Newbie needs help with type of interconnects

[TheSting]

<font color='#000000'>I'm pretty new to the finer details of sound systems (just recently started earning my own paycheck)

Family's getting a new place, and I was thinking of running wires around a couple of the rooms (Underneath the plastering of the walls) for entertainment systems (more for the speakers)..

Basically, I want to know what are the considerations i'll need to know.
1) What type of wires I should be laying in the walls?

2) How I should end the wires (on both ends), in the wall sockets... so i could plug in the sound-out from the system on one end, and the speakers on the other...</font>

 

[Audioholics]

<font color='#008080'>You're only going to run surrounds, and remote speakers, so you can use the gold screw-down connectors found at Lowes or Home Depot. Run plenum wire, 12-14 gauge wire behind the walls. Plenum means fire-rated so it's legal. Be sure not to have it run parallel with any electrical cable.

Be aware that you need TWO connectors (red/black) for EACH SPEAKER. This means that your best bet is to get creative with box-mounting those connectors. For instance, this plate cover with the proper audio connectors inserted will service only 4 speakers.

Once you poke around the connectors you'll get a feel for what I'm talking about.</font>

 

[TheSting]

<font color='#000000'>hmmm
hey.. thanx!..
am i right to say.. if I plan to connect those larger speakers, they normally have built in amp, so I'll have to run cables with phono connectors?
but all other speakers attached to a main amp normally use the bi-wire (red black), which can use 'banana' connections??</font>

 

[Audioholics]

<font color='#008080'>I don't think you'll be running any speaker wire with phono connectors. All of your speakers will most likely be unpowered, unless you are purposely buying powered monitors for your house.

You will have to have amplification for all speakers that you hook up. Lots of receivers have A/B speaker buttns that power an additional (B) set of speakers (one stereo pair). More than that and you'd have to get a distribution amplifier.</font>

 

[Guest]

<font color='#000000'>try to use all unpowered..

If you start with the power and signal runs, you'll start hearing every motor start in the neighborhood...

Run some nice 14 or 12 plenum rated..

BTW...Bi wire typically means two cables to a speaker...four individual copper runs...you are talking about the typical Plus/minus runs..

Cheers, John</font>