New House Wiring - In-wall Volume or Amp Direct to Speakers?

[pgtr]

Having a new house built. The general contractor has a low voltage contractor who is putting in, among other things, some speaker wires. Our tastes have changed and am not so interested in surround sound move watching experience these days.

I asked for:

• A pair of speaker wires to the front mains at the 'front' of the living room from the amp (which will also be at the front of the living room).
• A pair of speaker wires to the ceiling at the back of the living room (which backs up to kitchen/dining). (My 'rear' speakers from my amp which also support a 'full music mode' (e.g. 'C' speakers))
• A pair of speaker wires to the back patio. (My 'B' speakers from my amp)

It was getting dark last night but it looks like they ran all 6 wires to a box on the side of the room near back door for what I can only guess to be some sort of in-wall volume control. I'm going to meet with them in the next couple days to verify that...

If so - I was planning to ask them to bypass that for my front mains. I mostly plan on using that for stereo music (speakers wired directly from my amp) for my turntable, FM radio, streaming, etc.

I'm OK with that in-wall volume for the outdoor patio speakers - those will be my 'B' speakers and having the ability to attenuate that volume independently of the amp is good for our usage.

My question is the 'rear' speakers in the ceiling. In the near term I don't plan on putting anything up there. But the wires will be there in the future if I choose. My amp can use a rear channel pair either as rear effects in surround mode or as just another pair of speakers in 'full music mode'. (my term is the 'C' speakers). In that mode I think I see a value in having a volume in the wall near the kitchen/back door.

Question 1: Is there any reason I should consider having my front main wires route to an in wall volume?​

Question 2: Is there any issue with routing the rear wires via an in-wall volume? In surround mode w/ the volume control all the way up - any issues? And I suppose I can always go in and bypass this later w/ splices.​

Thanks,

 

[Eppie]

Question 1: Is there any reason I should consider having my front main wires route to an in wall volume?​

Question 2: Is there any issue with routing the rear wires via an in-wall volume? In surround mode w/ the volume control all the way up - any issues? And I suppose I can always go in and bypass this later w/ splices.​

Thanks,

1. Only if you foresee a situation where the mains need to be turned down but the satellites left up higher. If the patio speakers are on a Zone 2 enabled receiver, you should have independent volume via the remote controls. If using A+B connections which run off of the same amp, separate volume controls can be handy.

2. Not if a proper control is used. The control should present about the same impedance to the amp whether turned up or down. Make sure that the control is rated to handle the power that the amp can put out. Power that is diverted from the speakers is converted to heat.

 

[pgtr]

Thanks - great points, that helps!