Speaker Wire Questions

[EQ3282]

Planning on getting this to wire the system:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...mat=4#feedback

1 - Planning on wiring a 5.1 system around a 12x15 foot room (speaker in each corner, plus center and sub). Will have to go over two door frames. Think 300 feet will do it? Too much/too little?

2 - The spot for the right rear is tough. The couch is all that seperates living room from dining room. Planning to run wire under couch, but needs to cross walking path to get to sitting spot. Anyone know of any issue with cutting a small hole in carpet and running wire UNDER carpet to exit point at shelf spot? If this is 'not recommended' I will have to wire around entire dining room, which will add another 50 feet, at least, to the wire needed.

3 - Just to confirm, 12 AWG is good, correct?

Thanks.

[moviefan]

Originally Posted by EQ3282

Planning on getting this to wire the system:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...mat=4#feedback

1 - Planning on wiring a 5.1 system around a 12x15 foot room (speaker in each corner, plus center and sub). Will have to go over two door frames. Think 300 feet will do it? Too much/too little?

2 - The spot for the right rear is tough. The couch is all that seperates living room from dining room. Planning to run wire under couch, but needs to cross walking path to get to sitting spot. Anyone know of any issue with cutting a small hole in carpet and running wire UNDER carpet to exit point at shelf spot? If this is 'not recommended' I will have to wire around entire dining room, which will add another 50 feet, at least, to the wire needed.

3 - Just to confirm, 12 AWG is good, correct?

Thanks.

1) 300 ft is more than sufficient.

2). Can you go thru the ceiling? What is the ceiling material? Do you have a basement?
If you have wall-t-wall carpeting, the carpet is usually tucked under the base molding after passing over the tackless. This leaves a nice channel foe wiring.
If you must go under the carpet, there is flat wire available for this. Monoprice should have it.

3). Unless you have monster amp and speakers, 14 AWG wire is more than sufficient.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by EQ3282

Planning on getting this to wire the system:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...mat=4#feedback

1 - Planning on wiring a 5.1 system around a 12x15 foot room (speaker in each corner, plus center and sub). Will have to go over two door frames. Think 300 feet will do it? Too much/too little?

2 - The spot for the right rear is tough. The couch is all that seperates living room from dining room. Planning to run wire under couch, but needs to cross walking path to get to sitting spot. Anyone know of any issue with cutting a small hole in carpet and running wire UNDER carpet to exit point at shelf spot? If this is 'not recommended' I will have to wire around entire dining room, which will add another 50 feet, at least, to the wire needed.

3 - Just to confirm, 12 AWG is good, correct?

Thanks.

For wire covers, go to the following sites:
http://cableorganizer.com/articles/W...ire-Cover.html
http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/cord...FRNOagodHHT1ew

As far as speaker gauge is concerned, go to A Guide to Optical, Coaxial, and Speaker Cables, sticky under Audio Discussion. There is table in the bottom. Use that as a guide. 12 gauge speaker wire is normally a good wire for long lengths. However, it is too thick and less flexible.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

For wire covers, go to the following sites:
http://cableorganizer.com/articles/W...ire-Cover.html
http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/cord...FRNOagodHHT1ew

As far as speaker gauge is concerned, go to A Guide to Optical, Coaxial, and Speaker Cables, sticky under Audio Discussion. There is table in the bottom. Use that as a guide. 12 gauge speaker wire is normally a good wire for long lengths. However, it is too thick and less flexible.

Ooo...I've been needing wire covers like that, I have to run some for my 6th channel and potential future 7th, and they're right in a circulation area...perfect! And heck, I'm using Monoprice 14AWG wire for my setup. It does its job beautifully, won't be upgrading that for some time in the least.

[EQ3282]

Originally Posted by moviefan

1) 300 ft is more than sufficient.

2). Can you go thru the ceiling? What is the ceiling material? Do you have a basement?
If you have wall-t-wall carpeting, the carpet is usually tucked under the base molding after passing over the tackless. This leaves a nice channel foe wiring.
If you must go under the carpet, there is flat wire available for this. Monoprice should have it.

