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neon

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#312387 12-Apr-2024 16:28
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Apologies if im asking in the wrong forum, if so please direct me in the correct direction :)

So, im moving from an apartment to a larger house (renting), in auckland. i have a 5.1 wharfedale diamond speaker system with the obvious two rear speakers that needs to have long wires. With the apartment, it was easy enough to hide the cable around the corner behind the couch etc, the cable run was not that long and didnt need to go over doorways. But the new property living room is quite large, and doesnt seem very easy to try run like a 20m wire around the living room over two doorways. Also what ever the solution i come up with should be less ugly, not crazy expensive, and not too distructive (i am renting, so it would be hard to get approval for anything too damaging). 

 

So, my questions to all of you are:

 

  • Are there any cheap ways to have wires going through the wall/roof/floor thats not too distructive?

     

    • are there any people that i can contact to get this done, are they expensive?
  • Are there any wireless solutions that let me get the rear speaker signal to the back wall so i can reduce the cable run? Any pros and cons?

     

    • I was eyeing the Dynasty Proaudio WSA-5RP
  • Even if i get a wireless kit that gets the signal to the back, i will still need to run a cable from that to the two rear speakers, which requires going over a doorway (its much better than going over the whole living room). That said, are there any tools/kits or something i can buy/use that would let me do a cable run over a doorway cleanly without making too many permanent damage? Any recommendations?

 

 

Any help and advice is appreciated :) 


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  #3217443 12-Apr-2024 16:33
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Running cables around the room and over the doorways will be your cheapest and easiest option




neon

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  #3217450 12-Apr-2024 16:48
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Jase2985:

 

Running cables around the room and over the doorways will be your cheapest and easiest option

 

 

Well, cable run is required either way. I guess the question is do i do a cable run all the way from the reciver, or make use of some wireless system to reduce the cable run distance.

 

Actually given the cost of high quality cables needed for a large cable runs, the effort and extra resources required for a clean long cable run, the fact that the wireless solution will reduce the cable run (not eliminate but reduce and will requires smaller gauge cables since the run is shorter, less resources, less effort), the full cable run is actually not as cheap as you think (but you are right, it IS cheaper). But i was also thinking that all the investment for the cable run is basically money down the drain, and any wireless solution will likely hold some resale value for later which is worth considering. 

 

Im mainly just looking for ideas. Not sure about you guys, but it seems like such a huge task to me to get a clean long cable run, since ive never done it before. And if i am going down that route, i would love to know what i can use to route the cables neatly. 


Chills
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  #3217461 12-Apr-2024 17:27
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If you were to go down the Wireless Router, I know specific speakers have a weird frequency issue (Specific Sony models). If you were going to go down the wired router, if you can wire via the walls there are little sleeves you can get which sit nicely at the bottom of the wall hiding the cables (very popular for non-internal ethernet cable runs also)




Chills
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  #3217539 12-Apr-2024 19:04
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Chills:

 

If you were to go down the Wireless Router, I know specific speakers have a weird frequency issue (Specific Sony models). If you were going to go down the wired router, if you can wire via the walls there are little sleeves you can get which sit nicely at the bottom of the wall hiding the cables (very popular for non-internal ethernet cable runs also)

 

 

Wireless Route* My fingers autocorrect to Router due to typing that word out so much


  #3217559 12-Apr-2024 19:35
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neon:

 

Well, cable run is required either way. I guess the question is do i do a cable run all the way from the reciver, or make use of some wireless system to reduce the cable run distance.

 

Actually given the cost of high quality cables needed for a large cable runs, the effort and extra resources required for a clean long cable run, the fact that the wireless solution will reduce the cable run (not eliminate but reduce and will requires smaller gauge cables since the run is shorter, less resources, less effort), the full cable run is actually not as cheap as you think (but you are right, it IS cheaper). But i was also thinking that all the investment for the cable run is basically money down the drain, and any wireless solution will likely hold some resale value for later which is worth considering. 

 

Im mainly just looking for ideas. Not sure about you guys, but it seems like such a huge task to me to get a clean long cable run, since ive never done it before. And if i am going down that route, i would love to know what i can use to route the cables neatly. 

 

 

what sized cables do you think you will need?


  #3217562 12-Apr-2024 19:55
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Do you have underfloor access and carpet? Small holes are completely hidden by carpet.


neon

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  #3217563 12-Apr-2024 19:55
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Jase2985:

neon:


Well, cable run is required either way. I guess the question is do i do a cable run all the way from the reciver, or make use of some wireless system to reduce the cable run distance.


Actually given the cost of high quality cables needed for a large cable runs, the effort and extra resources required for a clean long cable run, the fact that the wireless solution will reduce the cable run (not eliminate but reduce and will requires smaller gauge cables since the run is shorter, less resources, less effort), the full cable run is actually not as cheap as you think (but you are right, it IS cheaper). But i was also thinking that all the investment for the cable run is basically money down the drain, and any wireless solution will likely hold some resale value for later which is worth considering. 


Im mainly just looking for ideas. Not sure about you guys, but it seems like such a huge task to me to get a clean long cable run, since ive never done it before. And if i am going down that route, i would love to know what i can use to route the cables neatly. 



what sized cables do you think you will need?



For longer diatance I would assume that I'd need something like 12 gauge, where as a 5-10m run I could get away with a 16 gauge? I'm a noob on this btw, I'm just refferinng to charts and suggestions from articles I've read that compare wire gauge vs speaker resistance vs length reccomendations. 12 gauge is a lot thicker and I think a bit more expensive, makes the run a bit harder too I would assume.

