Any Thoughts on speaker wire?

[canadateck]

I will be running this speaker wire inside the wall's. Not sure what Kind to get, They will run from a speaker (Wall Plate) to another speaker ( Wall Plate). This is for my home theater.


Thanks

[SquirrelDip]

There's a special grade for running inside your walls - has to do mostly with the covering of the wire and if there's ever a fire. Check with your local Home Depot - if the clerk tells you that you can use normal wire then find another clerk that knows what he's talking about.

As for the wire gauge - it depends on your amps power and the cable length.

If you're needing longer runs pick up the wire from an electrical supply house (like Westburne Electrical), they usually sell in 1000 foot rolls - you'll probably need to determine the type and gauge prior to going to the supply house.

I help wired a friends home with CAT5 and RG6 (net and cablevision) and found the 1000 foot rolls were about the same price as 200 foot from Home Depot (but prices change all the time).

[BJ_M]

"plenum-rated" cable is what it is called.. In canada it is FT6 cable (that is a rating, not a cable type)

FT4 can be used for short runs ..

this is the law in ontario and it is pretty well the same throughout canada

http://www.obc.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_4_9983_1.html

[BJ_M]

SquirrelDip is right - most places do not know this ...

also many houses are not wired with ft6 cable for cables by the builder (legally) because it is classed as single conductor wiring ..

[canadateck]

Thanks for the tips.

The total Feet per Wire will be 22 Feet, I was thinking 18 gauge oxygen free, But I have heard there is no difference. I'll try going into a home theater Store.

[BJ_M]

you will pay up the nose if you buy cable at a "theater store" , the markup is 100-300%+ often --and it is no better quality....


just use a tight jacketed twisted pair 12 or 14g - 18g is way to light and you will lose a lot of damping factor ..

[smearbrick1]

If you are really worried about have the wires exposed, you could always run it through some PVC type conduit or the like. This would also aid in the future if you ever decided to upgrade (for example, fiber optic digital speaker system...etc).

[BJ_M]

PVC type electrical conduit is not legal in the walls in Canada, it has to be EMT or equal, or BX or Romex/NM/NMD - though it (pvc conduit) is used in Europe and Asia a lot ..

[SquirrelDip]

PVC type electrical conduit is not legal in the walls in Canada, it has to be EMT or equal, or BX or Romex/NM/NMD - though it (pvc conduit) is used in Europe and Asia a lot ..

Unless you concrete encase it...