Molded Speaker Cabinet
by admin on April 7, 2004
Molded Speaker Cabinet
Speaker wire?
I've used Monster XP speaker wire behind the crown moulding, all the wires are in a Wiremold CordMate Channel
(4 wires in the channel running to the 4 in wall speakers - it was a tight fit and I had lots of channels left over from another project. At some point I had to bring them down behind the drywall so that the would be easy to connect inside the cabinet. So I was able to do that with only two cuts in the drywall (yeah!!) that will be behind the cabinet. I've heard that if it's behind the drywall I should use UL rated. So, I'm wondering if there are any issues with some if the wire (about 6 feet coming down behind the cabinet and behind the drywall? Also, wonder about performance issues? I still have time to enclose them in a channel behind the drywall but I'm getting lazy now.
Start out by consulting local fire and building codes for exact specifications. If you’re going to be running speaker wire in-wall, you’ll need to select a type that is UL-rated and labeled either CL2 or CL3 (Class 2 or Class 3, respectively). These designations ensure that the wire has been tested extensively for current-based heat generation, flammability, and susceptibility to damage, and that Underwriters Laboratories has given it their stamp of approval for safe consumer use and in-wall installation.
PER MONSTER:
Monster XP: exposed wire runs (non in-wall)
Monster XP CI: in-wall runs
As for performance, 14-16 guage wire should be sufficent. But, it all depends on your wattage and length of runs. 16 guage is standard. As for it being Monster, their expensive, and your only paying for the name. But at the same time, unless you have some crazy expensive equipment, speaker wire is just speaker wire.
