Back in action with a spkr cable quandry

My house move is now a done deal for the 22nd Aug - I am putting my floor down on the 21st (if the flippin builders decide to let me in!!!) which leaves me with the option of installing spkr cables under the floor.

I am fitting laminate floor (SWMBO likes the cleanliness and dust free) so I guess all I have to do is cut out channels from the sound/heat insultation underneath for the spkr cable to lie in.

1 - Has anyone tried this before? Any snags or pointers?

2 - Is their an easy method for relaying cables without pulling up the floor (in case I upgrade spkr cable)???

3 - This also means I need to buy new spkr cable BEFOREbuyng spkrs!!! - Any recommendations here?

4 - Any other spkr cable laying/hiding pointers???

cheers folks //lamboy

 

cut out the grooves in the insulation, get some plastic trunking, say 2"x2" so as it is easily larger than the cable in it. lay the trunking in the cut grooves/channels
Youll obviously need to have holes at each end of the channel in the boards above, make these as large as you can.
then when ever you need to replace the cable, tie/tape the new cable to the end of the old. get someone to help one person pulls the old cable thru while the other person feeds the new cable at the other end
it can be tricky but it does work

 

Craig, always cut the Grooves bigger than you need (to make way for the next upgrade ) WM

 

the proper way is to use plastic conduit,20 or 25mm are standard sizes,if both outlets are in the floor use "stop end boxes "at either end, its easily bent by hand, (requires bending spring ,or fill conduit with sand)so you can bend it up on to the wall,to a standard wall box . if your looking for a cheap and cheerfull method plastic waste pipe works well.

 

Id reccomend using soundproofing board underneath the laminate and its foam.

This will redubce footfall/hifi noise significantly, and takes no more than a couple of hours to do a large room.

The stuff is available from B&Q and is relatively cheap.

It is very very very easy to cut (its compressed paper) - in fact you can cut it with a kitchen knife like a piece of cheese!

You could always lay two layers of it if you really want to cut down noise/have really really thick cable cutouts.

I found it took away some of the bounciness of the floor (a good thing for hifi of course) which was a real added bonus.

Another added bonus was that it gave a more level and even floor surface to lay laminate over.

Of course, if you dont want holes cut in the floor, you could lay the cable to the skirting, and drill a hole through the skirting (if you are doing new skirting boards too (I did, because I think it gives a neater finish))

Cheers, and good luck!

NB
Is a great big rug about to adorn your listening room too?

Chris

 

tks bottleneck,

I always planned to use the best quality laminate underlay, its just that at only 6 or 7mm thick I dont know if even 2 layers will be thick enough for channeling spkr cable.

I have great big rug that I bought from habitwat a few years ago, this will do, but if I need to change it for acoustic reasons I will (I tell the missus she can have a new rug )

I think that I will drill the flooring and leave the skirting boards alone, I was planning on using rad pipe covers (also available from b&q) to neaten up the mess Ill make.

Any recomendations for spkr cable? Are there any flat profile or thin gauge ones out there that'l cut the sonic mustard? Problem is, it will have to be purchased before my spkrs, they will be used with electrocompaniet awb120 power amp.

 

tks bottleneck,

I always planned to use the best quality laminate underlay, its just that at only 6 or 7mm thick I dont know if even 2 layers will be thick enough for channeling spkr cable.

I have great big rug that I bought from habitwat a few years ago, this will do, but if I need to change it for acoustic reasons I will (I tell the missus she can have a new rug )

I think that I will drill the flooring and leave the skirting boards alone, I was planning on using rad pipe covers (also available from b&q) to neaten up the mess Ill make.

Any recomendations for spkr cable? Are there any flat profile or thin gauge ones out there that'l cut the sonic mustard? Problem is, it will have to be purchased before my spkrs, they will be used with electrocompaniet awb120 power amp.

 

Well someone has to say it don't they - Townshend Isolda DCT. This is flat, but if you're intending to run it (and more importantly remove it) through a channel you should remember the terminating network barrels - each 1" diameter, 2.5" long at the speaker end and 3.5" long at the amp end - so could well put it out of court unless you have a lid on the channel.

 

I dont think you are supposed to step on it either so care needs to be taken with installation.