There is a PS Audio video on YouTube about installing dedicated lines. He uses 30 amp (orange) romex with 20 amp receptacles. Is there any benefit to this? Is it worth the cost difference as 30 amp romex is more expensive. And is there much difference between less expensive and more expensive romex? The cost can vary widely between brands.
Dedicated line questions...
Did a search, but can’t come up with a good answer. I am considering the install of a dedicated line. The general consensus is a 20amp circuit. How does this rectify with a full system designed around 15amp components/cords. I already have PS audio receptacles, and have upgraded/cleaned up all the other outlets on the current circuit, but it is still noisy. Would installing a 20amp circuit require a refit of gear or just 15-20 amp power cords? I don’t run big mono’s and really only need one line. Would a dedicated 15 suffice? Yeah, fairly clueless in this realm.
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- 44 posts total
There is a PS Audio video on YouTube about installing dedicated lines. He uses 30 amp (orange) romex with 20 amp receptacles. Is there any benefit to this? Is it worth the cost difference as 30 amp romex is more expensive. And is there much difference between less expensive and more expensive romex? The cost can vary widely between brands. |
Back in the day, early 1990's, when wire was a lot cheaper than today (and I knew a lot less than I know now) I ran mine like this only with even more overkill, 4 ga wire. Which probably equates to 80A. Don't know. Don't want to know! lol! Point is I have done this a couple times now, so that I know from actual experience just how much difference it makes. The biggest improvement by far is simply going direct, eliminating all the outlet-to-outlet connections of a normal circuit. This is very noticeable, but in the big scheme of things only about as big as upgrading to a Synergistic Research outlet or fuse. If that. Going from there to larger gauge wire, even monster overkill like mine, is not that much more. For what it costs nowadays, I about had a coronary looking at what copper costs these days. You could probably buy an outlet and a fuse and be way better off. In terms of pure sound quality for sure, and even more so if factoring in time and effort. Dedicated lines are more a long term investment kind of thing. If you are going to be there a very long time, and especially if you have long term upgrade plans, then its totally worth it. I have no regrets. But a lot of guys go into it like its some big deal, when really its just one more item on a very very incredibly unbelievably unimaginably long list of things that matter. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 |
More is better? In this case more probably makes absolutely no difference and might even be against code depending on the wiring that is already in place. Unless you have an extremely powerful amp and very inefficient speakers there is absolutely no benefit in using a 20 amp circuit. Everything in the house goes back to the breaker box. Running a separate line dose not isolate your equipment from anything. If you have a noise problem get rid of the noisy equipment and get stuff with well designed power supplies that reject/filter noise correctly. This is audio mythology of the highest order. But, if you want to waste money on feel good ridiculousness that is always your option. |
If I were building a new home or re-wiring my home I'd probably run 20A to my audio receptacle. But I wouldn't pay an electrician hundreds of dollars to convert my 15A to 20A without a known reason or goal. I run all my gear into a power regenerator that only draws 500W and and 5.3A. I have plenty of headroom. It's all about what you're trying to manage and achieve. |
I believe running a dedicated line to the breaker box for my audio components only, will help isolate them. There are a lot of things that can create noise like the refrigerator and furnace, not to mention compact florescent bulbs. I have had problems in our last house with compact florescent bulbs in other rooms creating hum. We moved to a house in the country and I don't see us moving again. This is it. I now have a dedicated music room, so I want to get the best possible sound. I have been down the power re-generator path and have found it limiting. I couldn't plug my tube amps into it, so I could only use it for my front end. And after I got my Ref Phono 2se, I was going to have to upgrade. I couldn't have all my front end gear on at the same time. I sold the re-generator and bought a Shunyata Triton which is not power limiting. I have been extremely happy with that decisions. |
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