One dedicated circuit for each mono block?

One is fine. One straight run from the panel is better. Over-sized gauge like 10 even better. Plug power amps directly into wall.

What's missing from this is the power consumption of the monoblocks at idle and peak?

Where did you read such extremism?

@fuzztone Just take a look around this forum.

Your power isolator is probably undoing all the good that your dedicated line is doing.

I have 2 circuits in my dedicated line.  But I don't have monoblocks and I don't anticpate a use for the second circuit other than to put junk on that I don't want on my audiophile line.

Jerry

I would plug both monoblocks into one dedicated circuit directly into wall outlet. Iewould use conditioner on other circuit for other equipmen. I believe this is as you were saying.

I have one 20 amp circuit feeding my Saturn 103C power conditioner. I also plugged a 20 amp SR orange fuse in it. From there both of my Sugden Mono blocks plug into the power conditioner. The sound is articulate crystal clean and ZERO NOISE...

Carlsbad,

Why do you plug all the junk into the second circuit of the dedicated line? Doesn't this impact the purity of electricity received by your mono blocks it may be taking away some of the power available to drive them, which may be a minor point.

+1 mesch

So maybe a dedicated circuit can be used to plug amps directly into and then have Power isolator connected to a separate Circuit for everything else.

Yes. One dedicated 20A circuit for the two amps and one dedicated 20A circuit for your front end stuff. Amps plugged directly into the wall. No comment on whether to use the power isolator for your front end gear.
I have owned some pretty big monoblock amps (both Class A and AB) but none where a single 20A circuit would not have provided enough power, although I suspect there are a few monster amps out there. @erik_squires asked a good question as to the power consumption of your amps, and an easy way to gauge would be to look at the fuse size to each. If 8A or below, then one circuit at 20A should be enough.

I have found separating the digital and analog front end gear beneficial. I have four dedicated lines, one for each monoblock amp, one for analog and one for digital. All four dedicated lines use steel case MC cable. I prefer the MC with metal boxes for better shielding. I would run at least two dedicated lines depending on your power requirements. FWIW, I plug all my gear directly into the dedicated lines.   😎 See references below:

Mike

See power Conditioning page #38:

I have yet to install a dedicated line, but I recognize the need. I have two 800 watt class D subamplifiers, 300 watt per channel integrated and all the usual bits plugged into one 15 amp plug. McIntosh, in their instructions specify that the integrated is to be plugged directly into the wall. All are plugged into the six separate circuits of the Everest 8000. Shunyata claims that each circuit can provide a momentary 30 Amps. Everything about the musical presentation is improved when plugged into the Everest and using Shunyata’s NR power cables. So, I will dedicate one 20 Amp circuit, but other than my TT motor, all goes through the conditioner.

@jumia   I have my stereo sysem plugged into one dedicated line.  

So anything that might have noise associated with it such as a wall wart gets plugged into the other line.  So no, it doesn't affect my system any more than something plugged in at the other end of the house.  

+1 separating digital from analog.  

IHave a friend who is a Audiophile and master electrician he did mine 

awg 10 wire, 4 wire a common ground, and a isolated insulated ground using a separate buzz bar in the breaker box , a pure silver 30 amp breaker from Germany 

land all copper gold outlets ,a Siemens  surge protection at the input to the breaker box  and all equipment have Furutechs best IEC inputs which is very important , as well as every rca,xlr,and connector all WBT ,or Furutech the system sounds so much cleaner, the majority of mfg use gold over 

brass which means 3x less conductivity then Copper,which = 3x more resistance 

which = low level distortion which can be measured ,I use Xlr which truly make a difference ,especially if you digital, and amp,preamp are Differentially balanced .

everything counts.

I guess I’ll need seven dedicated circuits for my upstairs system and eight more dedicated circuits for my basement system. Now in reality, sure it could be really clean power, but don’t you think it’s overkill?

...between ditusa and audioman58, the only 'step up' will be one's own reactor at the edge of the property line.....or all solar and lots and lots of batteries.... ;)

Overthinking kills your reality, tho'....RFI, EMR, OMG, WTF....over... *L*

@audioman58 I’d be interested in details on your upgraded breaker. thanks.

AudioMan58

Lots of interesting things you're saying here, what do you mean by use of brass?

I guess the outlets are really important to have gold plated. What type of electrical wire are you running between the panel and outlets?

In the US very difficult to use a breaker that goes Beyond what the panel manufacturer recommends, stay loyal to the brands, don't use generic crap.

Carlsbad,

Are you saying that the dedicated line you're using for stereo is helpful to your system? Thanks

"NASA announces first audiophile on Mars complains about latency....'

If your monoblocks are 400 watts output or less per channel, one 20 amp line is good.

