Questions on cables and connectors

B

bubbrik

Audioholic Intern
Hello

I have a couple of questions on speaker cables and connections:

1. Is this a good choice to connect 7.1.4 HT speakers by adding banana plugs?
https://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2817&seq=1&format=2

2. Would I need some special wire to connect subwoofers or would the above work?

3. If I install wallplates for speaker wire between speakers and wall and then again from wall to receiver, would it degrade sound quality?

Thanks in advance for your insights.


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rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
.
Hello

I have a couple of questions on speaker cables and connections:

1. Is this a good choice to connect 7.1.4 HT speakers by adding banana plugs?
https://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2817&seq=1&format=2

2. Would I need some special wire to connect subwoofers or would the above work?

3. If I install wallplates for speaker wire between speakers and wall and then again from wall to receiver, would it degrade sound quality?

Thanks in advance for your insights.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Your room was ~22 feet long with 8-foot ceiling, wasn't it?

1. Pretty good choice. That wire will be sufficient to drive 4-ohm speakers up to 30 feet, 6-ohm speakers at 45 feet, and 8-ohm speakers up to 60 feet with negligible insertion loss. Although you might consider doing the 4-conductor stuff for future proofing. In case you ever decide to get 4-ohm mains later, the two pairs in 4 conductor wire can be bridged together. And if one of the wires is accidentally cut or some other calamity befalls it, you'll already have spares and won't have to fish new wires. Too much is far better than not enough. You're also going to need more than 100 feet I'm pretty sure, with three runs at least 22 feet plus the height of the wall at either end for your LCR, plus enough slack to handle the wire both now and later. That's not including your surrounds. I'd get the 250-foot spool, and even then you might end up buying more later. Go ahead and pull the trigger on this while it's on sale.

2. Active subwoofers are usually connected via RCA cable. You'll probably want a couple of these. Unless you plan to build your own subwoofers and keep the amp back in the utility closet, then yes, that speaker wire will work for subwoofers as well. Do you think you might be open to the possibility of building your own subs?

3. No, and you can design your own wall plates using keystone plates and inserts. For example, up front you could install a two-gang, 8-hole plate. Get 3 black and 3 red keystone banana inserts for your LCR, and two RCA inserts for two subwoofers.
 
Last edited:
B

bubbrik

Audioholic Intern
.

Your room was ~22 feet long with 8-foot ceiling, wasn't it?

1. Pretty good choice. That wire will be sufficient to drive 4-ohm speakers up to 30 feet, 6-ohm speakers at 45 feet, and 8-ohm speakers up to 60 feet with negligible insertion loss. Although you might consider doing the 4-conductor stuff for future proofing. In case you ever decide to get 4-ohm mains later, the two pairs in 4 conductor wire can be bridged together. And if one of the wires is accidentally cut or some other calamity befalls it, you'll already have spares and won't have to fish new wires. Too much is far better than not enough. You're also going to need more than 100 feet I'm pretty sure, with three runs at least 22 feet plus the height of the wall at either end for your LCR, plus enough slack to handle the wire both now and later. That's not including your surrounds. I'd get the 250-foot spool, and even then you might end up buying more later. Go ahead and pull the trigger on this while it's on sale.

2. Active subwoofers are usually connected via RCA cable. You'll probably want a couple of these. Unless you plan to build your own subwoofers and keep the amp back in the utility closet, then yes, that speaker wire will work for subwoofers as well. Do you think you might be open to the possibility of building your own subs?

3. No, and you can design your own wall plates using keystone plates and inserts. For example, up front you could install a two-gang, 8-hole plate. Get 3 black and 3 red keystone banana inserts for your LCR, and two RCA inserts for two subwoofers.
Thank you so much rojo!

You are correct regarding the dimensions of my room.

I hope you don't mind asking a few more cable questions...

1. Would this be a good choice for HDMI cable?

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9172

2. When you refer to keystone plate and banana plugs, is this the combo?

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6835

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=104&cp_id=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8436&seq=1&format=2

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=104&cp_id=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8434&seq=1&format=2

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9436

I couldn't find RCA inserts on monoprice's website.


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rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
Thank you so much rojo!

You are correct regarding the dimensions of my room.

I hope you don't mind asking a few more cable questions...

1. Would this be a good choice for HDMI cable?

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9172

2. When you refer to keystone plate and banana plugs, is this the combo?

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6835

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=104&cp_id=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8436&seq=1&format=2

https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=104&cp_id=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8434&seq=1&format=2

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9436

I couldn't find RCA inserts on monoprice's website.


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1. That HDMI cable would certainly work, but isn't it longer than you need? With your AVR in the utility closet and your projector mounted near the back of the room, I wouldn't think you'd need anything longer than 3 or 4 meters. And at that distance, a cheaper passive cable should work equally well.

2. Ya, that's what I was referring to, except for the banana plugs. The ones you found are similar to the banana plugs I have, and they work fine. But I'm not crazy that they're not insulated on the sides. One accidental nudge of the AVR while it's playing and you could short something. You might consider something like these instead.

