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PC & Dedicated Power Lines Questions

I'm about ready to upgrade my powerlines with dedicated 10awg 20A runs. To see what's in my system, click "system". I have just added a Shunyata Hydra 8, but haven't upgraded it's power cord yet (thought I'd make my own). A little background, I'm a electronic tech and I work on big servo looped systems (CNC mills, stretch presses that are analog feedback). So I know how important it is for good cableing with no noise. Most my power cords are DIY with either 10AWG wire or beldon 83803 with Oyaide P/C-79 connectors. My amps still have the OEM cords for now untill I get my incoming power straightened out.
Question 1) I was going to add 3 incoming lines with 10AWG wire on 20A curcuits off of the same leg or phase. One for each mono amp (might add my soround amps on them too) and a third to power all the front end stuff including a TV. Is this overkill? Should I just plug the hydra in my already supplied 15A line (it has a pass-Seymour outlet) and just add dedicated power for my amps?
Question 2) Power Cords. I just can't beleave the cost of these!! I can get hi quality fine strand 10awg copper twisted 4 conductor cable for free. I also have a bunch of 5 cond 16awg twisted with sheild. I was tempted to make power cords for my amps and Hydra from this and I have made some power strips already with Oyaide and Pass & Seymour outlets (see my system for pic under Oyaide). The Beldon 83803 is a PITA to work with and in my field it is considered cheap cable. I'm suriosly looking at VH Audio Flavor 4 DIY cords with Oyaide connectors. Flovor 4 for amps and Flavor 2 fro my Preamp. I have a sheilded beldon on my CD player now. What are your thoughts?? What PC cord should I use for the Hydra, was going to buy a used Shunyata Python Alpha, but just thinking of making a flavor 4 for it? Sorry for the long post but am curious to opinions. Thanks.
Scott
sgsoundnut
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
Lak, Thanks for the response. I read your reveiws and all the responses. I'm going to order some Porter Ports to try. I'll have to find your thread on your filtration system. I would like to check that out. For fun last night I plugged my amps into my hydra with nothing else plugged into the Hydra but the amps (used as a power strip). I than moved the Hydra power cord to a existing outlet (19 year old original when the house was new). Powered it all up and let everything warm up an hour. I listened to variuos stuff for over an hour (allot of female vocals). I then unplugged the Hydra (still just powering the amps) and moved it to an outlet I upgraded with just a Pass & Semour 5262-AW outlet. I was actually suprised by the difference in sound quality. I upgraded my outlets and made some power strips with the Pass & Semour outlets awahile back.

Psacnli, The Oflex is the sheilded 16 AWG 5 Cond. cable I refered to earlier in my post (though I didn't call it Oflex). I do have some of this and have used it for power strips and power cords I made. I wasn't sure if it was any good but I thought I'd try it. We have allot of it at work on our ABB Hydro Presses. I can't really take allot of it home but we are going to remove a material handleing system from the ABB and there will be a lot of scrap cable. Maybe they will let me take some or I can buy it from our suplus store. I'm not sure if the stuff can be legally run through walls, but it would be a cheap way to run some dedicated lines for my front end stuff (since it has a sheild). So you think this stuff is good to use?? Maybe I'll make a power cord on my CD player and see how it sounds.
Scott
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
Another vote for dedicated lines, first. That has been my experience as well. As said so well (above) dedicated lines are a basic correction to so many anomalies. Then try whatever else interests you in the way of power cords and conditioners.

Happy (regulated) Listening!
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
I've always agreed with the dedicated lines, but now I wonder what to run as a conductor. The Oflex mentioned above?? I have enough for one run it has a braid sheild and 4 16 AWG conductors with a GND. # 16 is rated @ 10 Amps so I could double them up, (one outlet) and by code you can downsize your ground. This could be for the digital. I can get 10 AWG romex from VH audio that looks just like what Cardus sells. Or just romex from home depot. I do have some 12 AWG (twisted) in metal flex conduit left over from wiring up my shop?? It's going to be a bitch to feed that up from by basement walls ito the wall upstairs.
psacanli
535 posts
 
Dedicated lines are it-without a doubt. The Hydra will still be great for either your pre or digital- just experiment for optimum benefit. Dedicated lines, which I have used for 20+ years, do not replace good power conditioning in my experience.
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
The Hydra is a unique conditioner, it really doesn't have much in circuitry inside it. I know it uses MOV's and it's made in the beutifull state of WA where I live. We have lots of wind storms in the winter sometimes causing major power bumps and sags and outages. I lost my power for almost a week last year. So I hate to have all that $$ gear just plugged in the wall. But we'll see. So are running the Oflex cable in your walls?? I'm curious now if this cable might be a good idea to try. I have about 20' of it now. I'm off all week but when I return to work I'm going to check around and if I can find some laying around.
Scott
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