I'm building a new house that has just been framed in. I've sent off a wiring diagram to the electrician (I will help him) for the Cat6 for the network/security camera setup.


My FIL asked if I was planning on running wires through the ceiling so I can add a 5.1/7.1 surround sound system later (either in the ceiling or corner of the wall/ceiling).


I've been thinking about it all day and really think I should go ahead and add some wires just in case I decide to add a system later.


So.. What wires should I run through the wall that will future proof me? Would the amazonbasic stuff suffice or should I go with the Monster cables for wayyyy more in price? What gauge should I use for a standard (say Bose) 5.1/7.1 home theater system?

Although I know a lot about home networking, I know next to nothing about home theaters and/or wiring them. Thanks in advance to anyone reading this!

The plate I will likely put in the wall near where I would have the receiver:

I used Mediabridge 12 AWG but the monoprice cable works, too.

Mediabridge 12AWG Speaker Cable

I'd skip the plates and wire directly to the AVR/amp and speakers.

I'd also consider running wire for future height channels for Atmos/DTS:X before the walls are closed.  And don't forget about your sub(s) cable.  I'd run it to a couple of spots around the room so you have flexibility on sub placement when it's time to finish out the room.  I ran Mediabridge sub cables for my room, as well.

All good advice in the post above.  (Definitely skip the wall plate.  It's pretty, but it's also detrimental to the audio fidelity.)

Here's an article that explains more about cabling home theater.

What gauge wire for home theater?

Thanks for the advice.

I should explain my setup a little more.

It's for surround sound in a vaulted ceiling room. I was planning on doing 6 ceiling speakers for the 7.1 system.

If you think of the room as a civil war wall tent, the TV would be at one end, the couch about 2/3 the length, and the speakers along the length of the tent at the front, middle, rear. Hopefully that makes sense.

The speakers I was looking at are the Polk MC80, which are 8Ohm. I would be running the cables maybe 40'-50' at the longest for the rear speakers.

Do you still think 12 gauge would be best?

Also, what do you do to transition from the wall to the receiver if you don't use a plate? Is there a way to run the cables directly without it looking like crap?

Thanks again for the help!

While a wall plate will degrade the speaker level audio some, how much it will degrade it is debatable.  Can you hear it?  Probably not.  Can you tell a difference when using a spectrum analyzer?  Absolutely.....Use the wall plate.

Why are you putting surround sound speakers on the ceiling?  That's for Dolby Atmos height speakers.  Dolby Speaker Setup Guide

Well. To be honest I don't know where else to put the speakers...

We have a cathedral ceiling room. Pics below. I was planning on putting all ceiling speakers for the surround sound about a foot into the ceiling taper. That would be 6 speakers total for the front, middle, and rear for the left and right side. Then I was going to use a soundbar and sub to complete the 7.1 system.

Anyone have a better idea? Here is the unfinished room along with the floor plan.

Attached File


Attached File

please tell me your not putting the tv over the fireplace. that ist he absolute worst place to put ont
center of tv shoud be near eye height while seated


for optimal listening speakers should be at or very close to head height while seated
ceiling speakers should be for atmos/height speakers only

use tower or bookshelves with stands for front stage, center channel under tv, some put it over

remember most dialogue will come from center channel
do you want the voices coming out of your ceiling?
hey will seem disjointed from the tv

If you divide the screen into three horizontal sections, your eyes should be level with the imaginary line separating the middle and lower section of the screen.  When hanging my projector screen I measured my wife's eye height when sitting in her favorite spot and adjusted my screen height to match.

Big ones and more than you think you need

We run Smurf tube for the a/v wiring from mud ring to mud ring, and then 4 conductor speaker wire for the 7 speakers.

Subwoofer wire we never actually put in.

Will get pics of brand and type of wire we use later.

Yeah do not put the TV over the fireplace and have anything other than height speakers in the ceiling. IMO you should plan your system along the wall to the left.

I used a mixture of bullnose and brush plates depending on how much wire was coming out of the wall.  Bullnose for multiple speaker wire and sub cables and brush plates for singles drops.

14ga is more than enough. Run at least a foot away from high voltage lines and if you have to cross them cross at  90 degrees. Also just run shielded coax for the subs. I recommend running for 7.2 channel sounds.

Sorry OP but that is NOT a good room for a theater. You've got a fireplace and windows on that wall, and the windows are where the front speakers should be. You've got a full wall on one side and a void into another room on the other side. If you listed at any elevated volume it'll echo through the whole house.  Also the angled ceiling will angle all the speakers to point across the center of the room.

Your speakers ideally are going to be at or just above ear-height when seated. This is what happens when you have a room that you want to adapt into a theater, that was never designed for such a purpose.

Regardless of all this, at least 2 strands of Cat-6 would be good.
---------------
Is there another area you can use for a theater? Like the "unfinished bonus space" or a basement or something?

I would run 16/4 to all speakers home rum to AV space. I would run 2-RG 6 to 2 or 3 different locations for subwoofer. Ceiling mounted speakers and the rough in rings for them. While the vault is and issue, using angled speakers or Omni can can work.