how do they put speaker wire behind

[Hornin NYC]

yourwalls.

My new place has the speaker wires behind the walls and it's set up for 5.1

I'm getting a 7.1 receiver and I'd like to put the speakers in myself (the 2 extra mounts) but I likewise want them behind the walls but ****, how do you do it?

 

[accuratehorn]

They probably did it when they built the walls, which is easy at that time. Your task won't be as easy.
If you have and attic, you drop the wires down to the amp through the passage between two studs. I think there are stiff wire things to carry the wires down to the outlet opening, then you pull the wires out the opening, and up top run them to the other two places you want them to go.
If you have no attic, then the only way I know would be to remove the sheetrock and run the wires through holes in the wall studs, or run them under the edge of the carpet if you have carpet.
Or-aren't there infrared setups now where you don't need speaker wires?

 

[Hornin NYC]

anh I don't have an attic it's a condo and they definitely added the wires after the walls had been put in.

How the hell do they do it.

 

[tropheus]

cut the sheetrock just enough to slip the wires in (say 1/4 inch wide) then slip the wires in, tape and float, texture, repaint.

 

[Hornin NYC]

God that sucks.

I have an idea, tell me what you think. consider the room a sqaure, currently I have speakers in all courners. I need sattelite speakers at the midpoint of the 2 walls parallel to the couch. I'm thinking I can splice some twine to the rear speaker wires and drag them out of the hole that is behind the receiver, then splice the new wire to the wire that comes back and then dragt hem out again, pausing at the point where I want to mount the new speakers in order to remove that wire from the rear speaker wire.

of course I could **** up and drop my rear speaker wire that's already good and be worse off than before.

 

[Rip76]

We moved in a house that already had it done.... but the speaker wire sucked, so we pulled the new thicker wire through using the old...

 

[BigWill]

Seems that under the carpet is the way to go.

 

[Hornin NYC]

Yeah no carpet BW, NYC are all oak strip or that hideus fake parquet stuff.

So Rip it worked? I'll be trying that, wish me luck.

 

[MilkmanDan]

Make sure you have a good splice - I ran several different wires (speaker, sub, extra cable) when setting up my 5.1 and lost one of them in the wall when the existing wire broke. If it feels tight at any point when you're pulling, don't try to force it.

You might want to buy a fish tape from your local friendly hardware store to have on hand in case things go badly.

I originally thought I was going to pull heavy gauge wire to replace the crap that was pre-installed for my rear speakers, but it turned out when they put it in, they drilled holes in the 2x4s just big enough for the wire to pass through. Then stapled the wire to the studs. Thanks a bunch.

Good luck.

 

[Hornin NYC]

Thanks MMD, I'll try it, I'm farily handy. The wire I have now is mucho thick so I ron't think it will break.

 

[suttree]

Seems like the pulling trick ought to work just fine.

I had no idea you needed special wire for 5.1 or 7.1. I just have M1A1 wire. Is this another Monster Cable conspiracy, or is it legit?

My speakers are about 10 years old. My receiver is Denon AVR 2600 or something like that. It has 5.1. It is about 8 years old.

 

[Hornin NYC]

Oh it's nto that I need special wire, I just only have 4 speakers wired and I need 6.

 

[Hornin NYC]

Good idea GOO

Yeah DWP, it's for movie surround sound. I agree I don't like my music from all directions buit man is surround sound awesome for DVDs.

 

[accuratehorn]

OK, forget all that cutting holes in ceilings and walls. Go buy several Jackson Pollock paintings, and just run the wires right across the artwork. No one will notice, and it might even escalate the value of your investment.

 

[TR_Horn]

Are there a lot of movies in 7.1? I had a friend who had a 6.1 setup and he mentioned the difference between a 5.1 and 6.1 system from a sound standpoint was close to nothing for him...So maybe not doing it at all is the best option

 

[hooklahoma]

I was going to spend a whole weekend doing the rear channel wires for my 650sq ft gameroom untill i read an article about hiding speakerwire in Family Handyman magazine.link to the mag, not the article (I highly reccomend this magazine to anyone that owns a home.)

The article suggested using flat speakerwire. It can easily be hidden behind baseboards and wallpaper and some are so thin that they can be painted over. There are many different styles and gauges from a multitude of vendors. I'd just google it to find the right type

 

[horn4life]

I yes baseboards are indeed the lazy man's alternative to fishing the line.

What I would probably do is find two ends of the existing wire that has already been run. Try to see if the wire pulls easily from each direction, if so you might be able to use the old wire to help you bring in a second line. If the line has much resistance then that probably isn't going to work.

baseboards/ quarter wround with a rear gap, or fish are probably you best choices...

Good luck let us know how it works out and how you accidentally knocked you TV off the stand when doing this exercise...

 

[idigTexas]

I have an idea. Why don't you use the existing wires to pull new wire to the locations you need?

 

[tropheus]

I guess I didn't realize you were "replacing" existing wire, I thought you were looking for new wire in new spots on the wall....

 

[next2naus]

there is not much content yet for 7.1

you have to be a serious audiophile or have a great amp/processor to note the 5.1 to 6.1 difference. if you have a good amp, its cool stuff

 

[ldogg53]

so question for you guys... I would like to replace my speaker wire for my rear speakers..... currently the small wires are running in the gap between the hardwood floors and the baseboards covered up by the 1/4 round toe moulding...
can I just pull up the 1/4 round swap out speaker wires and then reattach?? or will I be majorly ******* up my floors by doing this??
I'd pull the wire through using the smaller one, but the wire takes about 2-3 90degree turns and one big gentle curve to get from my receiver to speaker locations... I'm not sure it would even be able to be pulled through...