Switching amps

[FrankD77]

Let me start to make clear i know the danger of running a tube amp without load
Now that's out of the way.

I have 6 amps i like to switch between.
At the moment this means selecting the amp, and switching the speaker cable running to the torpedo twin.

Getting a proper amp switcher would be nice but for 6 amps getting pretty pricy. And I've been using this method for 5 years without any issues.

I've just build a new 19" rack and have one patch panel left and wanted to check if this is possible.

I'm thinking about using one output of the patch panel with a speaker cable to the torpedo and running seperate speaker cables to the patch panel. Now when i select an amp i can just use a short speaker cable to jumper the amp to the torpedo.

If all cables are suited for cab use does the patch panel work or does it have a different "value" which makes it impossible.

I know i have to be careful with tube amps but now i have no visual confirmation which amp is connected.

 

[Farview]

It will work fine. You just don't want to have instrument or line level signals going to the same patch bay. You also wat to take care that you aren't running speaker level cables bundled up with instrument and line level cables. It will induce noise.

 

[rob aylestone]

In practice it will work fine - just a bit clunky pulling out a cable and stuffing it into the other socket. If that isn't an issue, fire ahead - BUT - I certainly would not do it with ¼" speaker connection, but I'd do it with speakons. Why? Just that jacks while convenient always seem a bit prone to tarnishing or weak spring contacts.

There cannot be many guitarists who have never accidentally kicked out a speaker cable, and if this was an automatic self-destruct, that's frankly bad design. people like Marshall, who have tinkered little with their designs over the years would surely have had massive warranty issues if pulling plugs out really was terminal.

The critical thing with any form of switch or patch is making certain amp 1 cannot ever be sent to amp 2. I am happiest with rotary switches that prevent any chance of make before break connection.

This type of thing

 

[FrankD77]

Someone had the brilliant idea to use a blank panel and mount the cables direct so there is no chance of mismatch.