What speaker cable and brand to use in media room?

[Samara1]

Which speaker cable and brand is best to use in Media room (3.4x3.6m) for Home theatre setup.

how much wiring may be required for 5.2 or 7.2 channels

[Prof]

Hi Samara 1..

The most important thing when it comes to speaker cable is the gauge of the cable..The longer the runs of cable the heavier the gauge..

For the distance of your room ( presuming that the speakers and equipment will be at opposite ends of the room) 14 gauge copper cable is all you need..

Remember that you have a positive and negative connection to consider, so for each speaker the cable will be twice the length of the room...

I hope that helps..

[Samara1]

great thanks @Prof 

any plug points required to connect the speaker cable to speaker

what type of plug point is better as this is DIY kindly advise

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @Samara1 

The   best wire  to use oxygen free  wire  depending on  the quality of your system this maybe a  waste of money  like what I did. And  still will suit old school set ups.  Honestly ordinary  speaker wire  will run any system I have never seen a system fail  due to poor cabling.

I fully wired years ago Oxygen free monster  wire it was a great installation at  $$$ expense.  I had the bees knees reciever and it good play any movie format.  The problem is  I think about 10 movies out of the 400 I have actually worked well taking advantage of the full 7.1 channels In the  end it was a waste of money.

Food  for thought. that runs with Smart tv setups for all sound needs. Movies effects  music  etc.

Today the best  home solution into the future is a  front sound bar that  has  7,1,2 sound  system

7 is front speaker dialog. 2 side speakers, 2 wall facing speakers and two rear blue tooth speakers.  No  cabling required any  more.

The 0.1 is the sub woolfer.

The  0,1,2  the 2  is two   roof facing speakers  that bounce  sounds  off the  ceiling.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Samara1,

Here's a 14 gauge speaker cable as specified by @Prof.  

If you can draw us a diagram of the room and show where the speakers will be positioned on it, we'd be better able to estimate the length of cable needed.

Mitchell

[Prof]

Any plug points will depend on what speakers and Receiver/Amp you have..

The simplest type is just a push terminal and you push a bared wire into it..and release it..These are just as effective as any..

The only problem that might occur is that the terminal hole is not large enough to take all the strands..in which case you may have to remove some of the strands...

On the more expensive speakers and amps you may find that they have screw down terminals and these work well for heavy gauge cable..

[Samara1]

thanks @MitchellMc 

below plan is my media room (3400mm x 3600mm) (excluding desk & Robes) and ceiling height is 2.7mm

so how much Speaker cable is required for 5.2 or 7.2 channel

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @Samara1 

I still higly recomend Sound  bar 7.2.2  if its inputs  will match your output ussually HDMI Cable these  days but other inputs can be found on other models.

If you dont know if you want 5,1 or 7,1 sounds like you dont have the amplifier yet? as it will  be one or the  other/? Or your not adding side speakers.

Are you planning on running the wires  under the carpet?  through the roof or the walls too? As this will change length required.

Your room might let you lay them around the walls on top of the floor.

So sit your speakers where they  are ment to be positioned ie Fronts, sides  and rears and maesure along the walls from the speaker to the  amp or tv position for each line.  Now measure extra height if the speakers are mounted up the wall or are on stands. Now  add the height of the amp outputs to  cable length.  Now  Add a spare meter to the cable  length as it is bad to be short bt longer is ok.

Formala for each cable  length

( Wall lengths + speaker height+  amp height + add a  spare meter= 1 cable length) 

Now do this for all other channels and add them up.

It may be cheaper to buy a 100m  roll on discount some where/

Bunnings  has below and will suit any domestic speaker system.  You could put quadruple the copper of this wire at big  $$$ but the  human ear  wont tell any difference.

Antsig 100m Clear Medium Duty Speaker Cable

I/N: 4430107

$78.94

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Samara1,

We'd need to know where on the walls you are positioning the speakers in order to try and estimate the amount of cabling required. @Jewelleryrescue has provided some great information on how to work out the length.

Mitchell

[Samara1]

@Jewelleryrescue  @Prof @MitchellMc 

Great thanks guys you are amazing and kind to help.

small media room 3.4mx 3.6m x 2.7m(ceiling). Sorry for the long list of Questions as still not clear on this ☹

1) i am planning to wall mount the rear speakers as i dont have spacing on floor level as i will place couch opp to TV.

2) Front Speakers can be placed on top of bottom cabin or floor as i have to decide the cabin work yet.

3) this is how i thought to go for 5.2 channel. so please correct me if this is wrong and add or modify for 7.2 channel.

4) I asked electrician to do wiring points as above and advise me if any changes required here.

 5) Do I need to select the home theatre package first in order to do this wiring. Which is the better way to buy like buying whole package from home theatre shop or buying speakers, amplifiers, TV or Projects separately from shops

6)What configuration for speaker or amplifier setup to buy and Which is best place or shop to buy these speakers, amplifiers in Sydney.