# I need a lesson in wiring!!!



## MLGamer (Feb 10, 2013)

Team,

I am building my first home theater as part of finishing my basement. I have decided to take on the wiring myself. While most of the experts on this site would say, "go for it", I am hesitant due to my lack of basic home theater wiring knowledge. Attached are the renderings I created using a CAD program. I would appreciate any step-by-step or topic hyperlinks that will demonstrate what needs to be done. Thanks in advance for your support!

Quick facts:

Room is 20' x 21'
Room opens to billiards area 18' x 19'
Equipment:
Martin Logan Ethos (2) FR & FL
Martin Logan Stage X Center
Martin Logan Vaquish SL, SR, RL, RR
SVS PB13 - Ultra Subwoofer
Marantz AV8801 Networking AV Preamp Processor
Emotiva Five-Channel Reference Power Amplifier
Oppo BDP - 103


~Matthew


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Hello again Matthew...

Where will your Marantz 8801, Emotiva XPR-5 and Oppo be placed? In a rack with your media server? or will pieces be in different places?

Your sources (media server, blu ray) to the 8801 via HDMI
Your 8801 to the Emotiva via either balanced or unbalanced cables (if the 8801 and the Emotiva will be only a few feet away from each other unbalanced is fine, however balanced has more ability to reject noise.
As for speaker cables I am not a fan of "name brand" cables and wired my home with Belden brilliance speaker cable http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=102-1062 (you may be able to get it cheaper at a bulk cable supplier)

When running cable in the walls the one thing you want to make sure of is that you Do Not run in it beside power cables. IF you have no choice but to cross a power cable make sure you cross the cable in the shape of a + to minimize noise.



I take it the walls/ceiling are all open to the studs to run the speaker wire? 

I see you have a media server.


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## MLGamer (Feb 10, 2013)

Andre, my friend!

Thanks for being a part of this thread.

All components will be situated directly under the television, which will be the VIZIO M801d-A3R 80-Inch 1080p 240Hz LED unless, there is a better one out there on the market at that price range. Off topic: I took a hard look at Sharp in the 80" class. It seemed like all the reviews being posted warned against them. Back on topic: as far as wiring goes, I will be using Monoprice RedMere 12 gauge all the way around. My HDMI cables, are RedMere as well. Total cost for all wiring: $154.75. Regarding power cable avoidance, I plan on working directly with my electrician on the layout and design so it accommodates my runs.

Another wiring question. My ceiling trusses run in the horizontal to my source target area. Should I just plan on drilling holes through each truss or wiring through the walls (the long way) to my ceiling speakers?

Thanks again!

Matthew


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

depends on you sweat equity allowance... you can't use the same holes and the electrician (you want to be at least a foot way if at all posible). Drill and run or buy more cable and go down the the side, up and back over....entirely up to you. Have you desided on what you will be putting all your equipement on? Remember the 8801 and XPR-5 are heavy so glass wouldn't be advisable And you will want plenty of room around them (3" at a bare minimum) so they can breath


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## MLGamer (Feb 10, 2013)

Andre said:


> depends on you sweat equity allowance... you can't use the same holes and the electrician (you want to be at least a foot way if at all posible). Drill and run or buy more cable and go down the the side, up and back over....entirely up to you. Have you desided on what you will be putting all your equipement on? Remember the 8801 and XPR-5 are heavy so glass wouldn't be advisable And you will want plenty of room around them (3" at a bare minimum) so they can breath


As always, thanks Andre!

I am purchasing an 84" long entertainment piece made out of solid cherry including the shelves. The center section has two glass doors opening to two large shelves which should be ample space for the 8801 (top shelf) and the XPR-5 (bottom shelf). The other components, Oppo BDP - 103D and the cable box will fit neatly two of the other compartments. The furniture I chose can be found at the following website:http://www.furniturecrate.com/aspen-home-essentials-lifestyle-84in-console-chy.html

Regarding the wiring. First and foremost, there is no WAY I will prewire before the electrical wiring is installed! In the case of where to go with the wiring, I had drawn up diagrams for a floor through ceiling and floor through walls scenarios. Based on your feedback, and a dash of my own common sense,  I will go through the walls.

~Matthew


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

The XPR is 9.5" high and you will want at the very least an inch above that for vent. The dimensions of the piece of furniture on the website don't have the needed measurements. Highly recommend you find out for sure what the dimensions are in there or you may end up have the XPR off a the side. That said you will also want to make sure the back area is completely open and you also may end up having the glass doors open if the amps runs to hot.

Will the Vizio be mounted on the wall above this unit?


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## MLGamer (Feb 10, 2013)

Andre said:


> The XPR is 9.5" high and you will want at the very least an inch above that for vent. The dimensions of the piece of furniture on the website don't have the needed measurements. Highly recommend you find out for sure what the dimensions are in there or you may end up have the XPR off a the side. That said you will also want to make sure the back area is completely open and you also may end up having the glass doors open if the amps runs to hot.
> 
> Will the Vizio be mounted on the wall above this unit?


Hello Andre,

The Visio will be mounted. I have already selected a wall mount with a 200 lb max that will more than take care of the weight load.

As far as the furniture is concerned, I am not married to my wife's (NOT ME!!!) selection. If you know of a good place to look, I am all ears.

Thanks,

Matthew


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Well....I think all that equipment is beautiful and should be displayed especially in a room like yours where its open and people can see and Oooo and Ahhh. I personally would.

Get a floating AV rack for the Marantz and source equipment something like

http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/av-foundations/av-java/JFV60 (look at the view more images and there is one where its floating) the Motion X on display on top

for the Amp I would buy an nice piece of broken granite, put that on the floor under the floater and the amp on top, nice wow factor.

The cabling will be mostly hidden except for the wiring to the main ML that wire I would wrap in something like this http://www.avoutlet.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=5154 (you can tell your friends the cable is $100 a foot..lol)


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