You are managing 3 issues here:

1) Adequate voltage and current the handle your requirements. A Dedicated 20Amp circuit will do that if the total drwa is under 1KW per amplifier (12 V X 8A = 960W)

2) Grounding. Typically a single circuit has fewer potential grounding issues than multiple circuits, as there are more opportunities for voltage differentials.

3) RF Noise Pickup. Wires are antennas and exhibit capacitive, inductive and resistive components. Improper connections and corrosion can act a rectifiers. Put those pieces together and with a bit of bad luck, you have an RF receiver. Series inductors are low pass filters as are parallel capacitors. Ferrite beads around conductors also also can act as low pass filters. 

Whether some combination of those factors cause an issue in your system is highly situational. Maybe, maybe not. I have experienced everything from mystery hums from Grado cartridges on certain turntables to picking up local AM stations on the sound system for a 20,000 seat coliseums, all due to power and grounding issues.

There is never one perfect way, there is only what works in your situation. Engineers spend vast amounts of resources trying to prevent products from experiencing power related issues in the first place, and it rarely pays to second guess them.

One will be fine

have monoblocks on one line all the time

unless you have Krell mastercllaasss, you will be good. 

Good point @arcticdeth  Yes.  I have Krell KRS200 references from late 80s, upgraded to 400w per side.  They can draw up to 2kW a side.  Watch the house lights dim when they power up.  No arctic deth in my listening room!

I run each off a separate circuit.  I also run three more circuits for TT, pre-amp and phono amp.  CD player and SACD player, have their own circuit - don't want those ugly digits escaping anywhere.

One dedicated breaker, #10x4 line, one leg to a dedicated 9’ copper earth ground stake and the other end to the amp chassis. 
 

Both amps  to the same receptacle.  Use a hospital grade 20 amp receptacle. They are sturdier. 
 

@clearthinker 

hey, if have the coin, heck yes, do it,!

I thought about it, didn’t have the flow of cash, as I estimated. 
 

 Sounds great! Enjoy

@arcticdeth 

Cashflow is of course a relative thing but, looking at the cost of big Class A amps new today, the KRS200s are great value.  There is a fairly ready supply at between £6k - £12k.  They are nearly 35 years old now so expect service issues.  I bought mine in the early 90s from a Krell dealer ex-dem.  I paid £7.5k then.  About 12 years ago I had them checked over, serviced and fully re-capped.  That cost £3.5k then.  But for £12k today expect them serviced and re-capped.

I reckon that's value and they sound great against today's big designs, many of which have been toned down for the green lobby and don't run in pure Class A right up to the top.  And don't they look the business!!

@ditusa  you have given me something else to ruminate & worry about.

 I own a house built in the ’60s and when I bought it it did have the old style fuse box and there is one circuit with a few outlets WITHOUT the 3rd wire (ground). Is there a good chance there is some knob & spool going on here, and would I be able to see that by pulling one of those outlets and would I be able to identify it from what wire I could see from the removed outlet?

@yesiam_a_pirate 

One dedicated breaker, #10x4 line, one leg to a dedicated 9’ copper earth ground stake and the other end to the amp chassis. 

Hopefully that dedicated 9' copper earth ground stake is tied to the other load center ground rod(s). Ground rods only exist for lightning protection, and you should never have any that are not tied or connected to each other. 

@immatthewj

Is there a good chance there is some knob & spool going on here

...highly doubtful if you say your house was built in the 60’s. Most times the ground was the conduit or metal clad cable running between the fuse box and outlets. After many years of high humidity or dirty environments, those grounds can decay (no longer being of low resistance), as the conduit and metal clad cable connections start getting dirty, begin loosening, or begin oxidizing.

Okay, thanks @dpop  I am thinking I should pull one of those old outlets without the third wire and see what's going on back there.  We are not using them for much, some lamps, cordless phone, clock, etc, but probably enough to be a fire hazard?

@immatthewj

I am thinking I should pull one of those old outlets without the third wire and see what’s going on back there.

It sounds like you’re referring to having an outlet with only two spade inlets (with no 3rd for ground). Yes, that was typical in older homes; even ones built in the 60’s. One can many times just replace the outlet with a standard (non-isolated ground) outlet (which uses the conduit or metal clad cable ground), and you’ll then have a NEC rated grounded outlet. This is an affordable needed tool when doing that:

AC outlet tester

@dpop  , thanks!  I do have the tester already  (I was dropping some new lines in previously)  I take it that  the 'standard (non-isolated ground) outlet (which uses the conduit or metal clad cable ground)' you referred to will have the 3rd ground.  I wonder if tht is what they did in the rest of the house where the outlets do have the 3rd ground?  I have tested them all with the AC tester and the lights do illuminate properly as advertised.  I think that I should pull some of those outlets off & see what I have got going on back there. . . .

