Options for connecting in-wall speaker wires? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Perry]

I'm helping a friend install a new stereo/home theater in her condo, and I need some advice.

I installed nine in-wall/ceiling speakers which need to be connected to a Denon receiver. The building contractor ran all nine speaker wires to one wall plate near the back of her entertainment center, but the wires will not reach the receiver (they only come out about six inches from the wall).

I thought about installing a wall plate with banana connectors, but there don't seem to be any with more than 4 sets of connectors, and I don't really want to cut another couple of holes in the plaster to make room for three of those plates. Should I splice some speaker cables to the existing in-wall wires and hide the splices behind one of those wall plates that have a big hole in the center? I'm leaning that way, but I don't know if it's the best way to do it.

Thanks.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Keep looking. Assuming the hole is big enough for a double sized wall plate, the wall plates you want do exist. Start at www.partsexpress.com. You'll need a wall plate or the wiring won't pass electrical code. (you also need specific in-wall wire for the same reason)

 

[Dean_M]

Brian, I just finished running HT wires in my walls yesterday, and ran into a similar situation. I bought the same banana plug wall connectors that you did (four banana plug receptacles/plate). For future upgrades, I wanted to allow for some expansion, so I bought three of them. Like you, I didn't want to cut a bunch of holes in the wall for them, so I bought a "triple gang" box from Home Depot and a triple wall plate to fit over the three banana plug plates (I believe it's called a triple GFI wall plate). There are several versions of gang boxes available - some are designed to be nailed to a wall stud, and there's another type that's designed for retro-fitting, so to speak, and clamps to the drywall as the screws at the corners of the gang box are tightened down. (All the wires should be inserted through the back of the box before installing the box in the wall.) Connect the wires to the banana plug plates, then fasten the plates to the front of the gang box. I used the clamping version of the box, and I only had to make one larger hole in the wall rather than three individual smaller holes. The install looks as good as if someone who actually knew what he/she was doing did it.