Building a house with dedicated stereo room-advice

I'd recommend reading "Premium Home Theater" by Earl Geddes. Don't remember it going into electrical distribution per se, but at the very least it will give you a working knowledge of the basic concepts of and what it takes to build a room that sounds good. And although it looks like the ASC system incorporates many of the concepts found in the book it probably comes at a fairly high premium. After reading the book you may find you can achieve much the same results in your own (with your contractor of course) using things like Dietrich resilient channels, green glue, etc. rather than ASC products. I'm not a handyman and can barely nail two pieces of wood together, but after reading that book I'd feel comfortable working with a contractor I know and trust to construct a good sounding room (which is exactly what I plan to do). Then again, if you're willing to pay for the ASC system it looks like it addresses the main issues assuming it's implemented properly. FWIW and best of luck.

No need to spend the money on a Rives room. I've done several dedicated rooms over the years. By a wide margin the best results I've achieved is by building exactly to Cardas Golden Ratio dimensions. Cardas also has a formula for speaker placement and listening chair position (equilateral triangle) and it's the best I've heard. I'd go with an MGE Power Supress 100 isolation transformer- $1000- dedicated AC lines and Jena, Porter Port or Oyaide outlets and you're pretty well done. Save the Rives money for better equipment, more music, etc. The Rives program is no panacea!!

The Wattgate 381 outlet is another option to consider.

I've had good luck with Hubbel 5362's and Pass & Seymour 5362's recently cryoe'd.I agree that building a dedicated room is the best route to a great sounding system, be patient and do it right. Well worth the work.

Want a real listening room? Go to this website and start learning-

http://northwardacoustics.com

This team, led by Frenchman Thomas Jouanjean, are regarded as the top designers of mastering labs in the world today. Take a look at what they are working on right now, and you will understand. Then, go to this webiste, a facility they did in Amsterdam-

http://amsterdammastering.com

Click on the Studio tab, and look at the slideshow which has extremely detailed drawings and images of the actual construction. I seriously doubt you or anyone at Audiogon will go to these lengths on a home listening room, but it is good to know what the professional approach to a listening room is, as opposed to what you will get on a board like this.

Weisselk
OMA