[Dokter_doug]

I intend to run a dedicated power line to my house, into a separate fuse box, soley for use with my audio gear. I have some questions:

1. Does the quality of the wire used to run power into one's house matter?
2. If the answer to 1. is "yes", can I ask my power company (BC Hydro, Canada) to use higher quality wire than ordinarily used?
3. Does the type of cable/wire used from house to the fuse box matter? If "yes" see question number 2.
4. Does putting in 20 amp fuses (or higher) make for better current delivery to the wall sockets powering my amps (McIntosh)?
5. Does the quality of the wire from fuse box to wall socket matter, and can it be upgraded if necessary?

Any comments, answers and suggestions are welcome.

Doug

[bubba966]

1. Yes, they could run either aluminum or copper wire from the utility pole to your house. Wouldn't be surprised if they run (or try to run) aluminum to your house as the cost of copper is getting quite outrageous rather rapidly.

2. Yes, you can ask them to run copper if they're planning on doing it in aluminum.

3. Yes, the cable generally run from the meter outside your house to the electrical panel is almost always done in aluminum since it's cheaper and easier to use than copper. But you can certainly have your electrician run copper to the panel rather than aluminum.

4. Yes, you'll want to run 20 amp lines to your setup. If the run is fairly straight and/or short you might want to inquire about running 10ga wire for the run rather than the 12ga usually run for 20 amp circuits. It's kind of a pain to use the thicker wire, but you'll get less of a voltage drop if you use the thicker wire.

5. The outlet you put in the wall matters more than the wire run to the outlet. Just go with standard Romex (or any other NM-B type of wire) and put good outlets in. Good outlets would be a 20A Hospital grade outlet. The Hubbell IG8300 is a good one, as is the Eagle/Cooper IG8300RN. the 8300 outlet should be a 20A Hospital grade outlet no matter who makes it (be it Pass & Seymour, Leviton, Eagle, Cooper, Hubbell, Bryant, etc.). Personally I like the Eagle/Cooper IG8300RN's as they work very, very well and are about $10 each where the Hubbell's are nearly $20 each for the same grade/construction outlet.

And you've not mentioned it yet, but you might want to be picky about your electrical panel & breakers that are used. Square D QO series panels/breakers are the best there is. Spendy, but if you want the best performing breakers, they'd be it.

And if it matters much I am an Electrician, so I do have a bit of experience with all of what you're asking about...

[Dokter_doug]

Excellent response. Thank you very much.

Doug

[kfr01]

Yes, very excellent.  Thank you.  (Closing on new home tomorrow; listening room planning is in full swing).

[Levi]

I have a licensed electrician recently installed a dedicated 20amp line for my audio system.   He used 12Ga high quality wiring.  Prior to having a dedicated line, my system (please check my system profile) It used to share the same circuit with my computers and light fixtures.  The end results were:

Audio:
wider soundstage
increased transperency
enhanced inner detail
enhanced musicality

Video:
enhanced video detail
enhanced color saturation
enhanced picture depth and perception

So it's a yes. Not only it makes a big difference in sound but it also makes a big difference in video.

To answer your question:  (some of my additions)
1.Yes, the quality of the wire used matters.  You want it not only in compliance but for safety reasons as well.
2.I hired a private licensed electrician so I basically installed materials with my spec and within US buidling codes for safety.  I am not sure what your power company or building codes in Canada it sure makes sense to get the best you can buy.  
3.yes. Think of safety as always.
4.absolutely.  Better wires can handle more current.  Don't know if you need more than 20amp unless you are running a large electric motor.  Ask you local electrician for safety and analyze your system requirements.  As you probably already knew that all this may incure additional expense that you may not need.  I would suggest you analyze your system requirements.  If this is just for your peice of mind and lots of disposable income.  Hey I am with you!
5.Also ask if you can install a 220v line and stepdown converter to 110v for even more reserve.
6.Let see how else can we spend your hard earned money.  You also want a surge suppresion system and possible a line filter at the junction.  Better circuit breaker and junction box.  I don't know if one sells audio quality but definitely the outlet can be upgraded.
That's all I can think of at the moment.

Congrats on your new circuit!

I intend to run a dedicated power line to my house, into a separate fuse box, soley for use with my audio gear. I have some questions:

1. Does the quality of the wire used to run power into one's house matter?
2. If the answer to 1. is "yes", can I ask my power company (BC Hydro, Canada) to use higher quality wire than ordinarily used?
3. Does the type of cable/wire used from house to the fuse box matter? If "yes" see question number 2.
4. Does putting in 20 amp fuses (or higher) make for better curre ...

[zapper7]

I also made sure the bus bars in the panel were copper. This was not easy, but from the beginning a simple bus bar change is nothing crazy.
A copper grounding electrode conductor, oversized, into several grounding electrodes is a plus for cleaner sound.
Keep the outlet(s) themselves away from any of your inter/speaker wires as well.
Separation of that particular run from any other house wiring is a plus, as the lighting dimmers are especially impactful on the interferance .
There is a service entrance cable that is interesting in its physical character.  The ground wire is stranded and wrapped around the hot and nuetral like a coax, but not that complex. May offer a bit more sheilding from other wires in your house.
Use other than metal staples to secure the wire. The metal staples, when overdriven will compress the insulation bringing the 3 conductors closer to each other for further interference.
Run that circuit in a different area (attic instead of crawl) than the rest of you wiring.
The hospital grade outlets are a must. The heavier internal and external parts can be felt/seen when installing and plugging equipment into it. The 10 AWG wire will wrap around these outlets and are able to be tightened without blowing the outlet apart, unlike the $.25 Home Depot outlets.
Check different phase landings for the breaker to see if one is more quiet than the other, you never know.
Have fun.

I have a 100 amp subpanel for my room. I have taken 2 30A circuits for my mono blocks, and 4 separate 20A circuits for the upstream equipment. All copper wiring, panel bus, grounding electrode conductor. All hospital grade 20A outlets with isolated ground.  I paid for my own specific 400A service run and my own separate transformer on the utility pole. That was expensive