make” type (break connection to one amp before making a connection to the other amp) to prevent both amps from being connected to each other even for a split second - it should make it absolutely impossible to select both amps at the same time
Very nice, but it would be advisable to use a switch with a "0/off setting" in between the 2 load settings, to protect your equipment.
I'm looking to build something similar, but as an input selector for my amp, which only has one input. I'm glad I came across your video, because you've given me inspiration to make a really high quality piece.
You have captured the look of quality vintage Hi Fi equipment perfectly, except you actually went one better and used solid wood instead of veneered plywood.
The only improvement I can think of would be to add a chunk of steel plate or something inside to weigh it down a bit.
Hey, thanks for the idea. I had the exact situation and wanted to switch between a new and vintage amp. Just built my own, works great.
Very nice job, great idea. I need one of these and found your video. I'm in Toronto Canada and though a handy guy I don't have the best of tools to make one of such beauty and quality built.
This is EXACTLY what I'm trying to do! I have a few questions. I really hope you are still monitoring this... You said connect the speakers to the middle row. How do I know what are left and right? I need to do this for my 2 AV Receivers. I miss the sound fields on my old Receiver. But my newest Receiver has all the new formats. Please help! Also what all did you buy to get it all fancy? If you could post links because I really would want to make this. I've been looking for this for nearly 2 months. I'm so happy to finally find a video that someone else was doing what I wanted. I thought I was the only one who ever thought this up.
I'm so glad you read my mind and made this
I used to play my Teac turntable amp thru the surround sound system amp by simply running a cable from the Teac headphone jack to an input on my Yamaha surround sound. I also used a speaker selector switch in reverse, but the sound was compromised and it was a little risky so I abandoned that. Eventually I bought an amp switch. I am handy with creating things, but not like this guy and I do not have the professional tools required, so buying a switch was the best route. I also have a third amp, my old Rotel unit, that I will still occasionally play using the headphone-out method.
THANK YOU, I'm doing this for a car , I have the original desgined radio with no mp3 and a very good bluetoth dedicated only with great sound unrechable behind a seat, all I need is this switch.
awesome video! Saved me like 40 bucks not buying a russound selector!
Its very nicely done. One question, does it degrade thd sound quality, because, what you have dind is add a resistance in the path? Thanks
Hi
Nice project. I need one of these for the same reason you do.
Tell me, is there any noise or feedback or residual noise to the speakers when you flick between amps?
Thanks
Jay
Nice video! Is it possible to do the opposite with this configuration? I should connect two pairs of speakers to one amplifier
Well done man, it is exactly what i am looking for:)
I did a backflip. This is exactly what I was looking for. Did you end up doing it?
Great looking box!
any idea what I could use to switch a complete 5.1 setup with 2 amp and 1 set of speakers ?
You're so handy. Would you be interested in building one that I could buy? I have the same need to connect 2 amplifiers to one pair of speakers (2 channel stereo listening & home theater) as you do.
Did you get one? I need one as well.
Very nice , I am looking for one can connect 4 Amplifiers to one set of speakers. how should I do. ?
Me too! :(
I was wanting to do this too. I was thinking of using my 2nd bi wire inputs on my towers to connect to my intergraded amplifier. While the other input is hooked up to my surround sound avr. Instead of just unplugging my speakers cables to switch from my music to my receiver every time I wanted to do music/tv. I thought I could just have them both plugged in since I have 2 sets of inputs on each speaker for bi wiring and keep my receiver shut down when I want to listen to music through my amp and vice versa(have my amp shut off when I’m listening to music? Would this mess with my signal to much or cause something to overload. I’m new and very dumb when it comes to this stuff. Unfortunately my receiver doesn’t have pre outs or I would just buy a power amp to run with my front towers. I thought of using a speaker level to line level adapter from Crutchfield that is 40 dollars to hook up an amp that way but I heard it will work but make the music/signal very distorted? Any advise would help. If nothing else I’m perfectly fine just unplugging my banana plugs from my tower speakers to plug in my svs sound base intergraded amp when I want to listen to music instead of buying a new receiver. It sucks they don’t make many 7.2 receivers with pre outs these days, I guess they used to a lot more. I have a Sony dn1080 and love the Dolby atmos sound with movies but just want separate amp for my music
How would you go about adding a sub as well?
So to share the same speakers (main) between an amplifier and Receiver, what sound source from receiver connections actually go to amplifier channel a & B.
Where i can buy link please
Nice video, wonder what gauge wire do you use?
I am planning to do a A/B speaker box
I used 12 gauge.
Very Nice… but does it need resistors if one of the amps is a tube amp…
brilliant piece 👏
What kind of switch would I need if I wanted to choose between 2 different sets of speaker? I'm thinking of one switch to choose the amp and then run that to another switch to choose speakers.
how if i want to build one with surround speakers (5 or 7 speakers) amplifier switch?
