Designing A Dedicated Listening Room

[Vivek Batra]

Don't worry, even if you want only one set outlets, the wires will run along the periphery anyway. I have tried to scribble over your sketch. Please compare.

If I were you, instead of your desired position A, I would also go for outlets at B, C, D, and E. The cost difference shouldn't be that much.

D and E for mono blocks? B for lamp or something else?

You never have enough power outlets. You will need more in future. You can totally trust me on this one.

How many at each point?

 

[bloredude]

D and E for mono blocks? B for lamp or something else?

How many at each point?

3 points at each outlet should suffice.

 

[Vivek Batra]

3 points at each outlet should suffice.

Thanks

 

[arunkvivek]

Thanks for the inputs Arun. But I would avoid having the speakers in front of the door. I think if I sit along the 18 feet wall, the distance between speakers and MLP will be too less I guess.

In the worst case, the equipment can stay where it's planned now and speakers and MLP can move? How about this?

Moreover to have the conduits in all the walls, would cost me space as well. Coz there will be a brick wall over RCC wall just to run the conduits.

I was thinking more on flipping the couch and speakers, keep equipments above UPS area and running cables from there. In such a scenario, I would not want the door to knock down speaker while opening. It is extreme imagination. Anyways conduits should be in wall and should not cost you space. But, I see better suggestions have already been made by other FMs.

 

[Vivek Batra]

This is what I have decided so far

 

[bloredude]

You should add two LAN Ports on the wall running along D and E. One on each side. That will allow you to wire your NAS, control devices, and other sundry items rather than relying on WiFi.

 

[Vivek Batra]

You should add two LAN Ports on the wall running along D and E. One on each side. That will allow you to wire your NAS, control devices, and other sundry items rather than relying on WiFi.

A'int 2 LAN ports at A enough? One for streamer and another for WiFi router?

 

[sud98]

A'int 2 LAN ports at A enough? One for streamer and another for WiFi router?

One LAN port and possibly a telephone port (if you dont get mobile signals). Use the LAN port to connect to a multi port switch which makes it future proof.

 

[rsjaurr]

If possible get these or PS Audio ac outlets. But then power wire plugs should have flat type US pins.

Monosaudio Audiophile Pure Copper Duplex Receptacle,20A 125V Red Copper Rhodium Plated Audio Outlet Hi End US Version Duplex Receptacle Socket (Rhodium Plated) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087TRRG59/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_R4ZW0JXAS0NCVZSYER0J


Edit - As a FM already said install atleast double than what your current needs.

 

[bloredude]

A'int 2 LAN ports at A enough? One for streamer and another for WiFi router?

The LAN ports at A should be reserved for the streamer and a control device (future-proofing).

If I were building a Music-only room from scratch, I will try to avoid the use of WiFi as far as possible. I'd place my NAS in the UPS room (for the clean look of the music room).

 

[Vivek Batra]

The LAN ports at A should be reserved for the streamer and a control device (future-proofing).

If I were building a Music-only room from scratch, I will try to avoid the use of WiFi as far as possible. I'd place my NAS in the UPS room (for the clean look of the music room).

Thats fine, but to operate the streamer app, wifi is must.

 

[bloredude]

Thats fine, but to operate the streamer app, wifi is must.

You're right. That's definitely the case with most streamers. But in some other top-end digital playback systems, you use a 2-3 PC set up where you only need wired connection.

Back to app requiring wifi, it can be handled in many ways. One of them is how you are planning, ie a router near the streamer. It's a simpler approach.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Back to app requiring wifi, it can be handled in many ways. One of them is how you are planning, ie a router near the streamer. It's a simpler approach.

Don't want to complicate things. I will just have a dedicated router for this room and another for HT lounge and lobby.

 

[rsjaurr]

Thats fine, but to operate the streamer app, wifi is must.

Yes. Most likely you will be remote controlling the streamer from the ios or Android device so wifi is must.

Streaming device will need a LAN port.

