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What to tell my electrician

I am building out a dedicated listening room in a house we just purchased. There is a dedicated 200 amp breaker box for a hot tub we are getting rid of. So, I will have this breaker box deducted for a listening room. Assume i have a rig with mono blocks (ss), multichannel amp (ss) ,pre/pro, universal disc, dac, large led tv, cable box, distributed audio/video controller (control 4). The room is in the basement not very far from the breaker box (running lines would not be a problem). Also, the walls will be opened for the renovation so adding outlets and running wire not an issue.

I have read many of the threads on the subject here and am often confused by conflicting info and partial advice

So, what I would like is for any friends out here to put yourself in my shoes and imagine you are telling the electrician (who from what I have read will typically be amused and a bit confused by the Audiophile focus and perhaps not the best source of advice) what to do. So, would be great if the post is you imagining you are speaking to the electrician and saying. "ok, here is what I want you to do ......"

Assume I want to do it right and legally (so no non code separate grounds).
dangelod
tvad
9,467 posts
 
A caveat to the isolated ground suggestion...

Since isolated ground requires isolated ground receptacles in addition to the isolated ground wire, you will be precluded from installing the fancy, shmancy aftermarket audiophile outlets since none are the isolated ground type (as far as my search has revealed).

In my system, the isolated ground circuit with the accompanying service grade Pass and Seymour isolated ground receptacles has resulted in a quieter system than when I had the non-isolated ground circuits with cryo'd Hubbell hospital grade receptacles.
elevick
2,439 posts
 
1-get full size electric boxes, some of the renovation size ones are too shallow.
2-have him run any cat-5 and/or cable runs that you may need.
3-have him pull cable for the tv or projector. You can have this terminated in boxes even?
4-don't let them close up the walls until you check it out.
5-make sure that any lines that have to cross do so at 90 degree angles.
6-I would run non-electrical wiring at a different height to avoid touching power lines.
7-New drywall? Double layer, staggered seams on the outer layer, soundproofing around any junction boxes...
8-What kind of lighting?
9-are you having the surround wiring put inside the walls?
10-have fun!
lenny_zwik
259 posts
 
Actually, PS Audio Power Ports are of the isolated ground variety.
lapierre
547 posts
 
Another observation...

Surge protection at the service panel.

Also have your electrician check the outside ground to the panel...by luck my house had two. One at the panel and another further down from the panel. Check the AC noise once everything is installed as value added.

If I had a "do over" surge protection and filter at the service panel.
audiofreakgeek
115 posts
 
Make sure all breakers are wired in phase.

Also the grounds between circuits must be at exactly the same potential.

With dedicated lines you can have a ground loop when you hook up different devices together which span the different circuits.

I recommend that the projector circuit is a junction off of the main circuit used for the surround processor, this will eliminate the chance of ground noise in the picture.

Hubbel hosipital grade outlets are cheap and very good.

Make sure all circuits are 20 amp and use the heaviest gauge you can get.

BX cable is better than romex due to the bx's metal shield.

If you run any signal cables run them at 90 degree crosses over any electrical lines and keep cables at 6 inches or further from any ac lines.

A missed thing is cooling and heating a proper theater room will have an ambient noise floor of less than 50db, the quieter the room the better, split ducless ac units are great, central air can be great but the ducting must be of adequate size with an optimal number of bends to slow down the air velocity to create quiet cooling.
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