# Speaker Wire Through Drywall - No Wall Plate



## Casey96SS

I am wall mounting my Energy Take 5 surround speakers. The speaker wires will be in the wall. I really do not want to use a wall plate to terminate the speaker wire at the speaker. This seems too large and overkill for one speaker wire.


Does anyone have any more compact options for running a speaker wire through the drywall?


Thanks!


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## Neurorad

This is another request for my 'half gang' wall plate that I dreamed up, that nobody makes.


No small wall plates are commercially available. Make one.


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## ArmyMan

If you asked this question in the theater construction sub forum you'd get several replies and probably a picture or two.

Many people just poke a hole in the wall and are done with it.

A few have found 'inserts' (rubber, plastic, designed for computer cables, etc) to make it look a little more finished. That's where you'd get pictures.

You could even get a plain wall plate with a single hole in it (typical cable style) and just attach it to the wall w/o any box behind it, over the small hole you made. But there again you have a full sized plate even if there was only a small hole behind it.


Paul


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## ChrisWiggles

Just make a small hole big enough for the wire.


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## Neurorad

You could modify some type of grommet, for drywall. Something like a desk grommet.


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## Speedskater

How about a Wall Feedthrough Bushing

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2103565


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## eagleknight

I used 1-gang rework boxes. You don;t need to terminate the wire at the box. I left a enough in the box then bought a coax cable plate which has a hole in the center to feed it through. In the future if someone wants to terminate it they can.


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## Mike Lang

I just poked the wire through the drywall and used a single gang wall plate screwed directly into the drywall with a center hole drilled out for the wire. The only disturbance to the drywall is the wire hole and the 2 screw holes.


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## mhdiab

This is what I will use - sure a box behind etc but it will look nice

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2 


I am using the same stuff in the HT closet to keep all the cables looking good


With cables for 7.1 audio, HDMI for projector, Cat5 to HDMI for tv, component to other tv, audio cables to zone 2 and 3 it will be a freaking mess if I don't use wall plates for everything.


So yeah if you only have one cable poke a hole, but I think there is some value to just make it look nice. You can always poke a hole now and get the wall plate and put it in later


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## 39CentStamp

As others have suggested.. make a hole in the drywall thats the same size as the speaker cable. I usually put it right where the speaker bracket will go. This way the wire comes across the wall a long side the mount making it less noticeable.


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## Suntan

The more important issue is to make sure you use "in wall" rated speaker wire.


Personally, I just use a blank wall plate with a hole drilled in it, then a rubber grommet.


-Suntan


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## Neurorad

Can you hide the hole behind the speaker mount plate, if the speaker is hanging on a wall? If the speaker is on a stand/pedestal, just use a single gang wall plate - it's as inconspicuous as a 1-gang outlet.


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## Justin89t

I drilled a small hole into my speaker mount itself, then put black split loom on the speaker wire that ran from the wall to the terminals. Its difficult to distinguish unless you know its there.


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## 39CentStamp

I have been looking around for on-wall speaker mounts that are hollow so you can bring the wire thru it like you can with some CCTV cameras but i haven't found anything. Seems like this product should exist.


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## AgGunner




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Suntan* /forum/post/16981197
> 
> 
> The more important issue is to make sure you use "in wall" rated speaker wire.
> 
> 
> Personally, I just use a blank wall plate with a hole drilled in it, then a rubber grommet.
> 
> 
> -Suntan



thanks for mentioning this, i almost bought the wrong stuff.


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## Impala1ss

Why "in-wall" wire over regular speaker wire? Details please.


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## stidrvr




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Impala1ss* /forum/post/17208311
> 
> 
> Why "in-wall" wire over regular speaker wire? Details please.



If you dont use inwall rated wire, which I believe is "CL2" rated wire, and you have a fire, even though it wasnt the cause, it could be the blame. Even if it wasnt the blame a insurance company can weasel out of paying. Highly unlikely, but do you really want to chance it? They will know and they will find it. Pay the extra money for in wall rated cabling.


As for the speaker wire and wall mounting. You could always use one of these:











Single gags are available.

http://cableorganizer.com/arlington-...l?=recommended


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Yikes, it's against code to run low voltage and high voltage in the same gang box. Hopefully there is some kind of internal partition?


Regards,

Wayne A. Pflughaupt


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## bluewaves

you can get bushings that just slip in to the wall most cable guys will use them.


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## ChrisWiggles




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Impala1ss* /forum/post/17208311
> 
> 
> Why "in-wall" wire over regular speaker wire? Details please.



