Best toggle switch for speaker level?

James Romeyn · « **on:** 18 Oct 2010, 10:09 pm »

I know all the obvious reasons not to use such...still...

Searching for premium audio quality speaker-level toggle switch. DPDT minimum, 4PDT preferred. The applications below may affect your reply.

The toggles will switch polarity on the speaker cable of six speakers crossed above 150 Hz, each powered by 100Wrms @ 8 Ohms, low-current amp.

One sub amp, 1 kW on 4 Ohm load.

TIA!

wushuliu · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Oct 2010, 10:16 pm »

Don't know your wire gauge, but NKK switches are high quality. You can buy them from Allied Elec.

http://www.nkkswitches.com/Toggle-Switches/

James Romeyn · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Oct 2010, 10:39 pm »

AWG14 copper multi-strand, either "zip cord", or so-called "tray wire" in vinyl jacket.

Thank you very much!

Chromisdesigns · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Oct 2010, 11:04 pm »

Quote from: James Romeyn on 18 Oct 2010, 10:09 pm

I know all the obvious reasons not to use such...still...

Searching for premium audio quality speaker-level toggle switch. DPDT minimum, 4PDT preferred. The applications below may affect your reply.

The toggles will switch polarity on the speaker cable of six speakers crossed above 150 Hz, each powered by 100Wrms @ 8 Ohms, low-current amp.

One sub amp, 1 kW on 4 Ohm load.

TIA!

Not sure I entirely understand your application, but be careful of switching speaker cables on a live amp...if ALL the speakers are switched at the same time, there will be a brief open circuit seen by the amp. Some amps can tolerate this, others not so well.

Even if you could find a make-before-break toggle (very rare) in this case it wouldn't help you for polarity switching, as then the amp would see a brief short!

James Romeyn · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Oct 2010, 11:18 pm »

Yikes! I just realized this all myself. I'm thinking this entire thread needs to be trashed ASAP, unless it's kept up as a warning.

Thanks all!

*Scotty* · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Oct 2010, 11:44 pm »

Jim if you have to do this,I would reccomend using a DPDT knife switch.

Scotty

James Romeyn · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 12:02 am »

Yup, I thought of that too, remembering some ancient knife switches in my junk box from back in the day...white ceramic base w/ copper blades.......it's plastic and nickel for me now! I knew I should have kept those things! Scotty, is that a LIFE size image?

Remind me to use that on my next Frankenstein monster!

*Scotty* · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Oct 2010, 01:18 am »

Slightly larger actually.
I've used them in the past but it has been a while.
Scotty