Home theatre wiring issue

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33coupe

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#324207 12-Mar-2026 11:59

I'm planning a new build and am able to have a separate media / theatre room. I've just realised there will be an issue with the wiring / cabling due to the window (council requirement and can't be changed).

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can best run the speaker cables to the cabinet I have at the back of the room? The only options I can think of is to go either around the window (not ideal) or from the ceiling into the cabinet (unlikely to look very good). I dont want to have the a/v media equipment on the front wall under the screen either

Any ideas?

I'm stumped and concerned :(

thanks

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#3469435 12-Mar-2026 12:18

Being a new build, can't you just run the cables through the roof and down the walls? It won't look any different to just running through the walls.

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Mehrts

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#3469437 12-Mar-2026 12:24

Where the cabinet is at the back of the room, just have a big cavity inside the wall which goes up to the ceiling space so that it allows for easy access to cable runs if required in the future.

Each cable for speakers/network/AV will just go up inside the wall at their respective locations, and then run across inside the ceiling, and down into the cabinet at the rear of the room. No different to standard electrical wiring.

I don't know why this is such an issue?

33coupe

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#3469445 12-Mar-2026 12:41

Thanks for the quick replies. So just to check do you mean something like this would be ok? I just thought I read somewhere that cables shouldn't be run horizontally.

nitro

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#3469447 12-Mar-2026 12:46

the cabinet has to be smack in the middle of the right wall below the window? i would have thought bottom right corner would work better. then again, i don't know the actual dimensions.

per the image in your reply to @Merhts post, i would just have a single path to the ceiling on either side of the window. everything else can be sorted up there, i think.

Mehrts

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#3469450 12-Mar-2026 12:59

@33coupe If cables weren't "supposed to be run horizontally" then that would be practically unachievable on any build.

Where did you come across this information? I hope it wasn't some silly audiophile page.

Also, Why not move the cabinet into the corner? That would vastly simplify things.

33coupe

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#3469453 12-Mar-2026 13:10

Having the cabinet in the corner would be better, but from what Ive read I dont think it would be good for the rear surround speakers placement. I will double check this tho.

The room is 4.2m wide, the cabinet is 600mm wide, 800mm deep, 2m tall

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peng1nz

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#3469454 12-Mar-2026 13:14

Maybe the recommendation for vertical only relates to having a 'fat' conduit to roof space so cables can be added changed easily in future. I'd suggest the cabinet in the corner looks more logical. It avoids cables in outside wall (better for insulation) and you could do the fat conduit thing if you wanted.

wellygary

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#3469459 12-Mar-2026 13:31

33coupe:

I just thought I read somewhere that cables shouldn't be run horizontally.

The Entire commercial universe is built around horizontal cable trays suspended from/in ceilings, you'll find them in pretty much every movie theatre/concert hall/large sound space.... you'll have no issues with horizontal cables...

richms

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#3469461 12-Mar-2026 13:33

If you do go sideways and then up, put a flushbox ring there so if you need to open it up to pull more thru, you can slap a blank plate over it. That will also get you the loop to tie the cables off to so that they are not loose in the wall. No need to cut the gib to the ring till you need to use it.

Richard rich.ms

gregmcc

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#3469464 12-Mar-2026 13:35

As per what others have said, a new build run cables down then across, it looks like the external cladding is brick? there usually is a small cavity between the brick and the timber framing that should allow for future cable installs.

33coupe

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#3469474 12-Mar-2026 13:58

Thanks everyone. Yep I think running vertical is only preferred due to the easier ability to change in future, esp with conduit, fish wire etc. But I cant foresee the need to make any changes down track.

I also agree now that I think the cabinet in the corner would also be best. I'm sure last time I looked into this I got to the conclusion that middle is best for symmetry and rear speaker placement but a new search and above comments I realise otherwise. maybe just a slightly narrower rear soundstage but shouldn't matter too much.

Thanks everyone, really appreciated

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#3469480 12-Mar-2026 14:17

gregmcc:

As per what others have said, a new build run cables down then across, it looks like the external cladding is brick? there usually is a small cavity between the brick and the timber framing that should allow for future cable installs.

said window gets in the way.

to the OP.. maybe run power on one side and the other side audio….put in plenty of spare draw wire and make sure the cable installer uses large diameter conduit if you think you will pull new cable thru oneday. Otherwise you will battle with corners and insulation and whatever else.

maybe the conduit can go diagonal from the corner of the window…that would make it easy.

richms

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#3469482 12-Mar-2026 14:27

If its a painted gib finish than opening up parts of the wall to get more cables thru is an often done thing. So long as you still have the paint then its a few hours for a gibbie to get it back to a point where you would never know it happened if you do need to get more wires thru. If you put up $200 a roll wallpaper instead, then its not that easy or cheap.

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SomeoneSomewhere

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#3469525 12-Mar-2026 17:06

Cables not going sideways inside walls is preferred as it limits the chance of someone drilling into them by making them a bit more predictable.

A couple of 50mm conduits with sweeping bends would be fine - you'll need top plate stiffeners (and maybe stud stiffeners?).

trig42

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#3469604 13-Mar-2026 08:33

How close is your garage, or another utility room to that room?

Can you put the cabinet somewhere else? They are pretty big ugly things. Does it need to be 42U (2m) tall? Can you get everything into a 24U cabinet?

If you are building new, not hard to run audio cables back to another location. Run plenty of CAt6 at the same time.

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