Intro to HT cabling setup

H

Haaspac

Audioholic
I just saw the new 5.1 setup from EMP and I have to snag it before the price goes up. I just HAVE TO.

Ive been doing some research trying to get correct wires and whatnot and here is what I found:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023603&p_id=2682&seq=1&format=2
subwoofer cable

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2747&seq=1&format=2
speaker cable.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10243&cs_id=1024003&p_id=4963&seq=1&format=2
hdmi (from ps3 to receiver)

This will be my first "proper" HT setup and I don't really know much about how to do it correctly. The ES10i sub has L and R in's and out's. http://www.emptek.com/images/ES10i_amplifier.jpg Does that mean I run speaker cable from the reciever to the sub, then from the sub to the L and R towers? Or forget that and just run cables from the reciever to the L and R towers directly? I have a 50" panasonic plasma and a ps3 right now. Do I run one hdmi cable from the tv to the receiver for input, and then another from the receiver back to the tv for output? Or do I just need 1 hdmi cable from the tv to the receiver and one from the ps3 to the receiver? It's a bit confusing, which I guess is why I have not entered the HT market yet.

Can anyone recommend a good 5.1 receiver to match this system to? I was looking at an onyko. There seem to be a million entry level receivers from a million companies. Buyer confusion.

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR507&class=Receiver&p=i
 
JerryLove

JerryLove

Audioholic Ninja
Hook up your sub by connecting the "Sub Out" on your receiver to the "low level input" "in" on the sub (check the manual to see if one is preferred for monaural input).

You didn't put a hyperlink to the EMP5.1 system, but I'll assume it's "bookshelf" or larger (not some micro-speaker system that comes with a separate woofer), and say "make sure your receiver has an amp a bit more powerful than your speakers. Consider especially the listening volume relative to room size relative to speaker size (in other words: if you are about to play really small speakers really loud in a large room stop here and reconsider).

After that (enough wattage), you buy a receiver for features. Onkyo makes a fine unit, as do Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Pioneer, etc. If it has the features you want (enough power, enough inputs/outputs) then you are good.

50' is probably not enough speaker cable for HT, and 12 AWG is *huge* for the distances you are likely to be running. Try a smaller (bigger number) gauge like (see http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable) and figure out what footage you'll actually need (if you put one surround speaker in each back corner, and a receiver in the middle of the front wall, and your room is 13' long and 10' wide, and your receiver and speaker are both 3' from the floor, and you will run the wire on the floor, you will need (at least) 3+3+5+13 = 24 * 2 = 48' of speaker wire just for the two surrounds.
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
Hook up your sub by connecting the "Sub Out" on your receiver to the "low level input" "in" on the sub (check the manual to see if one is preferred for monaural input).

You didn't put a hyperlink to the EMP5.1 system, but I'll assume it's "bookshelf" or larger (not some micro-speaker system that comes with a separate woofer), and say "make sure your receiver has an amp a bit more powerful than your speakers. Consider especially the listening volume relative to room size relative to speaker size (in other words: if you are about to play really small speakers really loud in a large room stop here and reconsider).

After that (enough wattage), you buy a receiver for features. Onkyo makes a fine unit, as do Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Pioneer, etc. If it has the features you want (enough power, enough inputs/outputs) then you are good.

50' is probably not enough speaker cable for HT, and 12 AWG is *huge* for the distances you are likely to be running. Try a smaller (bigger number) gauge like (see http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable) and figure out what footage you'll actually need (if you put one surround speaker in each back corner, and a receiver in the middle of the front wall, and your room is 13' long and 10' wide, and your receiver and speaker are both 3' from the floor, and you will run the wire on the floor, you will need (at least) 3+3+5+13 = 24 * 2 = 48' of speaker wire just for the two surrounds.

You'll definitely need more than 50' for a 5.1 setup. I suggest you just get 16 gauge 100ft speaker wire.
 
H

Haaspac

Audioholic
Hook up your sub by connecting the "Sub Out" on your receiver to the "low level input" "in" on the sub (check the manual to see if one is preferred for monaural input).

You didn't put a hyperlink to the EMP5.1 system, but I'll assume it's "bookshelf" or larger (not some micro-speaker system that comes with a separate woofer), and say "make sure your receiver has an amp a bit more powerful than your speakers. Consider especially the listening volume relative to room size relative to speaker size (in other words: if you are about to play really small speakers really loud in a large room stop here and reconsider).

After that (enough wattage), you buy a receiver for features. Onkyo makes a fine unit, as do Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, Pioneer, etc. If it has the features you want (enough power, enough inputs/outputs) then you are good.

50' is probably not enough speaker cable for HT, and 12 AWG is *huge* for the distances you are likely to be running. Try a smaller (bigger number) gauge like (see http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable) and figure out what footage you'll actually need (if you put one surround speaker in each back corner, and a receiver in the middle of the front wall, and your room is 13' long and 10' wide, and your receiver and speaker are both 3' from the floor, and you will run the wire on the floor, you will need (at least) 3+3+5+13 = 24 * 2 = 48' of speaker wire just for the two surrounds.
http://www.emptek.com/e5ti.php
those and the matching speakers.

http://www.emptek.com/images/ES10i_amplifier.jpg
rear of the sub.
http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/4244.asp?ProductName=AVR-689:+7.1+CH/5.1+2+CH+Independent+Zone+Home+Theater+Receiver#
click "Back" and you can see it only has 1 plug for subwoofer out. where would I plug the sub into?
 
N

nsahoo

Audiophyte
I didn't know that sub-woofer cables are different from speaker wires! Otherwise I'd have added that to the speaker wire order as well.

Anyhow, I am also a n00b in HT area, setting up my first 5.1 system. Please tell me if I am missing anything else. I have ordered the following:

1. EMP Impressions 5.0
2. Energy ESW V10 subwoofer
3. Denon 1910
4. 100ft of 12 gauge wire
5. 4 of 6' HDMI cables from amazon (http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-meter-foot-cable-1080P/dp/B0002L5R78/)

In particular I am concerned about how to place the bookshelf surrounds. They are 7.5 lb each. Not sure if I need to mount them or if I should use a stand. Can someone enlighten me?

Any other part that I need?
 
Last edited:
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top