3). Unless you have monster amp and speakers, 14 AWG wire is more than sufficient.

14 AWG seems to be recommended, so that'll save me a few bones. Thanks.

Q. 2, ceiling access is not doable (vaulted). No basement (we're in an apt. currently). I plan to run the wire around door frames and below baseboard (the little crease is, I believe, what you mention above).

As for going under the carpet, it will honestly be less than 3 feet UNDER the carpet. Its just so the wire doesn't cross over the walking path. Its not a heavy traffic area, but it is a viewable spot. Its WtW carpet, so putting a wire cover UNDER the carpet with it is not feasible. Is there an issue with just putting the 14 AWG under the carpet? Will stepping on it here or there (based on the number of times we walk that way, maybe twice a week or so) damage the wire?

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by EQ3282

14 AWG seems to be recommended, so that'll save me a few bones. Thanks.

Q. 2, ceiling access is not doable (vaulted). No basement (we're in an apt. currently). I plan to run the wire around door frames and below baseboard (the little crease is, I believe, what you mention above).

As for going under the carpet, it will honestly be less than 3 feet UNDER the carpet. Its just so the wire doesn't cross over the walking path. Its not a heavy traffic area, but it is a viewable spot. Its WtW carpet, so putting a wire cover UNDER the carpet with it is not feasible. Is there an issue with just putting the 14 AWG under the carpet? Will stepping on it here or there (based on the number of times we walk that way, maybe twice a week or so) damage the wire?

Your best bet is to buy flat speaker wires. Monoprice may not have them. I have seen them in the electrical department of Home Depot and Lowes. Radio Shack, Best Buy, and Circuit City may also carry them.

[Moefiz]

To help with your wire under the carpet question.If you are going under the carpet you won't need wire covers, if you pull the corners where the carpet reaches the wall you should see a nail strip that goes around the entire room between the nail strip and the wall you should have about 2 to 3 inches...you run your wire there and the simply push the carpet down onto the nail strip.

hope this helps.

[EQ3282]

Thanks Moefiz, but I'm not worried about the edge of the carpet. This 'under the carpet' move would be made in the middle of the carpet. I would cut a slit in the carpet, and then feed the wire 3 feet to the wall. Then, the wire would run up the back of a bookcase to a rear speaker.

The only thing that worries me is the wire will be under carpet that does get walked on. Doesn't get walked on much, but there's a good chance the wire will be stepped on here and there. Is that OK, or will it wreck the signal sent through that wire?

[Bean79]

Originally Posted by EQ3282

Thanks Moefiz, but I'm not worried about the edge of the carpet. This 'under the carpet' move would be made in the middle of the carpet. I would cut a slit in the carpet, and then feed the wire 3 feet to the wall. Then, the wire would run up the back of a bookcase to a rear speaker.

The only thing that worries me is the wire will be under carpet that does get walked on. Doesn't get walked on much, but there's a good chance the wire will be stepped on here and there. Is that OK, or will it wreck the signal sent through that wire?

it will be ok, there should be plenty of padding for the wire. Just watch the high heels!!

[obiwopkenobi62]

Originally Posted by EQ3282

Planning on getting this to wire the system:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...mat=4#feedback

1 - Planning on wiring a 5.1 system around a 12x15 foot room (speaker in each corner, plus center and sub). Will have to go over two door frames. Think 300 feet will do it? Too much/too little?

2 - The spot for the right rear is tough. The couch is all that seperates living room from dining room. Planning to run wire under couch, but needs to cross walking path to get to sitting spot. Anyone know of any issue with cutting a small hole in carpet and running wire UNDER carpet to exit point at shelf spot? If this is 'not recommended' I will have to wire around entire dining room, which will add another 50 feet, at least, to the wire needed.

3 - Just to confirm, 12 AWG is good, correct?

Thanks.

I helped my Dad run his speaker wire under his carpet. We cut small holes and ran a coat hanger then pulled the wire through.

[Driver_King]

The in-wall wire Monoprice sells has a thicker protective coat so you may want to consider that.