Speaker Wire Project: Tech Flex in Wall

[Kruz]

I came across a great AVS thread about dressing up speaker cables and it looks like a fun project I could do myself and make the cable ends look sharp (the front channel cables will be visible in my setup and maybe the rear ones as well hanging from the ceiling). My question though is it it safe to put tech flex around a speaker cable that is going to go in wall? I will be using a CL2 rated 12 AWG speaker wire from monoprice.

My other question is in regards to doing this project and then having an installer run the cables. Will they be harder to run after this project? Also do I just get the installer to first tell me the lengths he needs and then dress them up?

thanks!

 

[j_garcia]

There's no reason to put tech flex on a cable that goes in the wall. Your choices are to put it only on the visible portion or use connector panels instead of just hanging wire (additional connection, but much nicer looking) and "pretty" cables from the panel to the speaker. That's what I did in my dad's house and it came out looking good, even without "pretty" cables

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-wp-2b-speaker-wallplate-double-banana-binding-post--261-352


And this on the input side by the rack

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-wpi71hd-71-channel-wall-plate-with-hdmi--300-619

 

[Kruz]

That's a good point and it would look much cleaner. While going to some of the local shops here in town I heard a lot of the hifi guys tell me not to use these connector plates because of "x". Is this just a bunch of BS along the lines of "use expensive cables because of x"?

There's no reason to put tech flex on a cable that goes in the wall. Your choices are to put it only on the visible portion or use connector panels instead of just hanging wire (additional connection, but much nicer looking) and "pretty" cables from the panel to the speaker. That's what I did in my dad's house and it came out looking good, even without "pretty" cables

Dayton Audio WP-2B Wallplate Double Banana/Binding Post | 261-352
And this on the input side by the rack

Dayton Audio WPI71HD 7.1 Channel Wall Plate with HDMI | 300-619

 

[j_garcia]

That's why I mentioned additional connection. Yes, it is more connectors, cost and an extra TWO connections (in and out), but I think the convenience outweighs the minimal difference it makes personally. You can skip it on the input side if you want because that is usually hidden (my dad's is not) and have just the plates on the speaker side. It also looks better when you go to sell the house someday. Extra connections MIGHT make a TINY difference, but realistically, not one that you'll truly hear if everything is installed correctly.

 

[Kruz]

J Garcia, what kind of connectors did you use in your install? Does it still make sense to use banana plugs when the wires (between the plates and the speakers) is so short?

 

[j_garcia]

The plates listed use 5 way binding posts, so you can use bare wire, spades or bananas. If you don't expect to unplug often, bare wire should be fine at the wall. The benefit of a connector is no stray strands and ease of plugging in/out, but sonically, there's no benefit to them. With really short runs, I probably wouldn't use them on the wall side, but I would on the speaker side to make the speakers easier to remove when the time comes. Sounds trivial, but being on a ladder holding the speaker in one hand and trying to unscrew the wires with the other isn't fun. Ask me how I know that But you can always just disconnect from the wall and pull the whole speaker down with the wire attached too and attach them to the speaker before installation first, so that's also minor.

 

[Alex2507]

That's a good point and it would look much cleaner. While going to some of the local shops here in town I heard a lot of the hifi guys tell me not to use these connector plates because of "x". Is this just a bunch of BS along the lines of "use expensive cables because of x"?

The connector plates might make a difference if you use echolocation to find your dinner. I am not a bat so for me it's a non issue.



That's that 14/4 wire I just saw Gene mention in another thread. Evidently BMXTRIX has used the same stuff. When you combine two 14 gauge wires it is effectively then an 11 gauge wire. Then you can tell people that your wire "goes to eleven".

The bananas in the pic are the very ones Markw linked and Adam seconded in the thread linked by j_garcia ... in your last thread. Bananas and plates are so much easier than bare wire. The flip side of that plate has BJC locking bananas. That connection is more permanent in nature and much harder to get to so it made sense to establish a more reliable connection but what it really came down to is what I had laying around at the time.

Another of my favorite bananas is the dual banana. The Parts Express ones are a little beefier than the cheapos but once they're on the wire and in the binding post and the music is cranking ... it won't matter in the least.

 

[Rickster71]

I used the wall plates.
However if you don't want to use them, another suggestion would be this:
Single Gang Reversible Bulk Cable Wall Plate White | 261-160
Then you could put Tech-Flex on just the portion of the wire that exits the wall.

 

[Kruz]

Thank you guys. The more I think about it the more I like the idea of using plates. It will look much cleaner with everything installed and when I sell the house. Same goes with banana plugs. I came across a thread where people were taking these:

Amazon.com : Sewell Pro Maestro Banana Plugs w/Gold Connectors, 6 Pairs (6 Red, 6 Black) : Electronics Cable Connectors : Electronics

Removing a middle section and making these sweet looking short plugs:

Have a look at these Beauties!!!! How to make your OWN "High End" Cables!!! - Page 92 (a little over half way down).

I think they will look really nice for the short spaces between wall and speaker (esp for the rears).

I have a couple of guys coming to give me quotes for wiring and I feel like I now have a complete plan from receiver all the way to final speakers. This site has been a huge huge help so thanks again! I will setup a build thread once things get rolling.

 

[jinjuku]

I use bulk wire pull through plates. They can always be replaced by binding post plates later if one desires.