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Dedicated line help

Finally getting the dedicated line I've always wanted, but had a few questions on how it should be done for best results. My electrician is kinda young and is not an audiophile (the flipside is he's only charging 75 bucks to do it), so I'm relying on you guys for the details.

Some general info in case it's helpful: The system is in the basement and in the same room as the circuit box about 30 feet away. The wire will be fished behind the walls that fortunately have a few access panels between the box and my system, and there is no insulation between the wall and the foundation -- just some heat pipes (steam heat).

Questions:

Is 20amp strongly preferable over 15amp line or does it not matter that much? I'm currently running a 125wpc push/pull solid state amp but may very well run something like a 100wpc class A ss amp in the future, if this makes a difference.

I'm going to purchase a Porter Port, but is there certain type/brand of wire that should be used from the circuit box to the Port or will the standard stuff do fine?

Should I have him run 2 lines -- one for analog and one for digital, or is there another way to separate these guys (or is it sufficient just to do this at the power conditioner, which I don't have yet)?

Anything this guy could do wrong that could cause problems or create a fire hazard?

Any other tips you guys have either on the installation or equipment would be most appreciated. THANKS FOR ANY THOUGHTS/HELP.
soix
tjassoc
259 posts
 

A few things I've learned, but I'm by far not the most knowledgeable in this area.

- Run dedicated lines, 20 amp circuits, oversizing the ROM-X wire to 10 gauge helps. 

- There debate to use aluminum armored cables as a shielding, not sure of the results.

- Run all the power lines from the same phase of the circuit breaker box (note: breakers alternate phases in vertical sequence.)

- Do not run the wires close together, leave at least 6" space between each wire run.

Anyone else can help with details?

onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,262 posts
 

You do realize this is a very old thread.  I think this was back when the OP had a Lafayette receiver and a BSR turntable.

jea48
4,540 posts
 

@tjassoc said:

- There debate to use aluminum armored cables as a shielding, not sure of the results.

RF shielding is not the main reason for using MC (Metal Clad) aluminum armored cable. The main reason for using 2 conductor with insulated ground MC cable is because of the way the cable is built. The three insulated conductors are tightly spirally twisted together and held tightly together by the aluminum armor.

This cable build geometry greatly helps reduce an induced voltage, as well as noise, from being transferred from the two current carrying conductors, (Hot and Neutral), due their magnetic fields onto the EGC, (Equipment Grounding Conductor).

MC does a better job of doing this compared to NM sheathed cable. (Romex Trade Name).

2012 Seminar w-Notes v1-0.ppt - indy-aes-2012-seminar-w-notes-v1-0.pdf

Check out page 16. Read pages 31 through 37. Note the chart on page 35.

Note the worse branch circuit wiring method is single conductors pulled, installed, loosely inside of conduit.

Note: Solid wire, conductor, MC cable... NOT AC, (commonly called BX) armored cable. AC armored cable should never be used for audio branch circuit wiring, imo...

 

 

tjassoc
259 posts
 

jea48 - awesome!

Thanks for sharing:-)

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