with the amplifiers 42 to prevent switch rotation when current is flowing through the input or output contacts this output and input selector arrangement is repeated for each level thereby allowing the amplifiers 42 in the amplifier pool 18 to be connected in stacks 70 associated with each gradient axis or to be taken off line the proper input signals will be connected to the amplifiers 42 and the outputs of the amplifiers 42 will be connected in series in a manner similar to that shown in the four amplifier stack of fig3 referring to fig5 example amplifier configurations achievable under this gradient amplifier system are shown in fig5 a nine amplifiers are evenly distributed over the three gradient axes amplifiers 1 2 and 5 are assigned to gradient gx amplifiers 3 4 and 6 are assigned to gradient g y and amplifiers 7 9 are assigned to axis g z fig5 b shows a possible rotation of the amplifiers where amplifiers 1 2 and 5 are assigned to gradient g z amplifiers 3 4 and 6 are assigned to gradient g x and amplifiers 7 9 are assigned to axis g y note that the amplifiers need not be sequential amplifiers 1 and 2.