Romex to your amp?


One of my good friends, a non-aphile, asked me an interesting question...
I was discussing with him why my new pc made a nice improvement in my SQ.
So he asked me this question:
Why not take the Romex all the way from the wall and connect it to the amp...instead of
using an after market pc? His logic was that the in-wall cable is Romex and therefore a straight run to the power amp would be better ( or at least as good) as a break at the wall plug and an after market pc to the amp. Does he have a point??
daveyf

Showing 2 responses by jollygreenaudiophile2

Wow! Um, I actually DO hate to tell you fellows this, but simply as a public service? I shall...
     "All", of you are wrong! With the exception of "Skipskip", whom has it "Mostly", correct. "Skip? The NEC, IS also for how to do everything as well. But It is not a "Guide", nor is it a "Recommendation". (Plan, Build and Use) are the three main parts of the NEC.
 And, It IS federal law. And for very good reason. But not "A, Federal Law" pers'e. Yes, Local code "always" supercedes. But that is actually rare. And when it is done? That code is and shall always be; "Very Specific" in it's scope, implementation AND "Intent". Most local jurisdictions have no addendum at all.
   No, You "may", be able to get an electrician to do what you after. But the odds are good that anyone worth his salt would walk. But as they say, "Money talks and bull...." (You know)!
 As the "End User"?
 You, "Can" do any crazy wiring that you wish to. But should you?
All I can say to that is; "I did". And Yes, It made an improvement. The first person that I am aware of that followed this to it's ultimate, extrapolated and legal end? Was a fellow in Japan back in the 60's whom swore by it. He had an entire separate "Service" installed. "Including ext. power poles and transformers, plus power meter and all etc...." ….
 Even "I" was not willing to go that far. But I upgraded from standard 12AWG, solid NM wire. What most of you call, "Romex".  And "Romex", "IS" just a "Brand Name"! "I do not know about right now, but stranded Romex has been available and probably still is".  To a "Stranded 10AWG, THHN" wire. "THHN has Teflon insulation/shielding". Why? Most of you I believe actually know this but here. And "NO", I am not going to go into the "Physics" of it today.... I am getting tired of that! 
Just as the elec. "Charge", "actually", moves across the "Skin", or outside of any conducting wire. So does any "Signal". "As inside your speaker cabling or interconnects". 
 Therefore;
If you were to calculate the effective surface area of any "Solid" wire. And then compare that to the same area of any "Stranded" wire? Would there be any difference?
"Yes".
And that can be controlled to a certain point by the number of strands per Kcmill, insulation type, implementation of said insulation, and-"Yada, yada, yada"...About 1000 diff. variables actually.
 "That I am aware of". 
 Also, "Siemens", "Say's So", as well. They did a HUGE study on "just" this. After finding that some of their equipment simply would NOT run correctly when wired internally or externally with "Solid", 12Awg copper wire. But ran great with the stranded wire it was designed with. "And they still do not understand the why of it". And, "Neither do I", fully.
 No, "I do not work for "Siemens", never have. But they can be fun to argue with! "See last paragraph".
Basically, we have found through experience, study and plain 'ole, "Trial and Error". That "Stranded", wire is better for everything. And in all ways. "As I understand it". There was someone, "See Above", making claims that "Stranded wire" had a higher inductance. Yes it does, as it has "higher" numbers in nearly all of it's material properties compared to a solid core conductor. But inductance, "Only" in higher frequencies. Meaning the one's easiest to "Induct". Which also seem to be the easiest to "filter out" anyway.. "Iron ferrite cores, for instance". And if you are filtering anyway? It becomes a "Null" point. If a filter works for any given freq. set? It filters as an "absolute". Therefore the "other", gains in the materials properties outweigh that negative. Someone else also brought up the resistance value differential. That's wrong. Backwards in fact. And has to do with bad science and "Bad", terminations. But again, "No Physics today".
  Well, that's my two cents. 
Oh yeah, "I meant", to talk about the almost always overlooked importance of correctly, "Grounding", your entire system. "To the earths theoretical electrical potential value", OR, "0-Ohm". 
First, you'll need to locate a fairly large, underground, "Moving, water source". apply your grounding electrode here and always "Oversize" your electrode conductor by at least 28%.
 Of course, this need to be completed "before", the home is built. Because this will dictate, "Where" the home is built.
"See, (Nikola Tesla)'s, notes", in Colorado.