# active sub wallplate install



## zrizzi (May 26, 2010)

I am looking to connect an active sub (with the black mono jack) across the room to a wall plate. My question is does it matter which type of connector/cable i use, is a sub woofer cable any different than a white or red rca cable? What should i use to run it through the wall? I have a ton of red/white cables that would do what i need, but i am not sure if they will work. I am sure this a simple question for you guys so please bear with me as I am a somewhat noob with the woofer stuff....


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

A regular RCA cable will work. There is really no difference.  

Matt


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## zrizzi (May 26, 2010)

Thanks for the prompt reply...


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Any cable run in the wall should be rated for in-wall use. A good tact for a subwoofer run is to use a standard RG-59 coaxial cable and use a standard RCA wall plate. A F to RCA converter would be used for the cable in the wall, to connect to the backside of the RCA wall plate. Alternately, you might look for a wall plate that had an F connector on one side and RCA on the other.


Regards,
Wayne


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## mdrake (Jan 31, 2008)

Good point Wayne!! I thought he was going to run in on the outside of the wall across the room to a wall plate.

Matt


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## Mike Cason (Mar 17, 2007)

If you find the RG-59 cable hard to find, it is o-k to upgrade to the RG-6 cable which still uses the F type connectors. I am rewiring homes that had the 59 cabling in them with RG-6 due to broadband requirements. There isn't a neglegable cost difference between them.


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## gsmollin (Apr 25, 2006)

Monoprice has the adapters that convert F jacks to the RCA pin jacks. They mount through a wall plate. I have used them for my in-wall component-video runs. RG-6 is a bit of overkill for a subwoofer, and it is pretty stiff, but buying specialty cable can cost more than a mass produced cable.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

A lot of the Leviton wall plate jacks sold at Lowes and Home Depot are "F" style (screw on with pin) on the back side (in the wall), and then RCA on the show side.

It's a pretty nice system that lets you snap in custom keystones with exactly what you need (in your case, just an RCA jack). The nice thing is, if you want a CAT5 jack in the same location later, you just buy the CAT5 keystone and a 2-slot wall plate and snap them both in. It's nice and modular.

you can get a pretty cheap compression crimper and F ends for termination, or just go with the screw-on ones. Crimping is better, but if you don't want to buy tools you will only use once, the screw ones do work.


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## MatrixDweller (Jul 24, 2007)

I bought some F to RCA adapters from monoprice to do the same. I'll be running RG-6 though the ceiling and down the wall to a keystone wallplate. The stiffness of RG6 can help when fishing it.

Radio Shack sells F to RCA connectors as well, but they are 10X the price of Monoprice's. They are identical in quality IMO.


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## sga2 (Nov 14, 2009)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Any cable run in the wall should be rated for in-wall use. A good tact for a subwoofer run is to use a standard RG-59 coaxial cable and use a standard RCA wall plate. A F to RCA converter would be used for the cable in the wall, to connect to the backside of the RCA wall plate. Alternately, you might look for a wall plate that had an F connector on one side and RCA on the other.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne


I am finishing rough-in wiring for HT in my basement. I bought a spool of Belden RG6 so I'm using for all things coax (CATV, subs, component video + audio in wall from a Wii station in my theater to the AV rack in closet). The wall plates I have use RCA on face side and on wall side. For in-wall connections, any reason to go with F on coax, then F-RCA adapter to connect to back of wall plate, rather than using compression type RCA connectors to terminate coax?

Thanks, 
sga2


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Nope, no reason at all. Use the compression RCAs. :T

Regards,
Wayne


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Yeah, the compression RCAs are fine. Just make sure you have the right tooling for it. Sometimes crimp heads that work with the F style need an adapter for the RCAs. I found this out the hard way. 

Parts Express sells F-Conn crimp RCA connectors and a universal compression tool (that comes with three different positioning heads and is adjustable ~$30).

Best of luck.


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## gsmollin (Apr 25, 2006)

Yes there is. F connectors screw in and won't fall off the back of the wall plate when you least expect it. Other than that, F-connectors are 75 Ohm connectors, and most RCA jacks/plugs are not. For your higher frequency applications F-connectors give better signal phase than any RCA connector. So you should steer clear of RCA whenever you can.


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