Urgent Help: Wire for dedicated lines???

Hi,
Can I run 30A line to a receptacle 20A? Asking this because the cost for 30A and 20A is the same, and I already had Wattgate 20A. Moreover,I can use 30A for a bigger amp in the future.
Some suggest use second ground rod for dedicated lines, others say that tie the dedicated ground to the main ground rod, and then improve the main ground rod. Which way should I use? Electrician suggest a second ground rod for dedicated line. However, the distance from the first and second rod is just 2' apart. Are they too close?
Thanks
Tran

30A wire capacity to 20A outlet is fine if the conductors will fit the outlet screws. I didn't go any larger than #10awg because any larger is a bear to work with (& won't fit into the outlet anyway). Wiring code advises against 2nd seperate ground rod (something about potential ground currents causing damage if you receive a direct lightning hit) but many people do run it separately anyway with good results. Others advise to make a connection from the isolated ground rod back to the original rod (to eliminate the lightning potential scenario) however I don't know if that affects / degrades the isolated grounding advantages; I suspect that it might not be a problem. I would think that the two rods being in close proximity would reduce the hazard potential, if in fact that is actually a real world concern? It sounds like you might actually have an enlightened electrical guy there - his idea sounds reasonable to me anyway.

Bundus is right on about wire choice.I've done exactly as he describes with excellent results.The electrician should know that a separate ground is against code.The reason it's not a good idea is with two ground paths any overvoltage can find it's way back through your equip.isolated ground.Also two ground potentials is the biggest source of ground loop hums ect.Unless you had a separate service feed from the utility transformer and panel grounded to a new rod for your audio circuits the best way to handle your grounding is to suplement your existing service ground with an 8' electrode driven at least 6' from any existing rod and connected in parallel not series to the same lug on the grounding/neutral bar in your panel.Have the electrician connect your new circuits isolated ground wire as close as possible to this point and you will have a star grounded low impedence ground path.This is what I did and the noise floor is much lower....Good luck!

To follow up....If your using metal conduit and boxes for your new circuits make sure that your electrician DOES NOT bond your new outlets to the boxes via any jumper wire.Doing so will defeat the isolated ground on your hospital grade plugs.The goal is to keep your audio circuits ground path separate from your house wiring.The reason being is if your house uses metal boxes with bonded outlets ,as many modern homes do,your metal conduit via it's connection to your bonded panel enclosure becomes part of that ground path allowing stray voltages to make there way into your audio circuits.One advantage of the metal conduit in this set up is that it acts like a shield in many of the better power cords where the shield wire is connected at the load end ( or your panel in this case) only.Same principle at work here......

The best dedicated circuit you can run is, By using 10awg shielded belden cable. Me and my friend wired up his home theater with romex orginally and though that it could use some improvement. So we shopped around and found this
10 awg. Belden cable that had high purity copper and it was shielded. It already had a jacket although we still had to run it in Flex conduit because of code . This is the single best upgrade anyone can do to there system. It elevated the whole system by a wide margin.