An unconventional approach to POWER MANAGEMENT

Every wire is an antenna promiscuously gathering RFI. Every connection is an interface inviting micro-arcing and all the noise that comes with it into your system. Adding another panels adds:

Another circuit breaker, that’s at least two connections right there.

Another set of bus bars. That’s additional feet of antenna, with multiple connections all along its length.

Another set of neutral and ground wires.

A whole panel case, which let me tell you is far from being a Faraday cage, but it does cost about as much as one, only this one gives you worse sound not better.


People always ask these questions as if the details don’t matter. The details are everything! If you are adding a whole separate building with circuits for light, heat, AC, etc etc AND a stereo, then maybe a panel makes sense. If you are talking about adding a panel for nothing more than a stereo then it makes no sense at all.

The big problem getting solid advice from a sound quality perspective is almost nobody is capable of giving solid advice. In order to do that you would need someone who has actually compared the different methods in the same room with the same system - just the same as you would want for someone reviewing a component. Nobody would ever buy a component based on an electrician saying it meets UL code but has never heard it except in some totally unknown system, and even then only once, no before and after.

But that is exactly what people do with this question all the time! Some electrician (or EE, which is even worse!) rattles off code and everyone listens. When what they should be doing is listening to one who has actually tried and compared results the way you would want with any other component.

Well, here you go. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 All done the same way my system was built, one painstakingly careful step after another. You can’t get any more unconventional.

I appreciate your input MC. Thank you! Hopefully you've left some room in the discussion for others to weigh in as I'm interested to hear about their experiences. I expect there are a few out there who have added panels at one point in building their systems and have heard the effect it had on the sound of their systems.

Thanks again!

MC has a beautiful, well thought out system, but there are audiophiles with electrical backgrounds on the forum. 
My electrician installed my dedicated power with the advice of a couple of members and I'm loving my system.
 I have a subpanel with two dedicated 20A lines and it's working very well; one line for digital, one for analogue. No ground faults.
 The work started outside at the drop from the pole, to the meter, then into the basement replacing the old service panel.

not specifically what you are asking but as part of a 1930's condo renovation I ran a new power feed from the main building panel replacing a 6 circuit box in the garage with a new 23 circuit panel in my 3rd floor unit with along with much of the original wiring.  Afterwards there was a noticeable improvement in sound quality in my system, more focus, separation, darkness, etc.  Since other work was done including a new floating wood floor and  appliances I can't say it was all due to the power upgrade but does seem like the electrical work played a significant role.

If you are looking for a novel approach to power management consider ADD-Powr.