2. cables
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Stringing up cables for surrounds

What do you folks use to "string up" your surround sound cables? I'd love to do it all through the wall, but because of how my room is laid out and the location of the speakers, I am not able to do this. For one speaker, I only have to run a couple of feet to a corner, and then down the corner, through the floor, along the basement (above the suspended ceiling tiles) and back up through a wall plate going to my amp. The other speaker is a bit trickier, as I have to either attempt to run the cable along one of the grout lines between the stones in my fireplace (which are straight lines, at least), or go over to the corner UP to the ceiling, along the top of the fireplace to another corner, and then down the corner, through the floor, etc.

I am considering using vinyl tape (painted to match the walls) for the runs down the corners, and small, clear plastic clips with "tabs" for the nail/screw to get them to the corners. The speaker cable itself is 16 guage, 4-conductor (used at two pairs), round cable, with a white shielding that may hold paint (though I am not positive).

Any thoughts, hints, suggestions, warnings?

Thanks, Tom.
tombowlus
slappy
903 posts
 
Hmm..
sounds like a heck of a place you got there, but i think i got it figured out.

Well, here is another option, i dont know if this would work for you, but i assume you have some sort of a couch at the viewing position, you could always purchase some speaker stands for the surrounds and place them at the sides and slightly behind the couch and just fish some flat cable under the carpet and have it come out where the stands will be placed. see if you can get some stands where the cable can run up through the center of the stand.

That option of course can cause 2 issues. First issue being that the surrounds are located rather close to you, ive had to have that configurration before and it really diddnt bother me a whole lot.
the 2nd problem is stability, there is always the chance of a dog knocking it over or etc etc.
tombowlus OP
416 posts
 
Slappy:

I considered stands, but with a dog, and two kids two and under, I ruled against them. Plus, I already have my wall mounts installed. I think, however, that between your ideas and Pmkalby's, I can make it work. I never thought of just cutting a groove in the sheetrock, but yes, that should do it. I am not horrendous when it comes to drywall skills, and I have a friend or two who is(are) even better. Yes, the beam is between the floor and the location of the wall mounts. But, your idea of running a box up to the beam may work.

I am going to print out all of your suggestions and go over them while looking at the situation first hand. This is a bit more challenging than I initially thought it would be, but I very much appreciate the two of you taking the time to pass along some advice. It has been very helpful.

Thanks, Tom.
slappy
903 posts
 
Yeah, im gonna have to remember that Groovin-Drywall suggestion myself, i thought that was pretty slick.
Great if you are gonna be painting a finished basement and want to get some wiring done.
tombowlus OP
416 posts
 
FYI, I finally got to run the wire on Friday, and thanks to your suggestions, I was able to figure out a way to do it with minimal visual impact. I was able to run up through a little stub of wall that was left over from the former wall between the family room and the kitchen, then up into a bulkhead in the kitchen, then along the top of the beam between the kitchen and the family room. From there, I was able to find a spot fairly close to each speaker that I was able to get a long drill bit through. The holes came out fairly neat, so I just left it with the speaker cables coming out of the holes. Doesn't look too bad!

Again, thanks for the advice. Without both of you getting me to think along some different avenues, I would not have come up with that solution.

Take care, Tom.
pmkalby
130 posts
 
Good deal.
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