Finding help with wiring and acoustics

[Epetti]

I'm in process of upgrading my game/media room. Main goal is to upgrade from 5.1 to Atmos (7.2.4) and add a projector. Most of the work I've been slowly doing on my own with equipment upgrades but when it comes to the installation and wiring of the ceiling and rear speakers I'm pretty sure I'll be in over my head, also with wanting to run wires through the walls. And while I've read a ton on acoustics on this forum and elsewhere, I'd still feel a lot better after buying all the equipment having someone to help with the room acoustics analysis and recommendations.

I'm wondering the best approach to finding reliable, affordable installers in the area (LA area). From all the searching I've done so far they seem to fall in two camps -- super high end full custom home theater installs that are well beyond my price range and goals, and very basic installs that mount TVs and setup receivers with like a 5.1 system which I'm completely comfortable with on my own. The sort of in between level of someone to help with a more informal DIY setup is hard to find and sites like Yelp have not been that helpful.

Recommendations in PMs are welcome if there are any, but primarily I'm just looking to be pointed in the right direction for how to search for someone and what to look for to make sure they are both knowledgeable and also not ripping me off.

Thanks.

 

[everettT]

Are any of the walls exterior, concrete? Are you wanting all in ceiling or can some be in wall? If in ceiling , atmos won't work for you.

 

[Epetti]

There's an attic directly above the room so there's easy ceiling access although there's insulation between the attic and the room. Three walls are exterior but there's outlets on the walls and they're all stucco. I only want the four height speakers in ceiling. The surround and rear I was just going to wall mount (not in wall) but just wanted to hide the cabling better so it's not dragging all around the room and over doors.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

If you have attic access, it’s not hard to do your own in-wall wiring. You can find a “how to” article in my signature that will tell and show you pretty much everything you need to know.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[everettT]

There's an attic directly above the room so there's easy ceiling access although there's insulation between the attic and the room. Three walls are exterior but there's outlets on the walls and they're all stucco. I only want the four height speakers in ceiling. The surround and rear I was just going to wall mount (not in wall) but just wanted to hide the cabling better so it's not dragging all around the room and over doors.

When you say outlets on the wall, do you mean that they are empty boxes with conduit and a chase?

As Wayne mentioned if you have attic access running CL2 rated speaker wire is easy (I'd use either 14/4 or 16/4 wire depending on the length of the run) . I'd run rg6 down the one non exterior wall for sub placement options. I'd also run cat 5/6 while your up there to help with future proofing( cat5/6 is cheap and can carry full HD audio, video, Internet, and 12v).

 

[mtrycrafts]

Welcome to AH.

So, your game room is wired for 5.1 audio? I suppose the speaker wires are in the wall? Who ran the wires, you, or came like that.
Do you want a fixed screen or motorized?
I suppose you will ceiling mount the projector? You will need 120V for power and video cable feed to the projector(HDMI cable). You may need remote control wiring to the projector. Where will all the equipment rack be or is it in place already.
Hopefully your current surround speakers are on the side wall? You will need to wire the back wall.
Subs?

As to who can do the work if not you will be tricky. Handyman that knows how to wire? Electrical contractor
could run the wires and power but you need to know what wire where. Power to the projector will be tricky
if no easy source in the attic.

Friends recommendation? Ask AV installers if they do small jobs. Some cannot be bothered so be prepared.
I built my house and wired the setup. And the upgrades with HDMI when that became a reality. Remodeling is not fun.

 

[Epetti]

Thanks for all the tips.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. The game room is not wired for 5.1. I have a 5.1 setup with wires running along the floor to all speakers. This works fine for now because it's not the neatest room in the world so there's plenty of things lying around to hide the wires, and they're not crossing any doorways, and they're on speaker stands. But to get to 7.1 I'll have to start crossing doorways if I don't go through the walls. And I want to wall mount which will make the wires more visible. And of course for the ceiling speakers I have to go through the attic.

Equipment is already in place. Subs are already in place (well, at least in a place -- haven't thoroughly determined best location for them yet).

Regarding earlier question on outlets, there are fully functional electrical outlets on all walls, so I assume even though they're exterior there's space to run other wiring through there as well or what is the main reason to distinguish interior from exterior wall?

 

[everettT]

Exterior walls typically use furring strips between the drywall and the exterior wall (leaving very little space between the two walls) That leaves very little room to pull wires. The existing wiring was run before the drywall went up. It is possible to pull wire, but you may end up cutting a lot of drywall to accomplish it.

Interior walls have 2x4 studs or metal studs which leave about 4" of space between both joining walls.
If your pulling wire, plan ahead for any additional drops you might need, ie the rg6 and cat5/6.

Wall mounting the surrounds with the wire run thru the attic should leave minimal exposed wire. CL2 wire jackets are easily painted with matching wall paint.

 

[2channel lover]

I'm in process of upgrading my game/media room. Main goal is to upgrade from 5.1 to Atmos (7.2.4) and add a projector. Most of the work I've been slowly doing on my own with equipment upgrades but when it comes to the installation and wiring of the ceiling and rear speakers I'm pretty sure I'll be in over my head, also with wanting to run wires through the walls. And while I've read a ton on acoustics on this forum and elsewhere, I'd still feel a lot better after buying all the equipment having someone to help with the room acoustics analysis and recommendations.

I'm wondering the best approach to finding reliable, affordable installers in the area (LA area). From all the searching I've done so far they seem to fall in two camps -- super high end full custom home theater installs that are well beyond my price range and goals, and very basic installs that mount TVs and setup receivers with like a 5.1 system which I'm completely comfortable with on my own. The sort of in between level of someone to help with a more informal DIY setup is hard to find and sites like Yelp have not been that helpful.

Recommendations in PMs are welcome if there are any, but primarily I'm just looking to be pointed in the right direction for how to search for someone and what to look for to make sure they are both knowledgeable and also not ripping me off.

Thanks.

5.1 vs 7.1...there are some circumstances where a 7.1 system will have some notable enhancements over a 5.1 system but your room and seating position are leading factors...you need roughly 6 to 8' from the LP to the rear surrounds.

In my HT space I only had about 5' from the LP to where the rear surrounds would be...I ended up with a 5.2.4 system and very pleased.

Wiring...the key here is stay organized...yours will actually be much easier given you're ok with exposed wires for the surrounds. Label both end of the wire with the spkr position...my Pre-pro came with labels for each channel. A good pair of wire strippers, and some insulated wire staples (to keep it neat in the attic)...CL2 500' 14g wire was maybe $50 shipped...this is easily a DIY task.

 

[mtrycrafts]

More input: do not run speaker wire, interconnect wires, HDMI wire in a bay with 120V power lines.
So, you would have to run wires in one or two bays over.
Finally, do lots of pre-planning otherwise you will be remodeling before you finish the project.