Where to buy wall mounted hifi connectors?

[completely made up]

As the title suggests I'm, looking for wall mounted plates that fit a normal single electrical back box.

I'm after concealing speaker cables under the floor for my surround system but want a bit of flexibility so I can unplug without messy cables laying about everywhere.

I'm after the following

2 off single speaker connections

1 off double speaker connections

2 off single phono (for the subwoofer)

I've found some by QED but they're pretty expensive - The system doesn't warrant that kind of money spending on it so does anyone know a decent, quick source of these items?

Cheers for any help

C.

[Dave Walsh]

I would use connectors known as XLR's. Theyre used in pro audio. What you would need is inline male XLRs for the cables on the speakers,

and in the floor you can get some nice floor boxes that would take a panel mounted female XLR. You can even do the sub connection using a floor box and a D-type phono connector. The D-type refers to a standard used in pro audio which designates the size of the hole on a panel required to fit a panel mount D-type connector. (And yes to those who are in pro audio I am reversing the male female standard for safety reasons better to have a female connector exposed to the public when its carrying amplified signal than a male)

here are some things to look at;

a floor box:

mount onto a wall; connectors; you could use Speakons but these are a bit large and garish for domestic use look floor mount XLR connectors wiring convention for XLR seakers is pin1 negative and pin2 positive, pin 3 has no connection.

there are also speakon connector panels available

this helps

Glukk Dave W.

[Dave Gibson]

I buy the plain blanking plates and then fit them with whatever sockets/terminals I need for the application.

also available in a range of other finishes if you look.

Dave

[Andrew Gabriel]

CPC sell some. Depends what type of speaker socket you want.

I made my own using blanking plates and the raw socket parts.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Easiest way is to make them.

Blank plates to match your existing sockets will be available from an electrical wholesaler. The sheds may also have the common makes.

I'd use Speakon connectors for the speakers. Maplin etc. They'll also have phono sockets designed for panel mounting.

Best way to cut the hole for the Speakons in a plastic plate is with a hole saw used at slow speed in a drill.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Speakons are not only a better connector for speaker use, but more robust.

No modern pro gear uses XLRs for speakers these days. Apart from perhaps

100 volt line.

[completely made up]

Cheers everyone,

I hadn't thought of making them myself - Looks like the best idea.

[Simon Stroud]

I just bought a load of these from CPC.

The wall-mounted screw terminals seem OK. Gold-looking plated and windy "binding posts" with holes drilled through to take wires.

BUT the specially-for-speaker spade terminals (on the same page in the catalogue) were totally useless. They have three "steps" in the spade thing to supposedly fit three different terminal diameters. BUT they aren't big enough to fit either the wall-mounted terminals or the terminals on the back of my speakers. So I haven't bothered using them. Ebay here they come! Just whacked the ends of the wires into the holes in the binding posts.

Regards,. Simon.

[Owain]

"completely made up" wrote | I hadn't thought of making them myself - Looks like the best idea.

There's an article about making outlet plates at

[Peter]

Actually B&Q now sell these plates, well the local (Reading) Warehouse does. next to the TV aerials and computer bits.

Not sure of the cost.