What is everyone using for dedicated AC lines???

If you can find heavy gauge ( at least 12 with 10 being preferred ) twisted pair, that would be excellent. I know that Anixter used to stock 12 gauge solid core twisted pair. This design will lower inductance, especially if you've got a long run. It is bulkier and harder to pull through conduit, but it should offer some benefits.

While i don't know how "lawful" this is in various States, you might want to run this by your electrician. You can use the conduit as ground and isolate it at the breaker box. Install a dedicated ground rod for the audio system in very close proximity to the ground rod that is used the mains and ground the conduit to the secondary ( audio ) ground rod. The two ground rods should be tied together electrically and weatherproofed once you have very solid connections.

Since the rods are tied together at the point of Earth ground, noise from the rest of the house will be shunted at that point. This is especially true since you now have two ground rods, giving you twice the conductive area to ground. Since electricity typically prefers to take the shortest, lowest resistance path to ground, any type of noise coming from the house / AC mains would be shunted at the point of connection.

The system now has a dedicated ground AND is connected to the rest of the house in a manner that should be both legal ( building code & home-owners insurance ) and harmless in terms sharing a common ground. On top of that, your AC feedline to the audio system is basically a 100% shielded low inductance twinaxial cable. This saves you from having to run the third wire and leaves more room to pull the twisted pairs through. Sean
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Check out the Virtual Dynamics site. The have cryo'd circuit breakers and inwall wiring.

http://www.virtualdynamics.ca/products/HWS

I haven't tried it yet, but I will.

Eldartford, 10-3 has four conductors as Glen stated. The fourth leg usually is used for running an isolated ground. You would also need to have a receptacle capable of using that feature though, like a PS Audio Power Port. My electrician shook his head and declared it overkill. I told him many would think much of my system is overkill.

Regards,
John

I just upgraded my ded. AC system using all Virtual Dynamics cryo treated wire, breakers, and Hubbell 5362 outlets. 10/4 BX from Main panel to sub-panel $3./ft. (actually 10/3 w/ ground), and then 10/3 (10/2 w/gnd) from sub panel to outlets. 30 amp cryo'ed breaker in main panel, and four 20 amp breakers in sub-panel. All this is now broken in and sounding excellent-- sweet, mellow, live, and most of all very, very natural. At $3./ft. for the wire, I did not consider it excessive. This has been a very worthwhile upgrade. Good Luck. Craig

I used 10/2 romex. I would be cautious, check with your insurance company, about using something that does not meet or exceed your building codes. If it causes a fire you could be liable.

Chuck