 
 
 

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neon

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  #3217565 12-Apr-2024 19:58
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SomeoneSomewhere:

Do you have underfloor access and carpet? Small holes are completely hidden by carpet.


No unfortunately, living room is in the 2nd floor. It's a wooden floor everywhere, no carpet. I guess good thing about carpet is hiding cables is a tad easier haha.

neon

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  #3217568 12-Apr-2024 20:01
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Chills:

If you were to go down the Wireless Router, I know specific speakers have a weird frequency issue (Specific Sony models). If you were going to go down the wired router, if you can wire via the walls there are little sleeves you can get which sit nicely at the bottom of the wall hiding the cables (very popular for non-internal ethernet cable runs also)



Yeah I think that's the sort of information I'm looking for. Any idea where I can find some of those sleeves and if they can be attached without nails?

As for the wired frequency issues, that's interesting. Hmm, I'd probably have to do some research on this, thanks for that! I wish I could test out the wireless route before I commit to it, or find a kit secondhand or a chap version that's still as good =/

Handle9
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  #3217605 13-Apr-2024 02:34
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You’re overthinking the cable requirements.

14AWG is cheap and will be fine. If you are concerned buy a roll and test it with a 25m run and a shorter run. I’d put money on you not being able to tell the difference.

Chills
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  #3217623 13-Apr-2024 08:42
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neon:

Yeah I think that's the sort of information I'm looking for. Any idea where I can find some of those sleeves and if they can be attached without nails?

As for the wired frequency issues, that's interesting. Hmm, I'd probably have to do some research on this, thanks for that! I wish I could test out the wireless route before I commit to it, or find a kit secondhand or a chap version that's still as good =/

 

Here's a couple I've found on Amazon, depending on your baseboards, they should sit flush. Attached are 2 lengths. 15.7" and 39" depending how long you need to run.

 

15.7" Baseboard Cable Hider

 

39" Baseboard Cable Hider

Edit: you can run these along the bottom of your baseboards, no nails needed or should be able to run them up the wall with some of that wall safe 3M tape. That would be the way I'd go.


JimmyH
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  #3221936 23-Apr-2024 20:53
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I'm a bit late to this, but will offer a suggestion that I used successfully for years in a place where I used to live.

 

Given it's the rear speakers you likely won't need them connected all the time - I certainly didn't, I only used them for movies and not for music etc. So I ran the cables around the outside of the room to the speakers. Once I was sure that everything was working correctly, I cut the cable about a foot from each of the speakers. Then I soldered an RCA plug to one end of the cut, and an RCA socket to the other end, for each speaker. The wires were then coiled up and tucked away. Once that was done it was a matter of about 30 seconds to uncoil the wires and plug in the two plugs when I wanted the two rears in service, and about the same time to unplug and coil up again when I was done.

 

I strongly advise against DIY drilling holes and running wires in wall or underfloor etc in a rental property without written agreement from the landlord. The landlord likely won't be happy when they find out, I wouldn't be if I was a landlord and you did DIY modifications that to a property I owned. It could get very expensive for you - think potential eviction and losing of bond territory if the landlord gets in a builder/plasterer/painter etc to repair the damage.

 

Either do something temporary and removable, something wireless, or seek the landlords permission if you want to do something more permanent. DIYing it yourself without permission likely won't end well for you.


neon

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  #3221938 23-Apr-2024 21:02
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JimmyH:

I'm a bit late to this, but will offer a suggestion that I used successfully for years in a place where I used to live.


Given it's the rear speakers you likely won't need them connected all the time - I certainly didn't, I only used them for movies and not for music etc. So I ran the cables around the outside of the room to the speakers. Once I was sure that everything was working correctly, I cut the cable about a foot from each of the speakers. Then I soldered an RCA plug to one end of the cut, and an RCA socket to the other end, for each speaker. The wires were then coiled up and tucked away. Once that was done it was a matter of about 30 seconds to uncoil the wires and plug in the two plugs when I wanted the two rears in service, and about the same time to unplug and coil up again when I was done.


I strongly advise against DIY drilling holes and running wires in wall or underfloor etc in a rental property without written agreement from the landlord. The landlord likely won't be happy when they find out, I wouldn't be if I was a landlord and you did DIY modifications that to a property I owned. It could get very expensive for you - think potential eviction and losing of bond territory if the landlord gets in a builder/plasterer/painter etc to repair the damage.


Either do something temporary and removable, something wireless, or seek the landlords permission if you want to do something more permanent. DIYing it yourself without permission likely won't end well for you.



Yup definitely not looking to damage the property. That said, given the available solutions, if graceful and cheap enough, I can propose to landlord and get permission. That said, I would much rather a solution that is non damaging diy - as far as I can tell, the cable tubing along the bottom of the wall can be done via simple double sided tape. Solutions around wireless transmission is also non distructive.

I'm just trying to see what my options are. I havent moved into the property yet, so based on whats discussed here, I will make a decision on what's more viable once I move in.

Your solution is pretty elegant. In a different place I would absolutely do it. But at this place, I would much rather a solution that feels a bit tidy and permenant (yet not too permenant to the point I destroy the house lol). That said, I will absolutely do something like this till I actually setup the more permanent solution. Thanks a lot for the suggestions, love it.

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