Basic electrical questions.

Dedicated lines are a good thing... but not the best solutions of and by themselves.

Dedicated lines merely limit added issues from the rest of the household. remember, ultimately, the neutrals and grounds are tied together. Even still, dedicated is good.

I have 4 dedicated 20A ckts, but use mainly 3 of them. I put better outlets on those 3 too. Nothing fancy, just hospital grade.

Power conditioning, passive or active works. Current and bandwidth limitations are noteable items to look for when selecting the type you desire.

I use passsive filtering/conditioning on all my main rig devices. preamp, power amps, sources, etc. Albeit, different filters for sources than for power trains.

Many do plug amps right into the dedicated wall sockets. Better? Try that first and see how you like it... then add a conditioner of sorts. Then you will actually know what's best for you and your gear.

Lots of ways to go here. Many roads lead to Albuquerque... or is it Rome.

RE Another breaker box?

No. Well, not necessarily. Depends on the breakers actual physical nlayout. are there any blank (unused) spaces? If so your job will be much easier. Also the actual width of standard breakers (if used) allows for some hidden growth by using half sized breakers. Though physiccally half the size they'll carry the same current load and work as effectively.

Standard size is about 1/2 inch across. There are half size breakers called waffer breakers. By removing the standard sized one and inserting two half size ones, you'll gain one additional circuit. Remove two std, and gain two ckts using four waffers.

The main consideration here is this... the current load of the breaker box. Usually there are blanks (unused) spaces in any new installation put there for growth such as this desire. Adding a couple 20a breakers there in std size might be OK. provided there are blanks preexisting. otherwise the choice is this... a sub panel as was said, or the use of waffers.

I can't actually for true tell you that adding a couple half size breakers to gain two added ckts is safe, or right for your situation. I'd need to be there for that... so call one of your electrican friends to come over and have a look first.

I've done it myself in other homes though without issue... BUT TO BE SAFE AND SURE... SEEK OUT A QUALIFIED LOCAL SPARKY TO TAKE A LOOK SEE FIRST.

Where the waffers, if used, are placed (which phase) is a little important too. I had mine put on the lighting phase, instead of on the side supplying all the appliances. As well and if possible placing the new ckts closest to the incoming feed to the panel (top or bottom, depending on the panel) will help too. marginally in some cases, more so in others. Depends on the adjacent ckts.

usually, 'Sparkies' will say it doesn't matter, by and large.

Were I to add a sub panel I would also add an isolation transformer supplying that newest panel too. There are transformers which will also condition better the power incoming and passing thru it as well as isolation from the rest of the household effects.

Lastly, when ya add these new receptacles - ckts, think about adding four outlets to each vs. two, on one or both of the new lines. One never knows what one might need later.

Call an electrician first, in any event.... even if you wind up doing the work yourself.

Just to follow up… as I said above and as another has said here… dedicated ckts merely limit the immediate impact of untowards interference from other household appliances, various lighting t-formers, cell phone chargers, etc. They don’t ultimately prevent this interaction… it is more a subdued, or less impactful contact.

BTW… cheater plugs work on thihngs other than audio and video gear, ie., dishwasher,., fridge, phone, faxz, etc. that’s where I put mine… not on my audio gear… and only if those items were also possessing non conductive surfaces.

Dedicated lines and or cheater plugs will not prevent nor eliminate ground loops. To eliminate the ground loop issue find the cause. Generally it comes from your telephone, cable, or satellite equipment… or some other porrly isolated or grounded item. A simple inductor can dispel this issue and why so many simply use transformers of one sort or another.

A minor difference of potential at one ground point, if several or more than one is used, can also cause such an event.

One point of interest here is what was said about the actual length of the ckts themselves. I read somewhere there is a formula for figuring out the db per feet in loss. I don’t recall it now, but I know it happens. This effect occurs using dedicated lines as an added benefit, though it’s seldom if ever expressed as such.

Another item is the cost to benefit ratio… or in other words “overkill”.

Unless we’re talking new construction implementing numerous single serve power lines just isn’t financially feasible for the majority of folks. A few sources, a preamp, mono blocks, and say a sub or two means 8 separate lines…. Which are all tied together at the breaker box anyways, seems of and by itself as overkill to me.

Rather the digital issues should be addressed, if any, at the device… or by a wholly separate and individual power supply and line (s).

As dedicated power lines aren’t prevention measures, and only limit initial impact of other on site problems, look to power conditioning, power isolation, and other grounding measures to further aid the supplied items… and there are still some precautions to be taken doing those tasks… and or find and eliminate, exchange, or replace the culprit causing them.

Jea48

Nope. I was talking strickly in regards to the lessend effect of spurious noise equating to the distances of the dedicated line runs. Period.

I’m only a former ELECTRONICS tech, and commercial/industrial electrician, not an engineer or electronic designer, so I speak from my own experience.

My reference to phones for example regarded their charging devices impact on the household’s electrical system, not their common use… as I thought we were speaking of how dedicated lines are more the benefit than common circuits. Albeit, dedicated lines are not the end all be all, which I also pointed to quite early on and prior to many of these following posts. Further, more rechargeable devices can and do add derogatory artifacts into the power delivery.

Even UPCs for personal confusers, if not full wave AC power supplies will additionally infuse DC into the homes power supply. Those $100 Radio Shak ‘crash preventers’ do more harm than good.

Whatever the theory and or reasoning supporting such annoyances, the practical approach to remedy them has always been my tact, for in the end a solution is both what is sought and appreciated. Were I to ever tell some customer that they had a difference of potential across the differing grounds to their varying services, and the resolution for it, I’d be wasting both my time and theirs. Consequently I tend to strive for a more simplified approach when I attempt to convey some aspect which provides benefit. Truth be told here too… in some cases I don’t know the why of it, merely the how and what... for in my former vocation only results were more normally sought.

…and isn’t simple, always best?

My techy side does indeed appreciate many of these insights however, so please don’t take any offense as I underline my sense of things here, as well as others have also fortified in other words that which I promoted at the onset.

Thanks all, for the various links given here as well.