benmin2012
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Customer wants us to wire for surround sound. what is the standard type wire for roughing in for speakers?
speaker wire?Customer wants us to wire for surround sound. what is the standard type wire for roughing in for speakers?
really it can be any kind of wire you want to use.
I did mention practical considerations in doing it in a code legal way. Pretty sure I also mentioned the class 2 issue.Except the NEC requires it to be listed to be able to run in walls and ceilings. Usually it would be CL2 listed, printed on the jacket.
Many cables sold as speaker wire as well as zip cord, etc. is not allowed to be used to wire buildings. It's not listed for the purppose.
-Hal
I like this part of the description of this cable.Crutchfield has listed cable for in wall installation for speaker and sound systems. Rated to CL3. Has many varieties available. Also has other components for installation.
AudioQuest SLiP-DB 14/4 In-wall Speaker Cable
AudioQuest SLiP-DB 14/4 In-wall Speaker Cable (250-ft. roll)
14-gauge, 4-conductor wirewww.crutchfield.com
First you made me laugh. I wonder though if the twisted pairing could influence the ability of conductance in a way to be "interpreted" as "signal flow" restriction?I like this part of the description of this cable.
- directional arrows on jacket tell you which way the signal should flow for the best sound
Or, if you don't want to get ripped off, this stuff works just as well though it doesn't have the fancy directional arrows:I like this part of the description of this cable.
- directional arrows on jacket tell you which way the signal should flow for the best sound
"Line" and"load."I like this part of the description of this cable.
- directional arrows on jacket tell you which way the signal should flow for the best sound
I assume there is a CL2 or other marking somewhere, even if it does not appear on the label?I usually use jacketed cable from HD for speakers and LED lighting, available in different gauges and 2 or 4 wires:
View attachment 2557278
Another source for speaker wire, especially outdoors, is landscape-lighting wire, relatively cheap for the sizes.
Wire size is important, too.
I wire for whole house sound (Sonos systems) sometimes, and the lengths get pretty long.
Last house was approx 75 feet to Master Bed, 65 feet to Master Bath, 75 feet to den, 50 feet to living room and kitchen, 35 feet in basement.
I use 12ga for those long runs, 14ga for everything else. I've never sized according to any charts, but I found this one. It looks about right
It would indeed have to be a very high power application.That chart doesn’t take power into account. For a very high power application, those sizes may be inadequate.
That's a lot of soundIn my home theater, I have a 300w/ch on my main speakers, bi-wired, and 200w/ch on the other five. I use 12g. for everything.
Obviously more than 100 VA so not class 2. What do you wire that with?In my home theater, I have a 300w/ch on my main speakers, bi-wired, and 200w/ch on the other five. I use 12g. for everything.
oh wow, betcha you can rock the whole hood w/that beast Larry ~RJ~WHAT?!
Yes, it is. Plus, my main speakers have 15" powered subs at 300w/ch, for a total of 2200 watts cont.
I built the stack in the wall, and supplied it with an 8-circuit 50a sub-panel. Room lights on and off:
View attachment 2557281 View attachment 2557282