Dedicated line for audio room - advice

[ADGold]

I have an electrician arriving tomorrow for my in-progress dedicated audio room and want to ensure I can accurately convey my needs (wants). I have reviewed some of the archived threads and arrived at the following basic recommendations:

Dedicated line 20 amp
Solid Core 10-12 gauge in-wall cabling (eg. JPS Labs)
Hospital Grade Receptacle (I will probably source this on my own eg. Furutech GTX-D)

This electrician has been sourced by my general contractor and hope that I don't encounter objections.

Thanks in advance!

Current state:

 

[tmallin]

The horizontal 2 x 4s (firestops, they used to be called) will be the source of repeated future problems if they are not eliminated. Those boards make wiring the room with ethernet, electricity, or other wiring or running new HVAC vents much more difficult if not impractical. My older home with plaster walls has these firestop boards and they are truly a pain if you wish to make any future modifications. Unless code requires these, get rid of them while it is still easy.

The dedicated circuit is a good idea. I went further and got 440 volt wiring for my home, dedicating an entire 220 volt service box just to the outlets powering audio equipment in my listening room. I installed ten dedicated 20-amp lines so that I would be sure to have dedicated wiring on each wall, allowing set-up flexibility for future system set-up changes. I don't think you need to use the JPS wiring or special hospital grade outlets. Solid copper 10 or 12 gauge is fine and spec grade outlets are just fine. You can more than pay for the separate 220 service and all the added wiring with the savings from not using JPS wire or hospital grade outlets. JPS is VERY expensive.

If code allows, use Romex three-wire electrical cabling and plastic outlet boxes rather than metal conduits and boxes. Romex with true separate third-wire earth wiring sounds better than grounding via metal conduits and boxes. Don't forget to add the grounding stake outside the home very close to the electrical service entry.

 

[stehno]

Nice room. If you're gonna' have one dedicated line, why not 3, 4, or 5 since this is your best opportunity to do so?

To the best of my knowledge, I find that dedicated lines serve one primary purpose and that's to ensure high-current-drawing equipment e.g. amplifiers, active subwoofers, etc all have enough juice to handle complex/dynamic passages. Hence, it pays to have at last 3 or 4 dedicated lines.

I used standard 12ga and 14ga Romex from Lowes for my 4 dedicated lines but I had the Romex cryo-treated prior to installation.

Also, over the past 23 years I've had a number of audio-grade wall outlets including Oyaide, Furutech, etc. Based on a hunch from another member here measuring everything he could get his hands on with some new electric current measuring tool, I reached out to Jena Labs and purchased 4 new Hubbell 20amp outlets that were cryo-treated by Jena Labs. Based on my limited experience with outlets I anticipated at best very subtle differences and the new Hubbells that replaced my Furutech outlets were anything but subtle.

Anyway, nice room potential and hope it works out well.

 

[microstrip]

Nice room. If you're gonna' have one dedicated line, why not 3, 4, or 5 since this is your best opportunity to do so?

To the best of my knowledge, I find that dedicated lines serve one primary purpose and that's to ensure high-current-drawing equipment e.g. amplifiers, active subwoofers, etc all have enough juice to handle complex/dynamic passages. Hence, it pays to have at last 3 or 4 dedicated lines. (...)

In Europe we have a problem with separate dedicated lines - the code requires that each line must have a separate ground line and equipment is mandatory grounded. This means that separate lines risk to create enormous ground loops. I have three dedicated lines in my room and sometimes I found that I get better sound using just one line - for example with Lamm single ended equipment .

 

[pmiller]

I haven't read all of the other posts but I would suggest the following:
1. Run PVC piping for the wire chases which will allow you to relatively easily run more wires through these same chases later if you choose to do so.
2. Have a ground wire installed to fully and separately -from the rest of your house- ground your media room electronics.

 

[sbnx]

If you are goig to run dedicated then do 10 Ga for everything. Not that much more $ than 12 Ga. If you do multiple dedicated outlets then make sure all of the wire runs are the exact same length. Otherwise you are at serious risk of a ground loop. I would have at least 4 runs. 1 for your front end gear. 1 (or 2)for the amp(s), 1 (or 2)for the sub(s), and 1 for the lights etc. make sure they are all in the same electrical phase in the panel. Try to plan ahead. Now is the time to run wire and outlets.

there is a member her that sells 10ga twisted wire. @Kingrex. Contact him and he can also advise.

 

[Ron Resnick]

If you're gonna' have one dedicated line, why not 3, 4, or 5 since this is your best opportunity to do so?

I completely agree. Why only one line? This is the time to build in capability.

I also took my listening room electrical work as an opportunity to add three 240 VAC lines, in addition to six 120VAC lines.

 

[Audire]

At a minimum I’d put in 3 - 10 gauge lines “on the same phase.”

How to wire your house for good power?

Improving your Listening Room Wiring – By Vince Galbo NOTE: Please note that the details of these recommendations are written from […]

msbtechnology.com

 

[stehno]

At a minimum I’d put in 3 - 10 gauge lines “on the same phase.”

