Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners speaker wire runs in a new house

Jason, here's another vote for not-an-issue. Speaker wire, as briefly noted by Blue Jeans is essentially immune from outside interference because of the relatively high current it carries into a relatively low impedance(interconnects are the opposite and shielding is a significant factor). This is in accord with general audio principles, while the other material quoted isn't.

So it's sounding like I should be ok with speaker cables, but the sub cable could be an issue. They are all along the same run. I have to go back tomorrow morning for the pre drywall inspection. Maybe I'll bring the drill and redo just the sub run. Or maybe I'll do a new sub run, leave the other one, and compare the two. Although I don't really a bad run to stay there.

If you don't leave the other one for comparison, you'll never know if creating a new run was the right thing to do. How will you then be able to sleep at night ?

if you are rerouting the coaxial cable, you midas well run the speaker wires through the same holes to the back of the room. Just a suggestion

If you are going to go back and redrill holes you might want to think about running them in some conduit just in case you want to change things later.

Just be careful to wear gloves or your wires might turn to gold.

Don't worry, I'm convinced its a bad idea. However I do wonder. Since CAT5 doesn't really rely on the sheathing for any significant insulation from interference but actually relies on an electrical shielding effect produced by the the method and tightness of the twists in the wire, is it actually the removal of the twists at the termination point more so than the plastic that would create more risk for interference? That has been my schooling on CAT5 to this point in investigating interference on CAT5 structured wiring.

Note: This is a conversational question, not a defensive rebuttal as either theory makes cat5 a bad choice for audio where there is increased risk of electrical interference.

Had the pre drywall inspection today. No chance to rerun wires. If the sub one is a problem, it shouldn't be too bad to rerun after the walls are up by going through the basement instead of the ceiling. I can use all inside walls, so on insulation.

Thanks again for everyone's help. I'm missing having my QS8's setup and am ready to get them going in the new house with the new runs. I've been saving up all the good surround sound movies in my blockbuster queue until after we move. Now we just need the current house to sell.

Let us know what it sounds like when it's all done, please.