Installing dedicated 10 gauge lines


Everyone keeps saying how important it is to have a dedicated 10 gauge line from your breaker box to your amp (I have a Diablo 300), and a second one to your source components (primarily an InnuOS Zenith Mk 3 streamer/Roon core).

I would love to do this, but isn’t this a major expense, like $15k or more? Does all the drywall back to the breaker box need to be ripped out to install the new lines?

Sorry if these are dumb questions. If the answer to the above is yes and yes, this project definitely won’t get past my wife!

As an aside, on the same 15A circuit, I have my amp, streamer, a Mac Mini that is normally on, my TV, video game consoles, and a network switch. So, obviously not ideal but out of all of these the only things that are on while I’m listening to music, beyond my amp and streamer, are the Max Mini and the network switch which supplies network connections to my tv and game consoles.

Hoping installing the dedicated line installation somehow doesn’t require drywall ripping and replacement?

 

 

 

 

 

 

nyev
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Calling an electrician is the best advice. They will assess what can and can't be done  within your budget. Also, it's not written in stone you have to go behind the walls. Surface mounted conduits such as WireMold can bring power to almost anywhere. The conduits are fed from a wall box and run on the walls above  base molding to surface mounted outlet boxes -- and come in a variety of colors and styles to make them less obtrusive. Just Google it and go to the images. 

@nyev 

 

i used 10-2 gauge cable steel sheath. You want to use steel not aluminum. Atkore makes a great product. Not sure if you will need the isolated ground or not. I did not. Atkore 10-2 ran about 750 dollars for 250 feet. Quality cable is important, as much as the dedicated line itself. Don’t want the Romex quality stuff and also you don’t want to bend it either. Hopefully you can keep the integrity of the cable intact. Of course this only works if you have the power in breaker box for an additional 20 amp. I think all in the job was about 3k including the 750 dollar cable. 

Call your local fire department and ask if there’s a firefighter that does electrical work on the side.  Can almost guarantee there’s at least one, handiest people I’ve ever met, price is usually right, too.

Seems like a lot of work and expense for what may or may not provide any change. How would one go about blind testing such a setup (which is the only reliable way to check such things)?