New Dedicated Line - Almost No improvement

In my case (2022) it was $1500 for the 4 lines and about the same to upgrade/rebuild the box. I also had him inspect my ground rod. The connection to the box was badly decayed (he showed me that) so the ground was not even connected. This apparently made my whole house surge protector worthless. I had him drive a new ground rod and redo the connection for $750. Around $4K all in…It took the electrician and his assistant two full days to complete the job.

He openly said I was insane. I showed him the prices of aftermarket power cables…he said he was starting a new business LOL. We enjoyed a bottle of bourbon and a listening session the last evening. He had no idea what a quality home audio system could do.

My power conditioner has a pure sine wave output and I'm loving it.

Like almost all threads here, this one has some good information and a lot of misinformation.  I have to feel sorry for the layperson trying to figure it out.  

@laynes

I have a few questions before you call the electrician out to your home and start paying him his hourly rate. Time = money...

1) What year was the house built?

2) Has the electrical service ever been updated?

3) Is the power lines feeding the house ran overhead or buried underground in the earth?

4) How big, amps, is the electrical service? (Look at the main breaker there will be a number usually found on the breaker handle. Typically 100 or 200.)

5) What brand is the electrical panel? Example, Square D, Siemens, GE, ITE, ect.

6) Where is the main electrical panel located? Outdoors on the house next to the electric meter? In an attached garage? Inside the house? Is the main breaker located in the main electrical panel or outdoors next to the electric meter?

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As for the layout of the branch circuit breakers in an electrical panel:

Line 1 and Line 2 alternate with one another down each side of the electrical panel.

Odd breaker numbers are on the left side. Even breaker numbers on the right side. If you look closely at the breakers metal panel dead front you should see the numbers. Usually stamped into the metal. If you can’t see them here is how the breakers are numbered. (Note: For standard sized 1" single pole breakers. A 2 pole breaker takes up two 1" spaces.)

 

L1 = Line 1. (Leg, Bus)

L2 = Line 2. (Leg, Bus)

brk = breaker. (Or unused breaker space.)

 

L1 >> brk #1 ...... brk #2

L2 >> brk #3 ....... brk #4

L1 >> brk #5 ....... brk #6

L2 >> brk #7 ....... brk #8

L1 >> brk #9 ....... brk #10

L2 >> brk #11 ..... brk #12

L1 >> brk #13 .... brk #14

And so on down each side of the panel.

 

(Note a 2 pole breaker connects to both L1 and L2... 240V potential...

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Here is some reading material.

An Overview of Audio System Grounding and Interfacing

Take note of page 16.

Read pages 31 thru 36.

Note the chart on page 35. Aluminum armored MC measured the second best. Number one being the best where the hot and neutral conductors are twisted together the entire length of the branch circuit. The EGC, (Equipment Grounding Conductor), is ran along side the twisted pair.

The type of branch circuit wiring can have an impact on the sound quality of an audio system. Also the installation methods used installing the branch circuit wiring can have an impact on the SQ.

 

Before we moved in I had an electrician put in a dedicated line (has it’s own breaker switch) which is 10 gauge

What type of #10awg branch circuit wiring was installed? NM, (Romex)? MC, Metal Clad) armored cable? Other?

.

A good presentation @jea48 but not without questionable recommendations and some questionable interpretations of how things work, but still vastly better and debunking so much of what gets posted.