Dedicated AC Power Line vs. Power Conditioner?

Md8232: Your electrician won't have any options. It's the local code that dictates what you can use inside the walls. I personally like BX (http://www.seatekco.com/bx.htm) because it has a flexible steel shielding around it and if your local code allows it, I would use it. It's more expensive to buy and to install, but IMHO the shielding from stray RF, fluorescent fixture, microwave, etc. noises is well worth it.

I would also definitely install an "isolation transformer" (see Wikipedia for more info) which isolates the power from the rest of the house and your neighbors. The transformer effect also isolates any stray power line interference and noises. The power line coming from the transformer on the pole (or underground) is supplying power to many homes. That means all of these homes have a common shared power line in parallel until they get to the transformer. So if anyone is operating a electrical device that generates line noise, it will be fed back to your house wires and to your equipment.

I should have mentioned that we live in a rural area. Nearest neighbor is 1 mile away. I think anything goes out here, but we'll definitely use a safe method.

Would BX require a metal outlet box?

The key factor is do you have the power line wire drop from a transformer only to your house, or is it shared with any neighbor, regardless of the distance between houses.

You don't need a metal outlet box with BX, but to continue the shielding effect, you should use one, including the cover plate. Cost difference is negligible. You could use a standard plastic cover on the outlet to match the rest of the house.

I've had great success with two 20 amp dedicated lines and I use Shunyata power conditioners Hydra 2,Guardian 2,Hydra 8)and a Furman balanced power conditioner.

I isolate the furman on one dedicated line and only have my cd player on it.

The other dedicated line has a new Furutech GTX D,G,receptacle and into that go the two Hydras for the rest of the gear.

Keeping your cd player on a single dedicated line is quite the experience.
Better than using the dedicated digital receptacles on a power conditioner and plugging the rest of your gear into it.

Make sure your dedicated lines are on the same phase at your breaker box.

There should be one empty space between the new breakers, so that both lines are either on the top or the bottom panel sockets.Not one atop the other, leave a space.

Also if you go 20 amp, use 12/2 wire,which isn't too expensive if you buy 30 M,under $75.00(CDN) or you could max out and use 30 amp breaker and 10/2 wire-12/2 and 10/2 have a third wire which is ground wire so you've really got 3 wires.

If you start with dedicated lines, then use good receptacles(Hubble hospital at least) and dare I mention Upgraded fuses,you'll start to hear your system for the first time.

Then you can experiemnt with different power conditioners, power cords, inter connects, amps etc. and for the first time experience the differences.

I firmly believe that one of the reasons why some music lovers fail to hear differences in wires etc, is because the power to their gear is so bad it is robbing their systems ability to differentiate between brand A and brand B.

You get out of your system only what you put into it.

Do none of the above power tweaks and continue to listen to only a portion of what you've invested your hard earned dollars in.

The dedicated lines is the starting point, work from the panel(the true source component)first and then tweak down the line.

I wish I had discovered this a few years ago, when I switched gear like changing my socks.
Had I gone the power route I never would have wasted so much time and money going from one component to the next.

If everything is starting to sound the same,go to the panel and start from there.