Steps to achieve better AC Power for HIFI – Power is what you hear!

Power is what you hear! To get a great HIFI system to sound its best, I like to start by looking behind the wall, which is what I call the foundation. By doing this, it will support your choices in front of the wall regarding distribution to electrify all components and amplifiers. It might not be the most glamorous thing to look at, but it’s an important piece in getting great sound.

Ideally, you can start at the transformer; it’s often shared among several homes and constantly attacked by the weather, which adds to its age and may make it undersized as homes have gotten bigger. So, if you can get this updated, that would be fantastic. I can’t say exactly what is considered old, but if you fix everything in your house and still have issues with flickering lights, voltage sag, etc., then it’s time to call the power company so they can run tests—the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Let’s take a look at the main panel to see what’s between the meter and the main breaker. It’s probably an aluminum conductor. Aluminum can make things look a bit harsh and shiny, so try to use copper as much as you can, especially at the main panel. Also, look for brands that use copper for the bus, neutral, and grounding bars. The idea is to lower the impedance so more current can flow and to remove the upper register harness. While you’re at the panel, grab some affordable insurance and get yourself surge protection. We sell the EP2050EE for surge protection, which also has a filter to block harmful transients. This will help keep your home’s electronics running smoothly. Before you connect the circuit and conductor to the subpanel, make sure you have a good ground connection, ideally with a resistance of 25 Ohms or less. If you get a perfect zero resistance when you install it, that will change over time as the ground rods corrode. I like to use solid copper with a 4 AWG bare wire between the rod and the main panel, but copper-clad is also fine.

At the sub-panel, connect the conductor to your circuits. We’ve tested 10 AWG Southwire brand with great results, but if you’re feeling adventurous, like we did in room two, you can use Oyaide 10 AWG conductor for amazing results at about $250 per foot. And yes, how you run the conductor from the breaker to the receptacle does matter (think fish scales). I prefer plastic termination boxes here. Make sure all the conductors are the same length, so you can easily snake them to fit. This helps keep the potential as close to the timing as possible.

Use a high-quality receptacle, like the Audioquest Edison or the Furutech NCF Series. I’ve used both of these with great results, and there are other options out there too.

In the next video, I’ll share a simpler approach that reduces impedance even more, and you can easily bring it along if you ever relocate.

Keep an eye out, and please remember to hire a licensed electrician if you decide to tackle this project; it’s quite similar to what I’d do at your place.

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