Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions In wall speaker wire

I am just setting up our new HT in our partially renovated basement.

f(WOW) = [EPIC(60.500) + Marantz SR8002 + Samsung BD-P3600] * (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World)

And that's all I need to say about that!!

Question: Why not use AWG 12 solid core wire for in wall speaker wire. I just bought a 300ft roll from Home Depot for < CDN$200. Resistance tests at 0.8 ohm for the whole roll, which = 0.0027 ohm/ft.

Solid core is not supple, but hell it's going to be in the wall so who cares. Using this I can put drops everywhere in the house and still afford to buy decent components.

Tonight we audition "Hurt Locker"...neighbors beware.

Hi dumick,

Sure, no reason you can't use the solid-core as speaker wire in the walls. Just don't get it mixed up with the AC circuits! And don't bundle the solid-core speaker wire with the live AC wiring--you might get hum pickup through induction.

I use the big battery booster cables myself--it's easy attaching the big clips to the speaker posts (kidding. . .).

Regards,

Some electrical codes require plenum cable (in-wall cable).

I think he's talking about standard 12 gauge Romex wire, which is what they use to wire your stove or dryer, so it's got plenty of current capacity (something like 1800 watts on a 20 amp circuit). I wouldn't hesitate to use it at all, but it's probably a lot more expensive than speaker wire from Monoprice for example which for me turned out to about .30c per foot. If you have it lying around though and won't be using it for another part of the basement, you have nothing to lose with it. Like Alan said though keep it at least 8 - 12" away from the electrical cable, and if you have to cross it, do so at a 90* angle.

Uh oh, pet peeve time.

Plenum means a space through which air flows. So it isn't "plenum cable", but "cable rated for installation in a plenum". Which means it doesn't give off toxic fumes if its insulation starts to burn.

LOL, I was going to point that out but didn't feel "established" enough yet.

Hey, you have to start somewhere. Insulting Mark is as good a place as any.

SpongeMark SquareRoom!

HA ha!

Well, I've been hearing it called Plenum cable for a long time.... as in "it's cable for the plenum".

"SpongeMark SquareRoom!"