I have Uniti Atom and a complete other system. I have one set of speakers which have four posts for bi-amping/wiring. To save plugging and unplugging daily is it ok to leave the other systems dedicated speaker cables plugged into the speaker and at the same time plug in the dedicated speaker cables for the atom? I briefly tried it and the atom was fine and had no noticable issues. When I tried to keep the atom’s cables connected and run the other system there was unpleasant sounds coming out of the speaker which went away when I dissconnected the Atom’s cables.
with two systems connected together, you’re sending voltages back up the line into the output of the second system. If it’s completely off it may be ok, but there is likely to be a circuit back there which is complete and so it’s being run weirdly, and there’s some strange impedance that the speaker is seeing - so at the best it’ll likely sound odd at times, and at the worst it’ll damage one or other system, or the speakers, or both. If both oysters are on and working then the speakers will get twice the signal intended and a strange effect… I’d suggest looking second hand end buying some more speakers…
Are you not paralleling the output impedance of the second amp with the impedance of the speakers? That’s going to stress the driving amp whichever it is. Maybe the Atom’s up to it but it won’t be doing the sound any favours. Decide which you prefer and disconnect the other.
Sorry I am never running both systems at the same time. I am concerned that the unplugging and plugging back into the speaker terminals will cause them to get loose or damage etc.
I am in the process of getting a set of book shelf speakers to run on one of the systems until then was trying to not damage the cable ends/speaker terminals.
Thanks
jh
Don’t connect both at the same time even if you’re only powering one, the risk of damage to the amps is higher than the risk to your speaker terminals. The other thing to be careful of is not to unplug the speaker cables from the speakers with either amp powered up in case you short circuit an amp accidently.
You can use a Beresford TC 7220 switch which allows you to connect two amps and two sets of speakers and you can alternate which amp and which speakers you are using. This requires alot more cabling as you need to run speaker cables from each amp to the switch and then you can connect one or two sets of speakers to it.
This is what I have done, running NACA5 from the speakers to the switch. Then Witch Hat N2 cables from the 135s to the switch. Then Linn K20 speaker cable from the switch to speakers in conservatory. Then there’s speaker cable from the AV amp to the switch.
This set up enables me to use 2 amps and two sets of speakers. If you connect two amps directly to the one set of speakers then you’ll potentially blow up your amp and speakers. Don’t do it!