Big Picture Big Sound

Stealth Surround Sound

Getting Discrete Multi-Channel Sound Without Visible Wires

So you just spent a bunch of money on a really nice home theater system. You've got the swank flat-screen TV, a sweet home theater receiver, high-end speakers, and some fine-looking cabinetry. Everything's looking really good. That is - except for the wires creeping between your speakers, your subwoofer, and the rest of your audio gear.

If we can put a man on the moon, then we can certainly do something about hiding speaker wires, right? Of course, you can always go completely wire-free with a one-box virtual surround sound system like the Polk Audio SurroundBar or Yamaha Sound Projector. But these systems really don't compete with discrete multi-channel surround systems in creating a truly immersive surround sound experience. For that you simply need speakers behind you and in front of you.

So here are a few ideas to help you get started on your path to SSS (Stealth Surround Sound). From simple techniques for hiding your speaker wires to wireless speakers, the choice is yours.

Go In Over Your Head

Most drop ceilings tend to be less than stellar in appearance. But the one advantage they offer is that they're a great place to hide speaker cables. Just pop the tiles and run the cable above the ceiling grid.

If you have a media closet, you can just drill the necessary holes to get the wire from your gear up into the ceiling. If you have a TV cabinet, a rear projection set or a flat panel mounted on the wall, then hiding speaker wires that sneak up the wall requires a different approach.

You can buy special plastic channels called raceways or wire channels that you mount to your wall. They come in several colors, they're paintable, and they measure 1 inch in width on average depending on the type of cable you're hiding. Mount them in one of the corners on the wall nearest to your A/V gear so it extends from the floor right up to the ceiling. Run your speaker wire within there and when it reaches the top, just pop the wires into the ceiling.

How Low Can You Go?

If going high isn't an option, then try going low. You can usually hide speaker wire under the baseboard mouldings you may have running around the perimeter of your home theater or living room. Measure enough wire to run around the room from your receiver to where you want to connect your speakers, making sure to leave a few extra feet for clearance (so you can pull your receiver out to adjust your wiring without yanking the wire out of its new home). Use a screwdriver to tuck the wire between the carpet and the baseboard. Don't worry if it looks too tight to fit; there's usually plenty of room. If you're really pressed for space, then you can use flat speaker cable (more on this later).

Dust Isn't the Only Thing You Can Sweep Under the Carpet

Another option for hiding speaker wire is to just run the wire under the carpet itself. The risk here is the potential to feel or even see the dreaded "wire lumps" under your feet as you walk around the room. Generally speaking, the lower the gauge of your speaker wire, the thicker the wire will be so this is something you need to take into consideration. If you have thicker underpadding with a higher gauge wire, then you'll have a hard time seeing or feeling the wire.

If you don't want to risk visible, tangible wire lumps, then you can pick-up some flat speaker wire, from a variety of manufacturers. This wire can be as thin as a few sheets of paper and will be undetectable when run under the carpet.

Hopefully your carpet isn't laid yet, or you were planning to get new carpet anyway. If that's the case, you can work with the carpet installers to be sure they don't damage the wires with their installation tools. If your carpet is already installed, then you have a little more work to do.

Some carpets are glued to the floor. If so, scratch this option off your list. Other carpets are mounted to the floor using tackless strips. These are thin, inch-wide wooden strips studded with tiny spikes. The installers nail these strips spike-side-up along the outer perimeter of the room (even on cement). Then they stretch the carpet and tack it onto the strips.

If you're brave (and careful! wear heavy work gloves for this), you can gently pull the carpet from the strips and roll it and any padding back. Lay down your cable, then put the carpet and padding back in place. Pull the carpet as tightly as you can toward the wall and stick it back onto the strip. This isn't my first choice because the carpet may wrinkle and buckle in certain spots. Installers use a carpet stretcher (not a knee kicker) for just this reason.


Go Super-Stealth with In-Wall/In-Ceiling Speakers

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers offer an excellent alternative to traditional free-standing speakers if you want a clean, finished look. With this approach, both the speakers and the wires are hidden inside the walls or ceilings leaving virtually nothing exposed to critical eyes or to the curious hands of our smaller friends and family members. Ideally you need to lay the wiring before you put your drywall up. Snaking wires through existing sheetrock construction can be done (given the proper tools), but older plaster/lathing walls, or (worse) stud-free brick and concrete walls will present a serious challenge to wire-hiding wanna-bes.

If your walls are already finished, and you really want in-wall or in-ceiling speakers then you're going to have to cut holes in your walls to mount your speakers and run your cables through the walls and/or ceiling. Unless you're running the wire a very short distance, you'll probably need something called "fish tape" - a semi rigid cable holder that lets you push the wires through the space between the studs to traverse the length (or height) of the wall. Also, you will need to use speaker cable that is rated for in-wall use, and you might want to check with your local buildings department to make sure you don't need a special permit for running low voltage wire like this. This is probably the least preferred method of hiding wires because it's dirty work and can be pretty hard to do for the uninitiated. For this task, you might want to call in a professional - your walls, ceilings, spouse and/or room-mates will thank you for it.

Even "Wireless" Speakers Have Wires

You don't have to hide any wires if you don't have them in the first place, right? In reality, wireless speakers aren't as "wireless" as most people think. A big plus going for these speakers is that you completely avoid having to run any type of wire from your receiver to your rear speakers. The downside? You still have to plug them into an electrical outlet so that they can get power. If you have some convenient bookshelves in the rear of your room at the right height for surround speakers and close to a wall outlet, then wireless speakers may make sense but otherwise, you may want to consider other options.

Another disadvantage of wireless speakers is the potential of radio interference over the 2.4 GHz frequencies that many models use. Wireless speakers share the same public radio frequencies as many cordless telephones and wireless-enabled laptops. Microwave ovens can also wreak havoc on these speakers, so keep that in mind the next time you decide to make some popcorn during the big show. Some models use IR instead of radio frequencies to broadcast the signal to the wireless speakers, but these can be even more subject to interference than the RF models as they require a direct unobstructed line-of-sight between speaker and transmitter.

And finally (perhaps most importantly), it's really difficult to find wireless speakers that offer the same sound quality and dynamic range as traditional wired speakers. Sure, you'll get sound, but will it match the tone and timbre of your main speakers? Probably not.

Final Thoughts

Getting discrete multi-channel surround sound without visible wires is an attainable goal for those who wish to enjoy their music and movies with no sacrifice in quality, nor any negative aspect on aesthetics. Which approach you take depends on your specific room and skill level in home improvement tasks, but hopefully the above suggestions will get you well on your way to the goal of Stealth Surround Sound.

About The Author: Dennis McLaughlin is the publisher of DIY Home Theater Design, a site dedicated to helping the handy and the not-so-handy build a great home theater on a budget.

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