amp selector?

[jeberhart]

I have a Denon AVR 3801, but I run my front speakers -- Polk Monitor 10Bs -- off an Adcom GFA 555 stereo amp, which is connected to the Denon via the Denon's preamp outs.

Works fine, but I'd like the ability to switch back and forth between having the Adcom in the system and just running the Denon by itself across all channels.

Is there some device out there that would let me run speaker wire from the Polks into the device, which would then have a switch to assign the front LR signal either to the Denon or to the Adcom? Kind of the reverse of a speaker selector, I guess. Or am I just asking too much? Wouldn't be the first time.

[hoosier21]

Don't know of anything like this

[cgravil]

maybe use a speaker selector for this. Hook Adcom into A and Dennon into B and the Speakers into the "input" of the speaker selector? I have seen a few remote speaker selectors... this would be considered ghetto by many of the folks here but hey if it works. but TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK<pictures a smoking Adcom because A+B was selected by mistake>

[jeberhart]

Found just the ticket ... and no surprise it is made by Niles. It's called a DPS-1 and it is an amp selector. Speaker wires run into A and B, one set from each amp, then one set of commons runs out to speakers. Unit has a push button to select A or B. No sound degradation that I can hear. And under $100.

[cgravil]

god love niles... works similar to what I had thought of.... but it's much better to go with niles and not be ghetto!

peace,


Clay

[mantis]

I assume you want to do this due to tonal indifferences for Home Theater??

[jeberhart]

Right you are, Mantis: I did this because I wanted to see what the system sounded like for home theater with the Adcom out of the loop. And the balance is better.

Funny thing, though: I've been listening that way for music sometimes, too, since I bought the Niles box, and the Denon is a bigger-sounding, more dramatic unit. I don't mean louder; it's not. But for rock or blues or even "big" classical or jazz stuff, it seems to have better instrumental separation, a stronger stereo image, etc. Movies are much better balanced, front to rear and side to side.

But I still like the Adcom in the loop for acoustic music, quiet jazz, chamber music -- anything intimate, really, because the Adcom seems to add nothing nor take anything away -- I didn't realize until I got the amp selector what an incredibly flat, honest piece of equipment it is. Smooth throughout the frequencies. But, yeah, in comparison with the Denon receiver, also kind of workmanlike and basic. Didn't really expect that.

[scottvamp]

Interesting post - I am looking for a 2ch. power amp so I can run my mains on it. Have rt1000's stacked with rt35's and I need a strong 4ohm amp. Any suggestions?

[RuSsMaN]

Carver, Adcom, Nad, Rotel, AMC, Marantz....plenty for the picking....