RCA insert. There's red and yellow as well. I think I just searched for "keystone jack" to find it.
 
B

bubbrik

Audioholic Intern
1. That HDMI cable would certainly work, but isn't it longer than you need? With your AVR in the utility closet and your projector mounted near the back of the room, I wouldn't think you'd need anything longer than 3 or 4 meters. And at that distance, a cheaper passive cable should work equally well.

2. Ya, that's what I was referring to, except for the banana plugs. The ones you found are similar to the banana plugs I have, and they work fine. But I'm not crazy that they're not insulated on the sides. One accidental nudge of the AVR while it's playing and you could short something. You might consider something like these instead.

RCA insert. There's red and yellow as well. I think I just searched for "keystone jack" to find it.
Awesome. Thanks again.

I only went for 30ft on hdmi as it would be handy if I decide to move the equipment rack to the far end of the storage room. As you said, I'll just go for amazon basics type cable. I only went for that redmere as I read about it on the forum.

My monoprice cart is ready to go. The website shows that they have a 20% off for orders over $200 today but somehow it just doesn't want to work for me. Bummer...that would've covered the shipping costs. Oh well!


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rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
Awesome. Thanks again.

I only went for 30ft on hdmi as it would be handy if I decide to move the equipment rack to the far end of the storage room. As you said, I'll just go for amazon basics type cable. I only went for that redmere as I read about it on the forum.

My monoprice cart is ready to go. The website shows that they have a 20% off for orders over $200 today but somehow it just doesn't want to work for me. Bummer...that would've covered the shipping costs. Oh well!


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You had to enter SAVING20 at checkout for the 20% off discount to be applied. Did you do that? What did the error message say? If you already checked out without the discount, maybe you could email them, let them know you were having technical difficulties preventing the coupon code from being applied, and ask if they can refund the difference.
 
B

bubbrik

Audioholic Intern
You had to enter SAVING20 at checkout for the 20% off discount to be applied. Did you do that? What did the error message say?
I did that but it kept saying that SAVING20 cannot be found and it has been removed. I was logged in to my account as well. I went ahead and placed the order and sent them an email hoping that they will honor


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rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
I did that but it kept saying that SAVING20 cannot be found and it has been removed. I was logged in to my account as well. I went ahead and placed the order and sent them an email hoping that they will honor
Yeah, man. Hope they straighten it out for you. If not, then at least you still got a good discount on the speaker wire anyway.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Hello

I have a couple of questions on speaker cables and connections:

1. Is this a good choice to connect 7.1.4 HT speakers by adding banana plugs?
https://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2817&seq=1&format=2

2. Would I need some special wire to connect subwoofers or would the above work?

3. If I install wallplates for speaker wire between speakers and wall and then again from wall to receiver, would it degrade sound quality?

Thanks in advance for your insights.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you run cables in the walls or over the ceiling, make sure it's rated for that use- the NEC (National Electrical Code) requires it and if you have a problem, the insurance company won't pay if they find zip cord in the walls or non-plenum rated cable in cold air returns.

Look for CL2, CL3, CMR or CMP marking on the cable jacket.

You won't hear a difference if you use wall plates or banana plugs unless the connections are made badly.
 
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
If you run cables in the walls or over the ceiling, make sure it's rated for that use- the NEC (National Electrical Code) requires it and if you have a problem, the insurance company won't pay if they find zip cord in the walls or non-plenum rated cable in cold air returns.

Look for CL2, CL3, CMR or CMP marking on the cable jacket.

You won't hear a difference if you use wall plates or banana plugs unless the connections are made badly.
Does low voltage signal cable have to be cl2 rated as well? I linked cl2 rated speaker wire and rca cables, but didn't think about whether the hdmi cord was rated for in-wall use. I'm not sure which hdmi cable he chose -- only that I talked him out of the cl2-rated Redmere cable when I though he was only going to be running it a short distance.
 
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highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Does low voltage signal cable have to be cl2 rated as well? I linked cl2 rated speaker wire and rca cables, but didn't think about whether the hdmi cord was rated for in-wall use. I'm not sure which hdmi cable he chose -- only that I talked him out of the cl2-rated Redmere cable when I though he was only going to be running it a short distance.
Low voltage is defined by the NEC as "No lethal voltage present" and is generally regarded as "current limited, 90VAC or below". That includes speaker cable, all audio & video signal and network cabling and control wires. CMR is fine unless the cables pass through the cold air return or over the ceiling when the return air passes through that space without being in separate ducts and then, it needs to be Plenum rated.

BTW- now that 4K/10Bit/Full color gamut are here and 8K is on the horizon, you need to know that Redmere won't work at lengths over 50' now, so 8K probably won't work at all.

This HDMI crap is the main reason I won't miss this industry when I leave it.

OK- let's all do the Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy dance!
 
B

bubbrik

Audioholic Intern
Thank you all for your guidance.


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