I screwed up....uh-ohz

[wj94 10+ year member]

We've been pre-wiring my parent's basement for surround sound and ran all the wires through the walls to where the entertainment center is. So we get everything done, drywall is now up and walls painted, wall plates put on, and as I'm trying to hook everything up to test it tonight, I realize that the center speaker has two inputs, not one....and it was only wired for one input. Completely screws up the whole point of the hidden in-wall wiring since now one will have to go directly to the receiver. Gay. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsdown.gif.d22f25895e9b40f2300c953691dacfa2.gif

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[bassknocker23 10+ year member]

lol, I wouldve kept that to myself

 

[KyleBechtold 5,000+ posts]

idk exactly what you are missing can you explain? like is there a negative positive? or are they rca jacks?

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

We've been pre-wiring my parent's basement for surround sound and ran all the wires through the walls to where the entertainment center is. So we get everything done, drywall is now up and walls painted, wall plates put on, and as I'm trying to hook everything up to test it tonight, I realize that the center speaker has two inputs, not one....and it was only wired for one input. Completely screws up the whole point of the hidden in-wall wiring since now one will have to go directly to the receiver. Gay. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsdown.gif.d22f25895e9b40f2300c953691dacfa2.gif

Always test everything completely before re-installation. Especially in a such a large undertaking.

I too have learned this the hard way...

But seriously, I would redo it the right way. Buy a wire fish and you wont have to tip out the drywall, you can get by with a couple small holes.

 

[Chin_Chilla 10+ year member]

Kinda like stripping your vehicle for system install, completing everything and returning your car to normal, then forget to install power wire.... you typically do a rough ''hook-up'' if you will to make sure everything is there and working BEFORE you start putting everything back in...

 

[kmanian 5,000+ posts]

use flat wire, sheetrock mud over it once you stick it to the wall then repaint, it will be totally hidden.

 

[wj94 10+ year member]

Always test everything completely before re-installation.
I too have learned this the hard way...

But seriously, I would redo it the right way. I cant stand the feeling of not doing it right.

How can I re-do it? The wires were run through the wall before the drywall was put up....the drywall is now in.

Side note - I didn't run the wires or do any electrical work, the electrician did, but we diagrammed it. It had been so long since I'd hooked up a surround sound system that I didn't even think about it.

To clarify, each speaker has one negative and one positive terminal, so there are 2 posts on the wall plate. This center speaker has two positives and two negatives because there is a tweeter and two woofers that are wired separately, so it should have been pre-wired for 4 posts on the wall plate, but it was only wired for 2. So now 2 of the posts will have to be wired directly to the receiver.

 

[kmanian 5,000+ posts]

How can I re-do it? The wires were run through the wall before the drywall was put up....the drywall is now in.
Side note - I didn't run the wires or do any electrical work, the electrician did, but we diagrammed it. It had been so long since I'd hooked up a surround sound system that I didn't even think about it.

To clarify, each speaker has one negative and one positive terminal, so there are 2 posts on the wall plate. This center speaker has two positives and two negatives because there is a tweeter and two woofers that are wired separately, so it should have been pre-wired for 4 posts on the wall plate, but it was only wired for 2. So now 2 of the posts will have to be wired directly to the receiver.

is the center ch. biampable? and does your amp/reciever have 2 outputs for the center. if not your fine. I have a feeling that the center has the option to be biamped, but it isn't necessary depending on what your objectives and equipment are.

Did that sound like jibberish?

 

[wj94 10+ year member]

is the center ch. biampable? and does your amp/reciever have 2 outputs for the center. if not your fine. I have a feeling that the center has the option to be biamped, but it isn't necessary depending on what your objectives and equipment are.
Did that sound like jibberish?

Yes, that did sound like gibberish.....but I think I know what you're saying. The terminals on the back of the speaker are connected with a gold plate (from the top terminals to the bottom ones), so you might be right that I only need input on one set of them, and if I wanted to use separate amps, could wire them to separate amps. Is that what you were saying?

 

[bball09124 10+ year member]

I know this worked for me with running wires in my boat, perhaps it will work for you. Just duct tape a piece of string to the center channel wire, and pull the wire back out of its hole, so essentially all you have is a piece of string run from your receiver to the spot for the center channel. Now, duct tape two speaker wires to the string, and pull the string back through the wall.

Now you should have both wires run to the center channel. You may need to rub some petroleum jelly on it to lube it up a bit if it has a tendency to get snagged on anything.

 

[funkyab 10+ year member]

I know this worked for me with running wires in my boat, perhaps it will work for you. Just duct tape a piece of string to the center channel wire, and pull the wire back out of its hole, so essentially all you have is a piece of string run from your receiver to the spot for the center channel. Now, duct tape two speaker wires to the string, and pull the string back through the wall.
Now you should have both wires run to the center channel. You may need to rub some petroleum jelly on it to lube it up a bit if it has a tendency to get snagged on anything.

unless there are ties and harnesses along the runm which would be the case if it was a construction fresh install that I had done. ....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

I am thinking the biampable option that was not used might be the key here, and everything might be just fine.

 

[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

how about testing things before sealing up the job foo

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

To agree with some of the previous posts, it sounds like you CAN bi-amp your center. You, however, don't need to. Typically, I'm bi-amping mine. But, I'm a mad man.

If you do have to run a wire, fish tape works great. BUT, even easier if there is already a wire there and it is a semi straight shot in the wall. Just tape (hook, attach, etc etc) the new wire(s) onto the old wire pull gently and have someone feed as well. Oh, and keep your fingers crossed.

 

[GearGuy2001 10+ year member]

We are doing the same thing but our center channel has only one input.

We did the speakers in my room and the main room when we built the house and now we are doing the speakers and component/hdmi in the wall in the basement room/theatre

 

[stangman67 10+ year member]

How can I re-do it? The wires were run through the wall before the drywall was put up....the drywall is now in.
Side note - I didn't run the wires or do any electrical work, the electrician did, but we diagrammed it. It had been so long since I'd hooked up a surround sound system that I didn't even think about it.

To clarify, each speaker has one negative and one positive terminal, so there are 2 posts on the wall plate. This center speaker has two positives and two negatives because there is a tweeter and two woofers that are wired separately, so it should have been pre-wired for 4 posts on the wall plate, but it was only wired for 2. So now 2 of the posts will have to be wired directly to the receiver.

Your fine, the center channel can be biamped but it seems like you weren't planning on doing that. As long as the plates are there connecting the 2 pos terminals and the 2 neg terminals, all you have to do is run the pos and neg wires to one set of speaker terminals