Cool vid! I'm in the process of building one my self. I did a resistance check between all the connections and found one side to be slightly higher than the rest (sometimes). Suspect that particular pole is not making a firm connection. Have you faced this problem before?
I would check connections, then I would test the resistance while pushing on the switch lever in different directions to see if the switch is bad and not making good contact.
Looks very cool!
This is a great video!
Excellent! Really helpful!
Do you need the switch if one amp is always off? What could happen if you "supply power" to the other amp?
could this be done with bi wire speakers,,,, great video.....
Brilliant. Thanks 👍
Can i order one?
Hello!
I'll do the same.
But basically Iwe can use the same box for 1 amp and 2 pairs of speakers, isn't it?
That is correct.
Are you in Canada 🇨🇦 and ate you taking on projects like this.
Nope and no sorry.
Is there anything in market similar to this for me to buy? Looks like lot of expert work
I'm sure there is. quick google search got this: www.amazon.com/CIMPLE-CO-Selector-Composite-Switcher/dp/B07C15XGQN?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3
Beresford tc7220
Good stuff man.
Hi how would you connect more than 2 amps? I want to connect 3 hifi systems to my Cervin Vegas. Cheers
Check my comment _ I have three amps as well and use the headphone jack as the output on the amp to play through, with the connection to the main amp through an input port that has a cable adaptor to receive the headphone cable plug. Works great. I assume there is no risk as long as you keep the input amps sound level at a reasonable setting - don’t crank it.
Great, here on Brazil I have 3 klipsh speakers and 2 Receivers (marantz vintage 4300 and new yamaha a1070) I use one switch made for a Brazilian engineer it's very great because is auto switch don't need select manual, it's auto its great and work like a charm!! If you want I can give the contact it's a great person
Hello sir can you give me the contact if he accept foreign country order.
So how do you use your home theatre with only two speaker wire connections. I want to do this but on one amp I want to have a subwoofer in addition to the two speakers.
The record player, radio, tape deck, and a chromecast audio go into the Yamaha receiver which is only the stereo mains through the switch. Then the home theater receiver uses the same mains for left right but has a center, sub, and left right rear hooked up directly to it all the time.
Exactly what I want to do,but does one or the other amps need to be turned off or will the toggle totally keep power from running amp to amp.
In theory they should be fine but that is putting a little too much faith in the switch for my liking so I have one amp off.
Just keep in mind that tube amps don't like to be turned on with no load, so if one amp is tube than you want to make sure the switch is connected before you turn it on.
@@MerwinMusic Thanks for the reply,sort of what I thought,better safe than sorry.
@@MerwinMusic hello sir can i order that selector switch?
@@MerwinMusic I need to have both amps on (but only one driving the fronts at a time), since I want my Stereo Amp to drive the Fronts to use them to listen to vinyls and I need also to drive the Fronts from an 9 channel AVR that will output the surround back to the Stereo to drive 11 channels. Thus, to drive 11 channels i will need to have the AVR and the Stereo On. Is this possible? Do you understand what I try to do? Do you think enough faith to the switch?
Now way can i build this. However, why can't you simply connect a second set of speaker wire from the same set of bookshelf speakers ( in my case Elac Debut 6.2) and connect those wires to the second amp? Of clurse, the two amps would be played separately?
I wouldn't recommend hooking 2 amps together directly. with this there is a disconnect between the two amps to protect them from each other.
Too good ❤️
I would recommend jumping a 220 ohm, 10w resistor for more protection for the amps.
what do you mean, from each input to ground?
Te part most important , is te coneccion are Faster?
Nice!!
Save yourself some time and money and simply common the commons. That way you only need one DPDT center off switch.
Phill Modjeski how do you do that please? Thanks
I need one of these for the same reason but can’t find one.
Wish you'd build these on order.. I'd throw my money so hard at you, you'd never knew what hit you!
I desperately need these, but every one that is available to buy (if it is available at all...) on amazon is ugly as sin...
How much would you charge to make one for me?
Not to be a negative nancy, but I found this to be less explanatory than I'd like. For instance, most people coming to this video need to know the switch wiring to speaker terminals, not how to build a box; yet you spent more than half the video on building the box and flew through the wiring with very little explanation. For instance, what switch poles are connected to which speaker jacks and which jacks connect to the 2 signal sources (amps)?
I think it would have been a useful video had you explained the wiring and said nothing about building the box. As it is, it's not even entertaining, much less informative.
The wiring for this project is literally the simplest thing ever but the website article does goes into more detail.
merwinmusic.com/2018/12/07/amplifier-selector-switch/
If you look at the question you asked and you can't answer it on your own with common sense, then you shouldn't really bother trying to make one anyway. Better off to go purchase one already made. There is no shame in that.
You did not come up with this solution. Its been done for like 80 years.
Less, much lees, about the box and more about the connections please.
I thought you were Bi amplifying....