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route around it all. You can accidentally
induce 60 Hz hum on your speakers if you
run your speaker wire right beside electri-
cal wire for more than a few feet. Try to
keep speaker wire running parallel to
power cables at least 3 feet away. To find
exactly where an electrical cable is routed,
try inspecting the inside of the wall by turn-
ing off the breaker for a particular power
outlet or switch, removing the cover plate
and switch or receptacle, and shining a
penlight into the wall. If you have access to
an attic or basement space you can quick-
ly see which part of the wall space the wire
is free of obstructions (See Figure 5).
When you don’t have access above or
below the wall, try to estimate the existing
wire and pipe locations from the positions
of electrical outlets and plumbed fixtures
on both sides of the wall. Take a look at the
outside of your house too, sometimes con-
duit, vents or drain pipe will be visible that
give useful information. Choose the route
with the fewest potential obstacles.
If your house is built on a slab or you are
wiring between two finished floors, look
for baseboards which could be removed
and replaced with the wire behind them.
Doorjambs can be removed and often
have enough space for speaker wire all the
way around the door (See Figure 6).
Sometimes, an under-the-carpet run is pos-
sible (there are special flat speaker wires
made for under-the-rug wire runs). As a last
resort, heating and air conditioning vents
can be used as wire raceways for plenum
rated wire (check your local building codes,
some municipalities require conduit).
10
Figure 5
Unobstructed space
for speaker wiring
Figure 6
Installation Fundamentals