Dedicated lines — how many? Other advice?


We're redoing our basement and adding an additional panel. This room will become a media room. I may be video and audio at different ends of the room if possible. Not sure.

To be powered:

Video

1. TV
2. AVR

Audio:

1. R & L Monoblock tube amps
2. Preamp
3. DAC
4. CD transport
5. Streamer
6. 3 Subwoofers

QUESTIONS:

(a) Does everything on the list need a dedicated line? Could all benefit? (Including the TV and AVR). Or can I skip the video stuff.

(b) How many dedicated lines for the audio alone? How would you group components on each line?

(c) Any other advice?

Here is the advice I've gathered so far (some from the web, some from A'gon):

  • Get a whole house surge suppressor put in.
  • Use the heaviest gauge copper Romex you can use, never less than 12 gauge and typically 10 gauge (the lower the gauge number the thicker the wire conductors).
  • Use a 20 amp breaker for even the lowest draw source equipment feed.
  • Make sure the power lines are balanced on each side of the power panel.
  • Don't let them staple the wire to the 2x4's inside the walls….Work out some other solution that neither uses ferrous metal fasteners nor pinches the wiring when secured to the framing. The physical pinching can lead to a somewhat narrower audio bandwidth…
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(b) How many dedicated lines for the audio alone? How would you group components on each line?
One. 20amp. 10 gauge.
It’s probably not much more expensive to run two dedicated lines than one, so I’d run one for analog and one for digital for the dedicated audio only. I wouldn’t bother with the A/V stuff — just get a good power conditioner with surge protection with power regulation to protect/prolong their less-robust power supplies and electronics.  FWIW.
Use one direct (dedicated) line for the audio. This will be your high end system line. Everything connected to this system must be plugged into this circuit. Nothing else. This is to a) provide the best power and b) avoid ground loop hum and other noise problems.  

Everything else can be on as many circuits wired however you want. I would recommend one circuit for lights, one for all other outlets, and plug all the other stuff (video, etc) into those other outlets. 

Do not use more than one line for the audio. Use one power conditioner and plug everything into that one AC source. Does not matter how you group components. (There is a lot of misinformation around all these topics. Study my system. See who has what experience. Nuff said.) 

Skip the surge suppressor. Waste of money.  Spend it where it will do more good. Get the Decware Zen https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZLC.html

Use 10awg wire, 20A, and do not stress the details. For what you can spend on stuff you will never hear you can buy one fuse that will make a hundred times more difference. I know. I have wired my room several different ways and heard what all these different things actually do. There is more benefit to a good AC outlet for less money and work than what you can do paying an electrician, trying to convince him, etc.   

Try and keep some perspective. The single biggest improvement by far is to run the one line direct. Otherwise, electricians will always wire a circuit to go from outlet to outlet in a daisy chain of connections. Eliminating all these connections is by far the biggest gain. I have wired my room at least three different ways, including ripping it all out and having all the wire cryogenically treated. By far the biggest improvement was that first step of running the line direct. So do what you want but realize there are things that are extremely cost effective, and then there is a lot of other stuff that you could do way better with the same money any of a dozen other ways.