Recommended speaker cables

[TheRealOC]

Complete newbie question..... My wife and I are renovating an Irish cottage, and we're meeting the electrician tomorrow to plan the electrical first fix....

We don't have the money currently to install in-ceiling speakers around the house. So we looked at our house plans and agreed on everywhere where we could potentially want to place an in-ceiling speaker in the future (represented by red circles in the floor plan).

So the plan is to get the electrician to send all the speaker cable runs from an AV rack in a central location to each of those red dot areas, and then plaster over the ends of those cables. Then in a few years, when we can afford to install in-ceiling speakers, we'll just have to cut holes in the plasterboard where the cables are, and hook up the speakers.

My question is... since we obviously haven't picked out speakers yet, and we don't know what size/make/model of speakers we'll be getting in the future, I think I need to pick cables that are going to work with basically everything? So, should we just run 12-gauge speaker cable everywhere? Would greatly appreciate any advice, many thanks.

 

[lovinthehd]

Check your codes, probably need something like CL2 rated 12g. Sounds like a good plan to pre-wire....altho am not a fan of in-ceiling speakers except maybe for Atmos....

 

[Kingnoob]

Complete newbie question..... My wife and I are renovating an Irish cottage, and we're meeting the electrician tomorrow to plan the electrical first fix....

We don't have the money currently to install in-ceiling speakers around the house. So we looked at our house plans and agreed on everywhere where we could potentially want to place an in-ceiling speaker in the future (represented by red circles in the floor plan).

So the plan is to get the electrician to send all the speaker cable runs from an AV rack in a central location to each of those red dot areas, and then plaster over the ends of those cables. Then in a few years, when we can afford to install in-ceiling speakers, we'll just have to cut holes in the plasterboard where the cables are, and hook up the speakers.

My question is... since we obviously haven't picked out speakers yet, and we don't know what size/make/model of speakers we'll be getting in the future, I think I need to pick cables that are going to work with basically everything? So, should we just run 12-gauge speaker cable everywhere? Would greatly appreciate any advice, many thanks.



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In don’t understand are you playing music like a store does in the background around your house what’s the goal of the in ceilings ?
I prefer regular speakers for most stuff, in wall are generally better than in ceiling for hifi. On wall as also good, but regular speakers are best using for theater.
This affordable brand and other brands have them all

Speakers | HTD

The original direct-from-manufacturer speaker company. Cabinet speakers, in-ceiling speakers, outdoor speakers, and more sold direct.

www.htd.com

research Dolby Atmos, I don’t have it but thats what most people use these speakers For . I find it strange overhead only?? Who suggested this idea ??,
in wall probably best if your trying to hide them although not as good as box speakers .
electricians could wire it for regular surrounds or Atmos for you .
I can’t fit Atmos but you can !!
Best of luck!

Dolby Atmos Speaker Setup

Dolby Atmos Speaker Placement Tips: Set up your speakers for the ultimate Dolby Atmos experience with our expert tips. Elevate your audio immersion now.

www.dolby.com

 

[rsharp]

Yes, be sure it is either CL2 or CL3 rated (check building codes). In terms of gauge, 12 AWG would be a good choice. 10 AWG would be better if lengths are very long. Though I have read that some connectors on speakers themselves would be easier to deal with if using the smaller 12 AWG wires.

 

[jinjuku]

Are you wanting to be able to play different music in different rooms (zone) or is this whole house audio?

 

[TheRealOC]

Check your codes, probably need something like CL2 rated 12g. Sounds like a good plan to pre-wire....altho am not a fan of in-ceiling speakers except maybe for Atmos....

Thanks, very much appreciated

 

[TheRealOC]

In don’t understand are you playing music like a store does in the background around your house what’s the goal of the in ceilings ?
I prefer regular speakers for most stuff, in wall are generally better than in ceiling for hifi. On wall as also good, but regular speakers are best using for theater.
This affordable brand and other brands have them all

Speakers | HTD

The original direct-from-manufacturer speaker company. Cabinet speakers, in-ceiling speakers, outdoor speakers, and more sold direct.

www.htd.com

research Dolby Atmos, I don’t have it but thats what most people use these speakers For . I find it strange overhead only?? Who suggested this idea ??,
in wall probably best if your trying to hide them although not as good as box speakers .
electricians could wire it for regular surrounds or Atmos for you .
I can’t fit Atmos but you can !!
Best of luck!

Dolby Atmos Speaker Setup

Dolby Atmos Speaker Placement Tips: Set up your speakers for the ultimate Dolby Atmos experience with our expert tips. Elevate your audio immersion now.

www.dolby.com

Thanks for the reply; it would be a whole-house audio setup with different zones.

