10 gauge wire

Considering the wire in your wall is most likely 12ga...I'm not sure I would bother upgrading due to differences in gauge alone.
 
If I were installing new dedicated circuits for amps, or even source gear, then I would use 10 gauge wire, since the cost difference is trivial. In theory, 10 gauge will have a little less resistance than a comparable length of 12 gauge wire. This could result in a smaller instantaneous current loss as power supplies pull pulses of current from your main breaker box. In other words, it certainly doesn't hurt to use 10 gauge for a new installation.
 
It is new construction for dedicated circuits.

What about separate ground for dedicated circuits?

Anyone done internal star grounding?
 
If you run a sub panel off the mains before the power hits the main house panel...10 guage all the way.
 
I'm no electrician but standard 15 amp circuits use 14 ga. wire, not 12. If you use a 20 amp breaker then you jump a wire size to 12 ga. 30 amp, 10g a. etc. 10 ga. will require larger outlet boxes as it is much stiffer and harder to work with.
Rockitman, ?? Sounds like a house fire to me!:D
 
Katoomer said:
I'm no electrician but standard 15 amp circuits use 14 ga. wire, not 12. If you use a 20 amp breaker then you jump a wire size to 12 ga. 30 amp, 10g a. etc. 10 ga. will require larger outlet boxes as it is much stiffer and harder to work with.
Rockitman, ?? Sounds like a house fire to me!:D
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Both of my audio rooms have 12ga cable to 20a breakers. I recently started looking into 10ga cable and 30a, 120v lines as my sub amp sometimes pulls enough current to trip a 20a breaker. It's either that or another dedicated 20a circuit and worrying about ground loops...
 
10 gauge absolutely does not require a larger outlet box, but does require a receptacle that has terminals capable of handling 10 gauge. The Hubbell 5362's are rated for this size wire and have this specified on the box they come in. I had all 11 dedicated circuits in my room run with 10 gauge when my house was being built. I also had my panel upgraded from 200 to 225 which then required a larger meter box and wire from the transformer :)
 
ScottW said:
10 gauge absolutely does not require a larger outlet box, but does require a receptacle that has terminals capable of handling 10 gauge. The Hubbell 5362's are rated for this size wire and have this specified on the box they come in. I had all 11 dedicated circuits in my room run with 10 gauge when my house was being built. I also had my panel upgraded from 200 to 225 which then required a larger meter box and wire from the transformer :)
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Did it seem to make a difference?
 
I have found that dedicated circuits really do make a difference. In my last house and the one I am in now I had them installed when the houses were being built so I was not able to do a direct comparison. But I have had dedicated circuits installed in customers houses and the before and after were much different.
 
I don't think the issue is whether something is more influential on the sound or not. Rather, by installing 10 gauge you are future proofing your circuits. For new circuits, the cost difference is negligible, and you can use the circuits for either 20 amp or 30 amp loads. It is one of those things that can't hurt, and could help. Of course, I suspect somebody has audiophile wiring, and that is a different story. :)
 
The resistance difference between AWG10 and AWG12 in a short run is most of the time negligible compared to the typical impedance of your mains - but IMHO each case much be analyzed separately. Unfortunately mains impedance meters such as the PCS ZM100 powerlines.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/zm100-a1.pdf are expensive and complex to use. However if you are properly installing your wires - and this means twisting the neutral and phase wires to keep them very close to keep EM interference at a minimum the thicker wire is not easy to manipulate.

For more information on using twisted wires in mains distribution please read this very interesting paper http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/20963848/268252969/name/Whitlock-Fox+-+Ground+Loops+.pdf
 
BlueFox said:
I don't think the issue is whether something is more influential on the sound or not. Rather, by installing 10 gauge you are future proofing your circuits. For new circuits, the cost difference is negligible, and you can use the circuits for either 20 amp or 30 amp loads. It is one of those things that can't hurt, and could help. Of course, I suspect somebody has audiophile wiring, and that is a different story. :)
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A big +1 on this one :congrats:
 
I recently had an electrician run 6/3 from my main panel to a 60 Amp sub panel from which I have my dedicated circuits in 10/2 with GTX outlets. Previous to this (I recently moved house) my stereo sounded boomy and I thought I had severe room acoustic issues. The dedicated circuit proved a massive difference - instantly. But the old house wiring had the lights and power mixed and my room is a long way from the main panel - so was probably a worst case scenario before I put in the dedicated circuit.

Even with the Furutech GTX sockets the electrician did struggle a little with the 10g. FYI, we did use standard plastic cut-in boxes.
 
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