Been awhile since I posted here. Wanted to get some expert advice on using a speaker selector switch in my system. I just bought a pair of Harbeth Super HL5+ speakers and have them hooked to an Anthem STR Integrated amp. I also still have my much beloved and still nice sounding Snell E5.Mk2 speakers. I would like to occasionally switch between them to enjoy both sets of speakers.
Other than having to connect and disconnect the speaker wires, I thought another option would be a speaker selector box that would provide the old A/B functionality that many receivers had back in the vintage days when I first jumped into the hobby (circa 1970s) such as my very first one, the Pioneer Sx1010 (if I recall correctly).
Any opinions on whether inserting a passive speaker selector switch into the system would degrade the sound? And if they provide a reasonable solution, any recommendations?
Curious about the same thing and I posted the question last year. Didn’t get tons of traction, but the thread coaxed out a couple of options, including the Luxman AS-55 (which I think I’ve only seen on ebay).
I haven’t purchased anything yet, for what it’s worth.
Thanks Chris and Joma… I have two separate amplifiers but 3 sets of speakers (I have T3 Imagine towers hooked to a Mytek Manhattan II and a Parasound JC5). The Harbeths and the Snell will be (eventually) running off the Anthem integrated.
Checked the Luxman box - still for say on Ebay. In fact, a number of them are but boy… pricey little devils (~$600). More than I thought I would have to spend.
I use the Luxman AS-55 and happy with it.
I guess every additional component in the signal chain will color the sound, but I prefer conveniences over a theoretical degradation of sound.
For use with a few amps and speakers you can apply 2 Luxman AS-55 together.
I bought a used one from Japan for 350$
Seems the Luxman AS-55 is the consensus. I did find one on eBay going for $450 or so. More than I wanted to spend but since I have sunk this much into the system already, figured I might as well spend the last few hundreds to not degrade the sound or degrade as little as possible (I am not that keen a listener that I would likely notice small differences). Just got my first listen to the Harbeths perched on top of their new Skylan stands. Would not want to muck that up… They sound lovely.
Do also have to get a another set of speaker wires… Any opinions on whether bi-wiring (not bi-amping) makes much of a difference?
