Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Good subwoofer cable suggestions?

John, I know this seems really basic, but when considering multiple wall plates, would that necessarily require a dedicated run of wire for each location or would some sort of "daisy chain" configuration work.

Great idea Jake, looks flexible enough to work with. On another note, while reading descriptions of cable products at various sites seems to me some vendors have suggested that Cat5 (or cat6) cable can conduct audio signals. Any validity to this? Anyone try this? http://www.hometech.com/audio/linelevel.html#coax

No, not necessary to run a separate cable to each possible sub location.

Of course I have absolutely NO experience with this at all. If I were doing my place, as an electrician, I would run a separate line to each location. If you were to do a continuous loop then you would need a junction at each location. If you were to decide to use the point at the end of the run then your signal would depend on the connection at every other point. (not to mention that the entire run would be way longer than necessary even though I don't believe you would lose signal strength for this kind of signal. why take a chance)

Of course this is a non-validated opinion.

Any loss of signal, which would be insignificant at any rate, could easily be compensated for by simply increasing the LFE output at the AVR to the sub(s) or at the subs themselves.
Remember, you don’t need a junction at each sub, each sub has a line level output as well, which is intended for just this type of “daisy chaining”.
It’s really the difference between running duplicate cables from the AVR or just one and passing through the signal from one sub to the next.(perhaps two cables depending on the location and number of the subs).

They are electrically equivalent. If you had 4 lines, the signal would be split in 4 either way (either a 1x4 splitter for individual runs, or 4 "Y" splitters at each location). The run length would be the same as well.

I wasn't thinking this to be a daisy chain event. I was thinking that the purpose of this pre-wiring was for sub (not subS) placement. If you move 1 sub around to each place then you would need a connection at each point to continue the run of wire around the room to the last point in the run.

The run length would NOT be the same. If the run was 25' in 4 different directions it would still only be a 25' run. If one run went out from the AVR and then connected at each point, the place at the end of the run would be 100'. I already stated that I do not believe that there would be a signal loss using coax but I don't know that for a fact. But why take a chance on extra connecting points and extra length in the run.

Daisy chaining multiple subs sure would work. I guess you would just need to make a connection if you have to send one sub out for repair of if you decide that a sub doesn't work at a particular location.

Bottom line is either way will definitely work. For me, I know what I would do.

In order to daisy chain an "in wall" line application, then at each outlet (where a sub would connect) you would have to essentially in some form or another have a "Y" connection. That is the coax would come in to the junction, allow for the sub to connect at the wall plate, then leave the junction and on to the next wall outlet. I spent the night into the wee hours searching for some sort of product that addresses this application but unfortunately came up empty-handed.

Looking at it from another angle though, if at some point I wanted to add something like an SMS-1, Audyssey/SVS AS EQ-1 or Behringer Feedback Destroyer it might be beneficial to have separate runs to each wall outlet. I've not use one of these products as yet so I don't know from experience if that would be an advantage. If anyone out there has any input on this line of thought, your suggestions would certainly be appreciated.

There is always the HSU ULS-15 subs with built in wireless.