@immatthewj

I think that I should pull some of those outlets off & see what I have got going on back there. . . .

I would be very surprised if any of your 3-prong outlets have a 3rd wire ground connected to the outlet’s ground terminal (many 1960’s house outlets don’t). Someone at some point probably replaced many of your house’s 2-prong outlets with 3-prong outlets. For some reason, that 2-prong outlet that you’re referring to was missed.

I take it that  the 'standard (non-isolated ground) outlet (which uses the conduit or metal clad cable ground)' you referred to will have the 3rd ground.  I wonder if that is what they did in the rest of the house where the outlets do have the 3rd ground?

My guess is yes, that is the case.

Thanks again, @dpop  I was behind my panel in the last few weeks adding some additional lines and I recall being confused that there was not nearly as many uninsulated grounds as there were whites on the neutral/ground bar.  what is interesting is that all of the 2 spade outlets are all the same circuit that they did not do.  Yuk, the more I learn the more I wonder what I paid the home inspector for 30 years ago.  

@immatthewj

I wonder what I paid the home inspector for 30 years ago.

I don’t believe most home inspectors will make the seller upgrade outlets. They’ll now make them replace old fuse boxes, but typically the outlets can stay as they are.

what is interesting is that all of the 2 spade outlets are all the same circuit that they did not do.

My guess is someone didn’t want to turn off all of the devices or appliances on that circuit, to replace all of those outlets...or the customer was willing to only pay for so many outlets to be upgraded. Or someone got tired, and said the heck with the rest.

@jea48

by chance do you live in Chicago, IL or New York City, NY?

I do not. I know why you’re asking 😊 - the WNEW-FM and WXRT call letters just happen to pop up in my system pictures. I’m a radio guy. At one time I was a big fan of both stations.

Thanks @dpop  , this is educational.  I was just wishing that the home inspector I hired would have pointed some things out for me.  This was back in '92 and I had never owned a home before, so a lot of that stuff didn't mean anything to me (fuse boxes vs breaker panels, 2 spade outlets vs 3 prong outlets), just little stuff like that.  He did catch a furnace that failed the CO test, so I got that out of it.  Since then, I did have a breaker panel put in so I could run some dedicated lines, and I was there when the guy put it in, but if he explained anything to me about the existing circuitry, it went through one ear and out the other.  Anyway, thanks for explaining this for me.

@immatthewj

He did catch a furnace that failed the CO test, so I got that out of it.

IMO, that right there paid for your home inspection.

I was just wishing that the home inspector I hired would have pointed some things out for me.

Sometimes these guys don’t always offer, but will answer any questions asked (of course there are some that hate someone watching over their shoulder all of the time). It’s all a learning experience. After many years being an on-air DJ, I became a Radio Broadcast Engineer (a much more stable position in radio). I never went to any technical school to get a degree for this, but learned from all of the many radio broadcast engineers (aka Chief Engineers/Operators) I became friends with (and shadowed - I was always asking questions), and all of the on-the-job experience (and there was plenty of it!). I’m pretty good with HVAC too, again, always asking questions to the techs that serviced numerous units I was at one time responsible for.

You are right, @dpop  , I didn't know anything at all about houses back then so I didn't really know what to ask & I cannot blame the home inspector for my knowledge deficit.  I did get a report from him and a lot of that stuff may be in the report . . . if I looked hard enough, I could probably still find it.  And a lot of the electrical stuff that I have learned since (mostly quite recently) I only learned because of my interest in my system (which only started evolving in probably '94 or so).   If it hadn't have been for that, I'd probably still have the original fuse box.

+1 @mesch 

I read that doing it any other way may cause a ground loop fault. Plug everything into one outlet. Please look at what Eric said also. 
Bent

This place is always a great source of amusement. 😉

For those of you have brought up the separate analog and digital connections - It has been a very common practice in IC design to separate digital and analog sections internal to the chip and even have separate supply connections that run out of it for the external system power connections in an effort to reduce noise coupling and power supply deviations, etc. I think they were on to something.

I would ask your electric utility company to dedicate two separate transformers at the power station to each monobloc, with lines running directly from the transformers at the utility power station into each monobloc.

And ask them to coat the power lines along the way with little shards of glass so that birds can’t rest on them and divert or dilute the power path.

Can’t beat that!

My power company has agreed to a compromise. I live right behind a transmission wire tower. I can have two wires coming off the towers into my backyard Connect directly to an added panel. They don't even use a meter for this it's all free. I guess getting cancer from all the electrical waves is the offset and I can live with that. At least for a while

LMAO