Hiding Cables/Wires? (1 Viewer)

[Kurt Wasson]

I have no idea where to post this thread so i will post it a few places. I am a rookie at all of this. I have a just purchased a surround sound system. Behind the set there are a ton of cables and wires. Along the walls I have speaker wires. Does anyone have a solution to clean up/organize the mess?

 

[Sihan Goi]

There are a variety of ways, including zip ties, cable wraps, and running the cables near the edges of the walls to minimize visibility. Or, if you have the means, run them in wall for complete invisibility.

 

[Ted Lee]

hi kurt -
welcome! just as an fyi...you can always do a search too. just look up "wiring loom" or "cable management" or something like that.
here's a couple of threads on this topic.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...ht=wiring+loom
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...ht=wiring+loom

 

[Phil A]

Places like www.milestek.com sell lots of cable management supplies.

 

[Howard_S]

This doesn't exactly pertain to your question but most "cable management" techniques may have an effect on your sound. I think the consensus is that it is best to keep your cables off the ground, untied, uncoiled, just spaced out and hanging in the air away from walls and if possible away from other cables too.

 

[SteveA]

I chose the most expensive and time-consuming approach to the problem of hiding surround speaker wires - as well as computer network cables:

I had a new house built from the ground up and put the wire in before the drywall went up! My move-in date is in a few weeks, and I'll have nice pretty binding-post jacks in the wall for my surround speakers.

I realize this isn't an option for everyone, but it's worth the planning and effort if you build a new home.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Murphys Law of cables:

Soon after you neatly organize/bundle all your cables, something will happen forcing you to un-do all the work.

You can save a lot of trouble if you put your receiver on the BOTTOM shelf of the rack. This allows the speaker wires to flow out onto the floor (reduced weight/strain) and the "golden waterfall" does not hide the other components.
Next should be cable boxs, DSS box's, etc. (Things you dont have to physically touch to use).
The top shelfs of the rack should be for media-hungry devices like the DVD player and VCR.
You want to loosly bundle the power cords to one side of the rack.
The interconnects can now flow down the middle or the other side away from the power cords.
For the "low quality" devices like the DSS/VCR I like the bundles of L/R/Video cables from either Radio Shack or Monster. One thick cable instead of 3 thin ones goes a long way to reduce cable clutter.
And if you are going to bundle your interconnects, I strongly suggest you lable each end of the cable. A simple A/B/C... scheme is all you need. And Radio Shack sells some wire lables that wrap around the cable with clear tape so the label does not smudge.
Good Luck.

 

[Lin Weiwen]

I spent quite a great deal of time thinking about this wiring/cable problem when I bought my system too.

For the cables behind the receiver, it's best to leave them loose and not bundled or coiled up as you never know when you might need to disconnect them again. The wires for the surrounds are the most problematic, especially for those who do not have carpeted rooms like myself. I run my surround wires across the curtain rail and used wire clips to hold them in place where they emerged onto the wall at the left rear corner. As my surrounds are wall mounted, I had to run the right rear's cable down from the wall's left rear corner and across the floor behind my sofa and then up the corner of the other side of the wall where the right rear speaker is mounted. As I my storeroom's door is located beside the speaker, I tucked the vertical running cable behind the door's edge. This conceals the sight of the wire ,albeit still exposing a little of it at the speaker's bracket.