Pre amp to two power amps balanced connection suggestions

[Tom1980]

Hi all, I plan to expand my set up to two sets of power amps & speakers connected to single preamp. I would like to keep them balanced and was thinking of either cable Y splitters or box splitters. I assume these should have no negative effect on the sound but if they do I might stick to RCA connections to one of the power amps. Of course I will have only one power amp switched at a time. Any suggestions on suitable cables/boxes? Currently all my balanced interconnects are based on van damme cables.

 

[Jazid]

The success of your course of action depends on quite a few variables.

IMHO a safer way to achieve this (if only one power amp is on at once) would be to have a single input cable into a switching box routing to either power amp. Of course switching whilst the amp is on would be unwise due to the possibility of loud pops etc. Studio equipment retailers will have plenty of these things to choose between.

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[uzzy]

You could do it with Y balanced connectors .. and I can see no reason for not having two sets of amps with their own speakers being run from a single preamp (albeit unless the power amps have volume controls you cannot adjust each amps volume individually (say if the second amp and speakers were in a smaller room or the person in that room did not want to be blasted out)  https://www.designacable.com/dj-rca/y-splitter-leads/balanced.html

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

I used a line level input selector box "backwards" with my phono stage so I could send it to one of two rigs. Each rig had its own "passive pre" (ie selector and volpot), and channel 1 on each was the signal from the phono stage as it came from the "backwards" i/p selector. No reason you shouldn't do similar. 

 

[Juancho]

You need to make sure the input impedance is still high enough when /if both are connected. If a solid state pre might be an issue but my valve DACs and pres happily run into a solid state and valve power amps thru y connectors 

David

 

[Tom1980]

Thank you for advice, I'll try Y splitter first and then switch box if it won't work/sound right. I will never have both amplifiers switched on at the same time as both sets of speakers are in the same room. I'm picking up the second power amp in few weeks time so O still have some time to get some decent cables.

 

[Juancho]

Thank you for advice, I'll try Y splitter first and then switch box if it won't work/sound right. I will never have both amplifiers switched on at the same time as both sets of speakers are in the same room. I'm picking up the second power amp in few weeks time so O still have some time to get some decent cables.

Just to clarify, with y splitters in virtually all cases it doesn't matter if the amp is switched on or not. The preamp still sees the input resistance of both amps. I do use both my amps at the same time without any issue