Dedicated lines — how many? Other advice?


We're redoing our basement and adding an additional panel. This room will become a media room. I may be video and audio at different ends of the room if possible. Not sure.

To be powered:

Video

1. TV
2. AVR

Audio:

1. R & L Monoblock tube amps
2. Preamp
3. DAC
4. CD transport
5. Streamer
6. 3 Subwoofers

QUESTIONS:

(a) Does everything on the list need a dedicated line? Could all benefit? (Including the TV and AVR). Or can I skip the video stuff.

(b) How many dedicated lines for the audio alone? How would you group components on each line?

(c) Any other advice?

Here is the advice I've gathered so far (some from the web, some from A'gon):

  • Get a whole house surge suppressor put in.
  • Use the heaviest gauge copper Romex you can use, never less than 12 gauge and typically 10 gauge (the lower the gauge number the thicker the wire conductors).
  • Use a 20 amp breaker for even the lowest draw source equipment feed.
  • Make sure the power lines are balanced on each side of the power panel.
  • Don't let them staple the wire to the 2x4's inside the walls….Work out some other solution that neither uses ferrous metal fasteners nor pinches the wiring when secured to the framing. The physical pinching can lead to a somewhat narrower audio bandwidth…
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Yes it is! As a matter of fact my system is on a 15 amp circuit with a few other things and the breaker has never tripped. 1 amp=120 watts. IMO, having more is pure overkill! Of coarse there will be many here that disagree with me!
A 15 amp circuit= 1800 watts
A 20 amp circuit= 2400 watts
 Your gear would never use anything more than that. You can do the math!

It might not trip the breaker, but when I had one 20 amp dedicated circuit it definitely made the lights blink with the bass notes at high volume.
Searching around on this topic, I see it's a time-worn debate. Lots of advice out there. My usual M.O. on things like this is that if I cannot see which side of a debate is right and it's possible to get extra running room without spending a premium, I do it. 

In the case of this project, we're talking about a panel on the same unfinished wall as the location of the duplexes -- 12-15ft from panel to duplexes, straight shot. If it seems that even with this most simple situation that extra lines or higher amps is a lot more money, I'll economize.
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