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surround sound wiring
mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 11:05 AM

I am just about to have the plaster boarding done in the living room in the project house.

I figure it makes sense to have the wiring for surround sound speakers put in first.

What do I need to do to cover all the options - speaker positions etc?

Cheers

M

Slimy38 - 2/9/13 at 11:20 AM

What sort of surround sound are you after? Bog standard stereo plus sub wouldn't need much wiring, but if you're really enthusiastic you could have the full 22.2 system (don't ask, I'm just reading off the wiki now!).

A typical 5.1 system would just need four cores run to the opposite end of the room. You won't be able to get rid of trailing wires completely because speakers should not be wall mounted. Maybe run another two cores if you want the sub behind you, but I've never had any problem with low frequencies as they're not that directional.

If you're having plastering done, I'd strongly recommend you consider one or two ethernet runs. In todays 'all connected' age they can be really valuable .

[Edited on 2/9/13 by Slimy38]

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 11:20 AM

For 5.1,
4 speakers in each corner possibly a central one, depending on how you mount your centre ( you can go on wall under tv so keep wiring tucked behing tv or on bench below tv?).
If you go 7.1 you will need an extra 2 to each side of you.

Alot are wireless these days though, so you just need power sockets near them instead.

mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 11:36 AM

Got 2 ethernet sockets in already

I can't decide if I can be bothered with speaker wires or if I can make do with a soundbar and sub.

Anyone got a sound bar and is it near enough so that i don't have to bother with surround?

RichardK - 2/9/13 at 11:54 AM

You can get wireless 5.1 systems that use Bluetooth you know?

Hope the house is going well buddy

R

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 11:58 AM

Most sound bars sound great, they are a vast improvement on most TV speakers (they have to be small and slim obviously)

However, a soundbar isnt sorrround, and wont give you that effect, or anything close to that. I have a cheap panasonic sorround kit (was under £200 with dvd player in argos), but it really adds depth to movies. My father in law had a Bose 2.1 speaker kit a few years a go (sort of equivelent of a sound bar) and whilst being Bose it sounded great, the moment he heard my sorround sound he sold the bose and bought the same kit as me.

Slimy38 - 2/9/13 at 12:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by RichardK
You can get wireless 5.1 systems that use Bluetooth you know?

Hope the house is going well buddy

R


Whatever wireless speakers use, they still have to be plugged in. You're just swapping speaker wires for power sockets...

Mookaloid, personally I would go for a sound bar with sub if necessary. I never felt the true 'surround' set up was worth the extra hassle for the amount of time I spent watching appropriate films. I'd definitely recommend a speaker upgrade from standard TV speakers, and even a separate amp if possible, but to install speaker wires in a newly plastered wall just seems a bit much. That is just me though.

mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 01:16 PM

been looking at this eBay Item why would I need an RCA socket?

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 01:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
but to install speaker wires in a newly plastered wall just seems a bit much. That is just me though.


Thats why hes looking to install them before the walls are plastered. For the sake of a few meteres of speaker cable, seems silly not to.

mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 01:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
but to install speaker wires in a newly plastered wall just seems a bit much. That is just me though.


Thats why hes looking to install them before the walls are plastered. For the sake of a few meteres of speaker cable, seems silly not to.


Indeed!

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 01:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
been looking at this eBay Item why would I need an RCA socket?


RCA would for the Sub I suspect, as its mono.

[Edited on 2-9-13 by loggyboy]

mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 01:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by RichardK
You can get wireless 5.1 systems that use Bluetooth you know?

Hope the house is going well buddy

R


mmm surely wires are better though?

mookaloid - 2/9/13 at 01:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
been looking at this eBay Item why would I need an RCA socket?


RCA would before the Sub I expect, as its mono.


So if I have the sub at the front near the amp I wouldn't need that? or is the sub better at the back?

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 01:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
quote:
Originally posted by RichardK
You can get wireless 5.1 systems that use Bluetooth you know?

Hope the house is going well buddy

R


mmm surely wires are better though?


Not really, as each speaker has its own amp, so there is no signal loss as there would be with cables which are post amp.
As long as its a good quality set up, and the signal is good quality with, then technically theres no reason for not to be better.

loggyboy - 2/9/13 at 01:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
So if I have the sub at the front near the amp I wouldn't need that? or is the sub better at the back?


Subs are not really directional as you 'feel' the bass ,however theres no reason why it couldnt be behind the sofa, would make you 'feel' it more.

gottabedone - 2/9/13 at 04:25 PM

The way that I set mine up was from the Dolby site. The surround speakers are on the side walls at the back at ear height and the fronts (floor standers) and sub are at the front by the TV (and 100" electric screen). As said before the Sub isn't directional but would be impossible to fit behind my sofa so went at the opposite end of the room by the TV. I worked out where i needed to set the speakers, ran the wires and photographed them with a rule. After the walls were finished I knew exactly where the cables were. I did this for the HDMI and power for my projector as well.

hope this helps

Steve