As many of you know, I have (and love) the Manley SkipJack. It's really a neat little device with many cool uses. I've been using it primarily to compare DACs, as it allows for very quick and quiet switching. One thing that occurred to me was that the SkipJack could really use a headphone jack so that one could do the same thing with headphone amps.

Is that something that already exists? Put another way, is there a passive device into which you can plug a pair of phones and then switch back of forth quickly between two amps?

This idea has always made me nervous what with the twitchy nature of switches and the devastating affect that shorting the output of an amp can have.

You could just change the amps in Photoshop.

Kramer RCA Switcher:

VS-81A - Single Output Switchers - Kramer Electronics

Male TRS to male RCA connectors (1 for each amp)

Female TRS to male RCA connector (1 to go to headphones)

Yay!

Hope it's reliably break before make

If I understand you correctly you might wish to consider this---

PreSonus Central Station | Sweetwater.com

I use mine as a passive preamp, it only accepts two dac sources though.

If I were to recommend anything I'd make sure it was rated as a speaker switch to make sure it could handle the potential voltage/current.

Hope it's reliably break before make

Very much so (thought if you press 2 buttons at the same time you might be able to force it) also all things are switched (at least in my balanced one) so no chance for shorting that I can see. Though you might end up with one amp apply voltage to the outputs of the other.

If I were to recommend anything I'd make sure it was rated as a speaker switch to make sure it could handle the potential voltage/current.

Good point. I have my doubts that headphones require a speaker switch but I'm not sure of the power handling capability of those switches.

So instead of the Kramer use a speaker switch box.

Wait a minute, doesn't Ray have a switchbox? Dinny, I'm sure he would let you borrow it. The best part about it is that everything always sounds the same.

Not a perfect fit, but good enough.

Good point. I have my doubts that headphones require a speaker switch but I'm not sure of the power handling capability of those switches.

So instead of the Kramer use a speaker switch box.

But how many of those have HP outs?

But how many of those have HP outs?

Dinny, Use switch box with the connectors I mentioned above minus the the rca connectors.

Dinny, Use switch box with the connectors I mentioned above minus the the rca connectors.

Then I should be able to do it with the skipjack under the same principle, right?

Then I should be able to do it with the skipjack under the same principle, right?

Yes. I would think so.

This is where Nate jumps in and says that it's also the same principle under which I am going to blow up all of my amps and sources.

oh, and headphones.

You know, Dinny,I used to use my left hand for switching, but lately, find the right to be it's equal.

ymmv may vary, but in this test, I am a right brain troglodyte:

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test | PerthNow

Help! Al, Vicki, John, Mike, Matt ... anyone .. that's not me, is it?

Muhahaha ... of course it's me.

I have and love the Manley Skipjack, so no arguments on that device allowed (per secret canjam oath with eam).

CAPS LOCK MAN SAYS WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? JESUS. ETC.

WAT.

I was able to make that lady dance whichever way I wanted with my mind.

This is where Nate jumps in and says that it's also the same principle under which I am going to blow up all of my amps and sources.

Nah, it's where he jumps in and says he's not fixing anything you blow up.

Here's a DIY relay based switcher from Rod Elliott (ESP) that works well.

A-B Box For Amplifier Comparisons