Systems with two separate amplifiers: tube & SS

[esteban]

I own a Prima Luna DiaLogue One (tube integrated), which I love and have been enjoying for 8 years, and am currently auditioning a McIntosh MA8900 (solid state integrated with built in Dac and phono stage) at home. I will more than likely end up buying the Mc, but I doubt I will ever part with the Prima Luna. I love both integrateds for different reasons and find myself missing one when listening to the other. Isn’t our hobby wonderful? 😀

I am considering re-arranging my system so that I can quickly and easily switch from one amp to the other, and was wondering if others have done this succesfully. If so, please share your thoughts and experience, and the reasons why you favor one over the other.

One thing is for sure, though: it's nice to have the SS amp in the Summer here in FL, specially in a small room like mine! The Mc does not even get hot, whereas the PrimaLuna (understandably) makes the whole place feel like a boiler room after a few hours.

Thank you all!

[PHC1]

Yes, I do exactly that. I spend a few weeks or a month listening to PrimaLuna HP and then switch to Luxman integrated. Can’t imagine being without one or the other. Pretty sure “audio polygamy” is OK?

[esteban]

Thank you, Serge. Did you have your system set-up in such a way where both amps were available at the same time? In other words, where all it took was unhooking the speaker cables from one amp and hooking them in the other? I hate having one amp relegated to a corner in my room and I am trying to see what the best and easiest approach would be to have both of them "ready", so to speak.

[62caddy]

I have a Russound amplifier switcher that provides toggling between two amplifiers and up to 5 different pairs of speakers. I use it to switch between a MC2505 and an MC240 tube amplifer. Just be careful not to run a tube amplifier without a load (a/k/a speakers) connected.

Others may have additional suggestions for switching devices.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by esteban

Thank you, Serge. Did you have your system set-up in such a way where both amps were available at the same time? In other words, where all it took was unhooking the speaker cables from one amp and hooking them in the other? I hate having one amp relegated to a corner in my room and I am trying to see what the best and easiest approach would be to have both of them "ready", so to speak.

Correct. They are simply next to each other where I can swap the speaker cables. My Luxman SACD player/USB DAC feeds them both via XLR and single ended for PrimaLuna