Hi Fi switch question

[Jacob]

I want to be able to switch my amp to play through either one of two sets of speakers (not both). The hi fi offerings seem pricey £70 ish for this simple operation. Is there a simple 2 pole 2 way switch which would do it doubled as a pair, or 4 pole 2 way?

 

[sploo]

Electrical answer: yes, pretty much any switch would handle the load, and not cause problems.

Audiophile answer: it'll sound terrible as you're adding something in the way, and you need to spend at least £20k on switches made of unobtainium; flipped only by golden-haired fairies.

Main tip though: make sure everything is turned off when you flip the switch. Connecting a speaker to an amp with the amp on can kill driver coils and pop amps. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

[flying haggis]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353527282010?hash=item524fde395a:g:WokAAOSwqBFfvNv3



or a qed one which I have used in the past with no problems
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384206333793?hash=item59747b6761:g:CtEAAOSwfKBgu0H7
the "better" ones ie like the qed one route the feed to the speakers when both sets are in use so that the speaker impedance doesnt fall too low and potentially damage the amp

or the cheapskate version
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17454648...rentrq:62fc638817a0a6e6ae5c9e0affde3725|iid:1

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for that. Found a few DIY options once I'd discovered the technical name - I need two "double pole double throw" switches.
But wondering about the pricey options which won't let me wreck the system if I do it wrong. Also it's a good amp and speakers and the sound as it is is much better than I'm used to.
Does anybody know what this has QED SS30 which the DIY option would not? Does it have electronics doing something useful or is it just a straight switch?
I'll ask the vendor.

 

[Cabinetman]

I know it’s a really stupid thing to say Jacob, and I hesitate to ask, but have you checked that your amplifier doesn’t have a switch on it marked speakers A and B, an awful lot of amps do and did. Ian

 

[Jacob]

I know it’s a really stupid thing to say Jacob, and I hesitate to ask, but have you checked that your amplifier doesn’t have a switch on it marked speakers A and B, an awful lot of amps do and did. Ian

Of course I've checked and no it doesn't. Previous one did and could power 2 sets if needed.

 

[flying haggis]

Thanks for that. Found a few DIY options once I'd discovered the technical name - I need two "double pole double throw" switches.
But wondering about the pricey options which won't let me wreck the system if I do it wrong. Also it's a good amp and speakers and the sound as it is is much better than I'm used to.
Does anybody know what this has QED SS30 which the DIY option would not? Does it have electronics doing something useful or is it just a straight switch?
I'll ask the vendor.

two double po!e double throw switches is the same as I linked above , four pole double throw. but the other links are simpler to wire as the terminal have been supplied and already connected to the switch

 

[sploo]

Thanks for that. Found a few DIY options once I'd discovered the technical name - I need two "double pole double throw" switches.
But wondering about the pricey options which won't let me wreck the system if I do it wrong. Also it's a good amp and speakers and the sound as it is is much better than I'm used to.
Does anybody know what this has QED SS30 which the DIY option would not? Does it have electronics doing something useful or is it just a straight switch?
I'll ask the vendor.

I'd put money it's just a simple switch. It looks as though it's maybe intended to allow more than one pair of speakers to be driven at the same time, without presenting the amp with a really low impedance load. However, as (from your first post) you want either/or (not both pairs playing at the same time) then nothing fancy is required - just a simple switch.

 

[Richard_C]

Unless you are a real audio geek I doubt it makes much difference. There are so many variables.

I could spend ££££ on fancy speaker leads but I doubt the difference will be anything like the difference pulling or opening the curtains makes in winter or having fewer or more people in the room as mobile acoustic panels. I might be able to improve treble performance by losing a few pounds and absorbing less of it.

How about buying a double pole switch, making a really fancy wooden box and telling everyone how great it sounds for only £££. "They don't put a brand label on the box because their technology is so secret."

The fancy ones might have screening against hum etc but as long as you don't park it on top of an old crt television set it should be fine.

Remember though, every day at noon you must sing a perfect A for 3 minutes to align the electrons in the speakers (and other similar nonsense).