How to wire your house for good power?

Improving your Listening Room Wiring – By Vince Galbo NOTE: Please note that the details of these recommendations are written from […]

msbtechnology.com

Excellent point and yes, I forgot. All dedicated circuits/lines should be on the same phase/leg at the service panel.

And if only one or a few dedicated lines are used along with non-dedicated lines, then there is potential sonic benefit if all circuits/lines are wired on the same phase/leg.

 

[stehno]

In Europe we have a problem with separate dedicated lines - the code requires that each line must have a separate ground line and equipment is mandatory grounded. This means that separate lines risk to create enormous ground loops. I have three dedicated lines in my room and sometimes I found that I get better sound using just one line - for example with Lamm single ended equipment .

Bummer. Of course you could always float/lift the grounds. Then again, we probably don't wanna' talk about that potential performance improvement?

 

[ADGold]

Thanks everyone for the helpful informative replies. We will be proceeding with two 20 amp lines, with 12 gauge Romex in-wall cabling, on the same phase of the panel. There will be room for adjustments and tweaks throughout.

Sharing below a rendering from Vicoustic of where I hope to be by September. In the front corners, I have upgraded to the VicTotem Ultra VMT.

 

[ADGold]

Rear - minus the desk

 

[Audire]

That looks like it will be an awesome room!

 

[Alrainbow]

I have an electrician arriving tomorrow for my in-progress dedicated audio room and want to ensure I can accurately convey my needs (wants). I have reviewed some of the archived threads and arrived at the following basic recommendations:

Dedicated line 20 amp
Solid Core 10-12 gauge in-wall cabling (eg. JPS Labs)
Hospital Grade Receptacle (I will probably source this on my own eg. Furutech GTX-D)

This electrician has been sourced by my general contractor and hope that I don't encounter objections.

Thanks in advance!

Current state:

View attachment 113511

More bridging to stiffen walls and corners. Make a chase at bottom to rap around the room. Use 10/3 romex and use red wire and ground for the ground to double its AWG size.

 

[Folsom]

Furutech sockets are not even close to being hospital grade. They never will be. Hospital grade requires tension and Furutechs have the least of anything on the market.

I would agree that running 10awg is smarter. Depending on the load of the gear I would always prefer as many pieces on one line, as is practical. That is the best way to reduce loops that naturally form on matter what you do.

In Europe we have a problem with separate dedicated lines - the code requires that each line must have a separate ground line and equipment is mandatory grounded. This means that separate lines risk to create enormous ground loops. I have three dedicated lines in my room and sometimes I found that I get better sound using just one line - for example with Lamm single ended equipment .

In US all the romex has it's own ground. You could tie them together I suppose, with an independent run. Either way you get loops from the fact that neutral is tied to ground only in the main breaker - after all ground is working off that and not the rod with higher impedance in the yard.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Nice room. If you're gonna' have one dedicated line, why not 3, 4, or 5 since this is your best opportunity to do so?

To the best of my knowledge, I find that dedicated lines serve one primary purpose and that's to ensure high-current-drawing equipment e.g. amplifiers, active subwoofers, etc all have enough juice to handle complex/dynamic passages. Hence, it pays to have at last 3 or 4 dedicated lines.

I used standard 12ga and 14ga Romex from Lowes for my 4 dedicated lines but I had the Romex cryo-treated prior to installation.

Also, over the past 23 years I've had a number of audio-grade wall outlets including Oyaide, Furutech, etc. Based on a hunch from another member here measuring everything he could get his hands on with some new electric current measuring tool, I reached out to Jena Labs and purchased 4 new Hubbell 20amp outlets that were cryo-treated by Jena Labs. Based on my limited experience with outlets I anticipated at best very subtle differences and the new Hubbells that replaced my Furutech outlets were anything but subtle.

Anyway, nice room potential and hope it works out well.

I agree I did 5 and my room is much smaller.

 

[Alrainbow]

Rex knows plenty on this and has real world
Experience to. Rex where are you lol. Help

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I would seriously run 10 gauge "something." Romex or THHN in a tube. And running an FMC (Flexible Metal Conduit) through the studs to a central location, maybe with an empty box/cover in the wall. The panel-end you could just end into a 4x4 box near the panel, or run to the panel itself...even if you don't run any wire. It will never be easier to get the juice run than now. Not trying to spend your money @ADGold but the wire is cheap compared to the future labor once you're all finished-up.

That said, room rendering looks primo! Have fun.

 

[John T]

My advice would be run extra wire. If you ever need it, it is there. Beautiful room, cover all your bases. In the scheme of it all the wire is a drop in the bucket...

 

[Folsom]

I'd even run 10/3 to both amp and stack locations. 10/2 is what you'd typically use but are saying you are going to use 12/2. It's a little weird but 12/2 is 3 wire, they just don't include the ground in the designation. Anything with a 3 can do two phase.