 

[Indranil Sen]

Hello Vivek,
I am not going to comment on the no of receptacles because it really depends on how many dedicated circuits you are going to run in your audio room. There is a few things that you need to pay a close attention to when it comes to building a power foundation for your audio room.
1. Run dedicated circuits, the more the better It is for your audio. In the US we run all of them on the same phase to avoid hum issues because the primary AC input to the house I,e 240V gets distributed to two phases, each 120V. But in India it might not be an issue. Just consult an electrician on this to be absolutely sure
2. Use a 10 gauge Romex wire from the main box to the each receptacle
3. Use a high quality receptacle like Furutech. You might get the Japanese version of Furutech receptacle in India which would be close to the local style of receptacles. You can call them directly and find out if they have any receptacle that works in India
4. Use a good quality power cable in all your audio gears
5. You might experiment with a good power conditioner or power isolation product to see if that provides any benefit. So far I haven’t found a power conditione/isolator product that worked well in my system
6. Try plugging all components straight to the receptacle. In my system every major component is connected to a dedicated receptacle and it sounds better. This is even true for my source component, Bricasti Dac.
Hope that helps.
Thanks.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Hello Vivek,
I am not going to comment on the no of receptacles because it really depends on how many dedicated circuits you are going to run in your audio room. There is a few things that you need to pay a close attention to when it comes to building a power foundation for your audio room.
1. Run dedicated circuits, the more the better It is for your audio. In the US we run all of them on the same phase to avoid hum issues because the primary AC input to the house I,e 240V gets distributed to two phases, each 120V. But in India it might not be an issue. Just consult an electrician on this to be absolutely sure
2. Use a 10 gauge Romex wire from the main box to the each receptacle
3. Use a high quality receptacle like Furutech. You might get the Japanese version of Furutech receptacle in India which would be close to the local style of receptacles. You can call them directly and find out if they have any receptacle that works in India
4. Use a good quality power cable in all your audio gears
5. You might experiment with a good power conditioner or power isolation product to see if that provides any benefit. So far I haven’t found a power conditione/isolator product that worked well in my system
6. Try plugging all components straight to the receptacle. In my system every major component is connected to a dedicated receptacle and it sounds better. This is even true for my source component, Bricasti Dac.
Hope that helps.
Thanks.

Say I have 10 wall sockets. So you mean 10 dedicated power lines from the mains?

 

[Indranil Sen]

Say I have 10 wall sockets. So you mean 10 dedicated power lines from the mains?

Vivek,
Not really. You need to connect your major components like sources, pre-amplifier, amplifiers to dedicated circuits. A duplex receptacle, connected to a dedicated line, could feed one or two components. Ideally you would connect one component to a receptacle but that might be a bit overkill. On the other hand you can have all digital components go to one or two shared receptacles, pre-amplifier goes to a separate receptacle and power amplifiers go to another set of receptacles. The idea is to isolate digital components from analog electronics and withing analog domain separate out big power amplifiers. So the no of receptacles for a given audio room could vary between 2-4. If you use sub-woofers then the it is between 2 and 5. I hope that you get the point.
Thanks.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Vivek,
Not really. You need to connect your major components like sources, pre-amplifier, amplifiers to dedicated circuits. A duplex receptacle, connected to a dedicated line, could feed one or two components. Ideally you would connect one component to a receptacle but that might be a bit overkill. On the other hand you can have all digital components go to one or two shared receptacles, pre-amplifier goes to a separate receptacle and power amplifiers go to another set of receptacles. The idea is to isolate digital components from analog electronics and withing analog domain separate out big power amplifiers. So the no of receptacles for a given audio room could vary between 2-4. If you use sub-woofers then the it is between 2 and 5. I hope that you get the point.
Thanks.

Thanks got the idea. But my setup is too simple for now only 3 components for now

 

[Indranil Sen]

Thanks got the idea. But my setup is too simple for now only 3 components for now

Simple is always the best and you are getting the most difficult component under control as you go through this project. That is a dedicated listening room which most of us do not have at our disposal. My only suggestion is that you build at least the framework very well in the beginning such that you are able to expand in the future with minimal cost.
Thanks.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Simple is always the best and you are getting the most difficult component under control as you go through this project. That is a dedicated listening room which most of us do not have at our disposal. My only suggestion is that you build at least the framework very well in the beginning such that you are able to expand in the future with minimal cost.
Thanks.

Thats what I am trying to achieve. . Currently I have a IA and a DAC, source for now is PC. at the most I would add a streamer if I am left with any money after the house is ready . So expansion is not that near but yes its wise to plan for that.