You're right; I would tend to prefer regular speakers for purely sitting down and listening to music, or for a surround sound family room setup.

My thinking with the in-ceiling speakers for the rest of the house was that these would be just for background music if we had a party at the house, or music in the shower, that sort of thing.

 

[TheRealOC]

Are you wanting to be able to play different music in different rooms (zone) or is this whole house audio?

Would be good to have both options I think; but I would think it would mainly be different zones; so you can play music in the shower in one zone, have background music playing downstairs if we're having friends over in another zone, the kids could be playing music in the room on another zone, etc etc

 

[highfigh]

Yes, be sure it is either CL2 or CL3 rated (check building codes). In terms of gauge, 12 AWG would be a good choice. 10 AWG would be better if lengths are very long. Though I have read that some connectors on speakers themselves would be easier to deal with if using the smaller 12 AWG wires.

10 ga is overkill.

 

[TheRealOC]

10 ga is overkill.

The longest individual run of speaker cable would be about 25 metres (82 feet) if that’s helpful. The shortest would be about 4.5 metres (15 feet)

 

[highfigh]

The longest individual run of speaker cable would be about 25 metres (82 feet) if that’s helpful. The shortest would be about 4.5 metres (15 feet)

Assuming the 25 meter runs would be for background music, 12 ga is fine. Most audio contractors use 14 ga for that and I know someone who did TEF analysis on various speaker wires when this "OMG! You have to use special cables!" BS started in the early '80s and found that 16ga is just fine at that distance, even for higher power applications (he was a recording engineer, live event audio sound engineer and his career depended on the performance of his systems).

 

[Kingnoob]

Thanks for the reply; it would be a whole-house audio setup with different zones.

You're right; I would tend to prefer regular speakers for purely sitting down and listening to music, or for a surround sound family room setup.

My thinking with the in-ceiling speakers for the rest of the house was that these would be just for background music if we had a party at the house, or music in the shower, that sort of thing.

Yeah it could work well for that, similar to what stores and some larger homes use for background music . I’m the only one in my house who even uses actual speakers, beside the Alexa echo or a small radio. So i can’t get Atmos or in wall/ceilings even if I wanted not my house lol
I can’t even get parents to buy a Sound-bar.. it’s tv speakers in their room with the best tv. My bigger tv is a lemon for cable I tried asking for help in hdtv section .
I’m using a 40” tv because cable looks like trash on my plasma and led lcd.
10 awg I would use imo , 12 for short runs maybe, but I’d use same gauge .
Rsl has in ceilings as do htd and various other brands . Some you can aim the tweeter differently.

 

[jinjuku]

Would be good to have both options I think; but I would think it would mainly be different zones; so you can play music in the shower in one zone, have background music playing downstairs if we're having friends over in another zone, the kids could be playing music in the room on another zone, etc etc

How many zones are you thinking? There are AVR's that can do multiple zones.

 

[Kingnoob]

How many zones are you thinking? There are AVR's that can do multiple zones.

Looks like a zone per room or something, what type of amp can power 6-10 zones?
Maybe op can split them up , however they want when they come back .

 

[jinjuku]

At this point I think the OP should reasonably budget for an A/V integrator. This isn't DIY friendly for most folks.

 

[highfigh]

Looks like a zone per room or something, what type of amp can power 6-10 zones?
Maybe op can split them up , however they want when they come back .

Many brands sell 6-12 channel amplifiers for this application.

 

[Kingnoob]

Many brands sell 6-12 channel amplifiers for this application.

Ahh I see more like a commercial one? Nice I know op wasn’t going to be using a home theater avr .

 

[highfigh]

Ahh I see more like a commercial one? Nice I know op wasn’t going to be using a home theater avr .

No, look on Amazon, Parts Express and other places online- Parts Express sells the Dayton brand, Parasound sells them, Niles/Russound etc has sold them and they work well. They're not extremely powerful, but it's possible to get 80-100W/channel. The channels can be used separately, paired, bridged or ganged, for when several pairs of speakers or more than one room needs to play the same music/speech.

 

[Teetertotter?]

Here is some information to determine speaker wire ga:
What Size Speaker Wire Is Right? Speaker Wire Gauge Calculator & Size Guide (soundcertified.com)

 

[highfigh]

Here is some information to determine speaker wire ga:
What Size Speaker Wire Is Right? Speaker Wire Gauge Calculator & Size Guide (soundcertified.com)

I know someone who did TEF analysis on speaker wire and found that until the length exceeds 60', 16 ga is fine for most applications and he has been a recording engineer, live sound engineer, producer, installation contractor and performed other services for roughly 50 years. He did the TEF in the early-'80s, around the time the speaker wire BS started and he came into the store where I worked specifically to talk about it.