I am looking to add speakers to the kitchen feed from a stereo system 20 feet away. I'd like to have the speakers recessed into the ceiling at a corner in the kitchen.
What are some ideas for wiring this without tearing out too much sheet rock?
Two-story house, stereo system is built-in to a corner area. Some speakers are already wired into wall, shortening distance by ten feet but I'm still unsure of how to get wire to ceiling for next set of speakers.
Many thanks!
The Ranger
Consider wireless. Less expensive than it was and a lot easier.
Lou
Here's a link that should help:
You should also search this group for "fish tape" and "fishing wire".
R
Any specific wireless suggestions? I've not seen any recommended and am intrigued by the "less-mess" this option offers.
The Ranger
Which
Unfortunately, no suggestions due to no experience.
Lou
I put a piece of narrow crown molding in the corner where the stereo system was and ran the wires behind that and up into the attic. Not completely "hidden" but not unattractive and easy to undo should I want to.
Only problem with installed wireless is you need to get POWER to them. Generally speaking it is easier to pull speaker wire than power wire - and it does not need to meet code. You don't say which way your joists run. If the speaker wires need to run parallel to the koists, a good "fish tape" will do the job nicely..
I've also seen light speaker wires installed in a "slot" in the driwall, which only requires repairing that area. Run the wires above the drywall between the joists - drop the wire through the driwall, bury it in the drywall across the joist and punch it back up above the drywall to run between the joists the rest of the way?
Can't do that with power wires.
Then there is always the foil tape speaker wire. It's like the tape you put on windows for burglar alarms. Stick it to the drywall and paint it.
Works good for a hidden FM dipole too.
This is a good article:
This place has a lot of the tools for these tricks:
Without a photo its hard to say what is the best (easiest) way to route the wire. Also for a great deal on in-wall speakers and HDMI cable check out:
I put my audio wiring into the crown molding, but base or chair molding would work too.
If you have a one-story house, just go up into the attic.
If not, it's more trouble.
Read books on installing burglar alarms. Also note the parts about flexible bits. I have one that's 6' feet long. Read about snakes, and how to use two snakes to run a wire. One snake through the hole in the ceiling and one through the wall. Hmmm. You may have to cut a little bit of the wall-ceiling jumction out to get past that corner.
You can probably make the speaker hole a little wide in one direction, to slip the speaker in, and cover it with the grill. Get an electronic stud finder. They are incredible.
You have a two-story house!
Do you know all about the issues of adding mroe speakers? Some amps provide for this already, but having A, B, A+B, but even they don't you can do it outside the amp, and you can put in more speakers than the amp has outputs for. They sell remote volume controls too, that is not at the amp but near the speakers.
You probably have 8 ohm outputs from your amp, and you don't want the load to go below 4 ohms. That's one 8 ohm speaker, or 2 in parallel for 4. If you have 4 speakers on a channel, you have to have two parallel sets of two in series. The two in series make 16, but two sets of that in parallel put it down to 8 again.
If your total impedance is too low, you risk burning out the final stage of the amp. If you don't know all this already, find out about it from someone or email me.
Yeah, when I said snake I think I meant fish tape.
Better to get the wired speakers, that is, if you want better sound.
on 12/24/2008 7:43 AM (ET) Phisherman wrote the following:
How come pro singers and band members use wireless mics and speakers on stage?
Because they aren't trying for better sound in the caverns of the bar, stadium, or amphitheater ??
Different issue. They are taking a high quality low-level signal and sending it wirelessly to expensive, powerful, wall-powered amplifiers.
With wireless speakers used with a good stereo system you are taking a high quality signal and sending it wirelessly to a speaker with a sub- standard amplifier (and typically a speaker that's not much better).
Wireless has its place, like the patio or garage or where the stereo system is not high quality in the first place, but using it with a good system is a waste. Wireless headphones have the same problem. Since the sound quality is totally dependent on the electronics inside the phones there is no point at all in using them on a high quality system.
That isn't to say that high quality wireless cannot nor does not exist, but the vast majority of it is mid to low grade as far as the sound quality is concerned.
Also consider the privacy issue.
In the summer I use wireless speakers from my computer to speakers at the pool side. If I don't have my computer broadcasting, the speakers pick up audio from my neighbors.
If I leave the broadcast unit on (it has no switch) and play a game or read youtube everyone in the neighborhood gets to share.
Getting ready to run some wires.
And they are not using "consumer" wireless. Good wireless mics are good. Cheap ones are junk. Same with speakers.
Well, I bet a *lot* of us have never thought of this parallel impedance stuff -- other than for physics and engineering exams -- but surely not re extra speakers on an amp.
So please elaborate all you want -- whatever you'd respond by email (as offered above), how about putting it here, where we ALL can see it!
For sure, Ranger-man(?), you make a nice presentation of these ideas!
THANKS!
David
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