Uh, maybe because it is required by law.


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## zeroputt

I know this is an old thread, but I think this question still applies today. If I already have regular speaker wire installed through the wall do you think it would be worth the hassle to replace it with in wall rated? Thanks


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## ChrisWiggles




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *zeroputt* /forum/post/19294934
> 
> 
> I know this is an old thread, but I think this question still applies today. If I already have regular speaker wire installed through the wall do you think it would be worth the hassle to replace it with in wall rated? Thanks



Yes. It is required by code.


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## tomandbeth




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *ChrisWiggles* /forum/post/19297082
> 
> 
> Yes. It is required by code.



And just to underscore that point: The extra few bucks to build to code will be cheap compared to running into issues fighting the insurance company if there is a fire or the people you sell your house to.


Do the job, once. Do it right.


Now is it measure once and cut twice or...?


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## gbisaga




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Wayne A. Pflughaupt* /forum/post/17212869
> 
> Yikes, it's against code to run low voltage and high voltage in the same gang box. Hopefully there is some kind of internal partition?



I would think so. I'm using an orange dual-voltage box from the Big Box store that's a regular single-gang box plus a second, open-backed, low-voltage box attached. Or you can use one of these:

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/carlon-...es-292315.html


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## Neurorad

Arlington, and others, make dual voltage double gang old work boxes.


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## tomandbeth




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Casey96SS* /forum/post/16960700
> 
> 
> I am wall mounting my Energy Take 5 surround speakers. The speaker wires will be in the wall. I really do not want to use a wall plate to terminate the speaker wire at the speaker. This seems too large and overkill for one speaker wire.
> 
> 
> Does anyone have any more compact options for running a speaker wire through the drywall?
> 
> 
> Thanks!



A plate for "F" type connectors (IE RG6 wire) and a grommet, slip your speaker wire through the grommet, grommet into the ~3/8 inch hole in plate. Get 'em well under a buck at Home Depot or off Amazon. Use screws to attach to your drywall.


Heck, if you're gonna do the job, do it right the first time.


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## lnong

Looking for this?


i've been looking for the same thing (mini wall plates for speaker wire), and finally found a vendor (in the UK).

http://www.av4home.co.uk/acatalog/AV4-AMBA-AR_Compact_Single_Speaker_Wall_Plate.html 


Knowing that these mini plates do exist, I think i'll continue searching to see who else makes/sells them.


Please share if you find other vendors as well. Thanks!


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## greenbone

i am mounting a jamo 5.1 set at the moment. they sit quite close to the wall so have done as others suggested and brought the cable straight out of the plasterboard


i used these paintable wall grommets, made for rg6 so they needed drilling out a bit

 


secured it to a nog with a pin clip (same nog the speaker will mount on)

 


end result

 


wall with L/R and sonance sa3 centre


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## Goes to 11

@lnong wrote: _Looking for this?


i've been looking for the same thing (mini wall plates for speaker wire), and finally found a vendor (in the UK).

http://www.av4home.co.uk/acatalog/AV4-AMBA-AR_Compact_Single_Speaker_Wall_Plate.html 


Knowing that these mini plates do exist, I think i'll continue searching to see who else makes/sells them.


Please share if you find other vendors as well. Thanks!_


At 18 pounds sterling, roughly $27 US, hopefully there are other vendors!


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## tbaudoin




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *greenbone*  /t/1169150/speaker-wire-through-drywall-no-wall-plate#post_23012078
> 
> 
> i am mounting a jamo 5.1 set at the moment. they sit quite close to the wall so have done as others suggested and brought the cable straight out of the plasterboard
> 
> 
> i used these paintable wall grommets, made for rg6 so they needed drilling out a bit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> secured it to a nog with a pin clip (same nog the speaker will mount on)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> end result
> 
> 
> 
> 
> wall with L/R and sonance sa3 centre



I have been looking for these for a while, as I had used them in the past for CL3 XPHP Monster Cable. They worked great, but I couldn't figure out where the original installer found them. Everyone I had asked didn't have a clue. Chupacabra found! thanks.


Now, do you happen to have to leads for me regarding wall pass-through for lots of cable. Here's what I am after. I want a rack either inside the room or through the wall. If I do it in the room, then I need a pass-through that is somewhat sealed that goes in to the adjacent walk-in attic (non-conditioned space). I was thinking I would put the power strips, and all the bulk in the attic, but just pass it all (speaker wires, power cords, HDMI, etc.) through the wall to the rack. The next option, which I can't seem to locate either, is a system that has cooling that I can put in the walk-in attic and only has a glass or ?? door in the room. Don't really need a large rack, really just looking for 3-4 shelves. Receiver/amp/preamp on bottom, sources like BDPs, processors, etc., then one for whatever other sources that I can't fit reasonably on those due to heat/ventilation. Do you happen to have some places or searches that might work?