 

[no idea]

You only need to switch the positive out of the amp to one set of speakers or the other. The negative for both sets can remain connected at all times so a double pole double throw switch set up to switch positives for both left and right will easily achieve what you want.

Alternatively, make a patch panel where you plug the amp +ve into the pair that you want.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for advice. I chickened out in the end and bought one of these QED SS30
It's more than a simple switch - it limits the impedance to 4 ohms so doesn't risk overloading the amp even with all speakers on and it switches dead silently with no clunks clicks or bangs. Third switch means I can add a box which does a hearing aid loop (which I don't use but could) and an earphone socket.
I've not had good hi fi sound for some time so it's really nice having it back, CDs mostly but plus a turntable for discs LPs but also 78s
Just need a tuner now.

 

[Misterdog]

CD's and 78 rpm records, crickey, I have around 1000 albums on a 1 TB SSD attach to a Raspberry Pi, control with your phone and the tuner comes for free

 

[sploo]

That's essentially what I do now (everything digitally), but I do enjoy picking up the odd vinyl now and then (plus there's something really nice about actually having the time to kick back and put a record on). Not that I can remember the last time I had time to do that, but hey.

 

[Doug71]

I have used a QED SS40 on my system for years, it controls 4 pairs of speakers and works well whatever combination of speakers I have running

I used to love my LPs, now I just stream everything, it's how the world works these days

 

[Jacob]

We've found that old LPs and even older 78s are great hits at parties - amongst the younger generation too. Even better loud and reasonably high fidelity. Some old LPs particularly benefit - Joni Mitchell "Blue" sounds amazing!
People pick things from the box get all excited and say 'put this on next'. There's something magic about being able to pick the thing up and read the labels and notes.

 

[selectortone]

I have a massive collection of 60s and early 70s albums (mostly scratched and with dog-eared sleeves so not very valuable) that gathered dust for many years until my daughter discovered the joys of turntables and it became her Aladdin's cave.

I mostly listen to music in the car now. I replaced the albums with CDs and about 10 years ago ripped them all to flac and then, for mobile listening, mp3 (192kbps vbr if anyone's interested - a good compromise between quality, a car environment, and old ears). A128gb sd card in my phone (with something like 2000 albums on it), Neutron music player and a bluetooth connection to the car works for me. My car came with a Bose system which was a bonus. I used to read sci-fi in the 50s and 60s and imagine a world like this. At least some of the good stuff came true .

 

[Spectric]

Be careful because some amps do not like not having the speakers disconnected, ie open load and can remember damaging an Arcam unit some years ago because one side was open. Maybe the more expensive options maintain a load during switching, something along the lines of make before break.

 

[sploo]

Be careful because some amps do not like not having the speakers disconnected, ie open load and can remember damaging an Arcam unit some years ago because one side was open.

Some time ago an imbecile forgot an Arcam AVR300 was still turned on, and reconnected a speaker. Unfortunately that imbecile was me, and I killed the voice coil on a driver I can't get anymore . It also killed a channel on the amp... which bizarrely sprung back into life some weeks later (I still haven't quite worked out how that could be, but I'm not going to complain).

 

[Jacob]

Some time ago an imbecile forgot an Arcam AVR300 was still turned on, and reconnected a speaker. Unfortunately that imbecile was me, and I killed the voice coil on a driver I can't get anymore . It also killed a channel on the amp... which bizarrely sprung back into life some weeks later (I still haven't quite worked out how that could be, but I'm not going to complain).

This QED SS30 seems to be the solution. It changes between speakers without the slightest click and presumably is buffered electronically, as well as limiting impedance to 4ohms minimum and protecting the amp

 

[sploo]

This QED SS30 seems to be the solution. It changes between speakers without the slightest click and presumably is buffered electronically, as well as limiting impedance to 4ohms minimum and protecting the amp

Hope it works well. My mistake was due to moving some kit around for cleaning, but forgetting to plug the speaker back in before I turned the amp on. It was a costly error - it was my main pair of speakers, but the midbass driver it destroyed hasn't been made for a few years, and unfortunately they don't come up (used) for sale very often.