[Tweaker]

I hope this isn't too dumb of a question, but my knowledge of electronics is limited. The question being can I safely run one channel only of a stereo amp by either disconnecting, for example, the right channel speaker wire or connecting only one channel from the preamp, or both?

[jeffreybehr]

Absolutely OK.  Plug nothing into the input of the unused channel, or if you have an RCA shorting plug, use that.  If it's vacuumtubed, connect a small (even half-Watt) resistor of from, say, 5 - 20 Ohms to its outputs.  I have unused channels in my Outlaw 7-channel amp and I do neither.

[Tweaker]

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling there shouldn't be a problem with  it but it's good to know for sure.

[avahifi]

If you are using a solid state amplifier and can figure out the insides for sure, you can make a bit more power for the used channel if you remove the B+ and B- fuses from the unused channel.  That will send all the power supply to the channel you are using.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[Tweaker]

Thanks for the reply Frank. These are actually two of your amps! They are a pair of Omegastar amps I've been passive bi-amping some VMPS RM2's with for the last few years, but I am going to be taking possesion of a pair of Von Schweikert VR 1 monitors today to audition and they aren't bi-ampable. My speaker wires aren't long enough to reach both speakers from one amp without the hassle of moving on of them. So this will be temporary. If the VR 1's are keepers then I will buy longer speaker wire so I can run them from one amp.