Thanks,

tbaudoin


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## olyteddy




> Quote:
> I was thinking I would put the power strips, and all the bulk in the attic, but just pass it all (speaker wires, power cords, HDMI, etc.) through the wall to the rack.


Bad idea. Probably illegal bad.


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## joyryde

I stumbled across this post while looking for a single wire grommet, in case anyone still can't find them, here are a ton of options:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=Feed-Through%20Bushing&linkCode=ur2&tag=djdcom07-20&url=search-alias%3Dtools 


They're call Feed-Through Bushings. I gave up on searching endlessly for "grommets"...once I realized they're bushings!


eBay also has plenty of options should you prefer that.


Enjoy.


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## Chudilo




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Neurorad*  /t/1169150/speaker-wire-through-drywall-no-wall-plate#post_16960809
> 
> 
> This is another request for my 'half gang' wall plate that I dreamed up, that nobody makes.
> 
> No small wall plates are commercially available. Make one.



Guess it took a while BUT....


They do apparently make half height Binding Post wall plates now. I found a few on ebay and here are a couple from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008IGHWNG/ref=pe_385040_30332200_TE_item 
 




Here is a recessed one (not sure if this is better as you d have to cut a larger opening in the sheetrock and I would assume that dust would collect in there.
http://www.amazon.com/Amico-Speaker-Binding-Banana-Surround/dp/B0076UIT7I/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_9?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M6ME1F4PWF3VZFRNEGF


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## Neurorad

Thanks for the tip.










I saw them from China about a year ago; I guess Amico bought a pallet, or ran with the idea.


That recessed looks great. Hope they sell well.


Edit - hehe. I guess it wasn't that long ago that I posted that same image - 5 mos ago.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1477357/diy-speaker-wire-before-drywall#post_24153288 

 


Good to see it's now available through Amazon Prime.


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## DrBabs

Neurorad said:


> Thanks for the tip.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw them from China about a year ago; I guess Amico bought a pallet, or ran with the idea.
> 
> That recessed looks great. Hope they sell well.
> 
> Edit - hehe. I guess it wasn't that long ago that I posted that same image - 5 mos ago.
> 
> http://www.avsforum.com/t/1477357/diy-speaker-wire-before-drywall#post_24153288
> 
> 
> 
> Good to see it's now available through Amazon Prime.


is there any loss in signal or quality from connecting speaker wires to binding posts and then on to the receiver? seems it would be better to simply run the wire straight to the unit, without interruption. 
also, what do you suggest sealing the hole in the drywall with, if it is hiding inside the soffit ? acoustic caulk? expanding foam?
thanks


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## Neurorad

I googled that image. Seems like it's cheap crap, I would avoid it. 

I would not be concerned about the extra connections in the speaker wire.

A drywall cable bushing may be an easy method.










Single gang low voltage ring with a pass through plate










If the hole for the speaker cable is covered by the speaker, I wouldn't bother with any plate or bushing.


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## pilothaz

I like your first suggestion with the simple grommet setup. I have seen the 2nd image setup with the bristles to hold/hide the wires through. 

Good suggestions.


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## B_J_G

I know this is some serious thread necromancy, but I have been searching for a similar type of thing after moving to a house that just had speaker wire coming out the walls. I don’t have the system to use them now, but I don’t want to just shove them in the wall and lose them either. Due to the location and speaker mounts, a standard wall plate won’t fit. 

I just found the following products that look promising. 

https://vadcon.com/co/speaker-cps.html

I’m guessing these are for actually building speakers, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work as a way to tidy up the wires.


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## Otto Pylot

B_J_G said:


> I know this is some serious thread necromancy, but I have been searching for a similar type of thing after moving to a house that just had speaker wire coming out the walls. I don’t have the system to use them now, but I don’t want to just shove them in the wall and lose them either. Due to the location and speaker mounts, a standard wall plate won’t fit.
> 
> I just found the following products that look promising.
> 
> https://vadcon.com/co/speaker-cps.html
> 
> I’m guessing these are for actually building speakers, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work as a way to tidy up the wires.



I don't know if this would help but look up wall plate binding posts.


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