I just purchased the Energy Take Classic 5.1 system and need some help setting everything up. I used to have one of those Sony home theater in a box systems that included everything but I got rid of it since the sound was disappointing.

Anyways, what else do I need to purchase in order to get this working? I'm looking to get an audio receiver from Costco sometime this week. Any recommendations? Also, the house is very old with plaster walls, so it's impossible to pull wiring behind the walls. I don't want any visible wires so I was thinking of using regular wire tucked in the base boards and flat wires to go up the walls.

I found this, but don't know it it's any good: http://www.amazon.com/Sewell-AWG-Adh...ell+Ghost+Wire

 

^if you read the reviews in that amazon link, pro installers had trouble terminating the flat wire.

 

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and pick up some "Wiremold" raceway. It's in the electrical department. It's a flat track that you can hide wires behind. Works great for hiding audio cables, power cords, etc.

 

http://www.electronichouse.com/slide...egory/6423/986

 

 

OP, the stuff you posted is good but you have to buy the terminal that goes with it unless you are skilled at soldering stranded wire to flat solid wiring. I've used it a couple of times and concealed it with drywall mud

 

I'm not a fan of those tracks and wanted to avoid those. They look worse than having wires stapled to the wall and painted over . I'm trying to find something that will blend in completely to the wall. I was thinking of just running the wire between the base boards and the carpet. All I need is to figure out a way to bring the wire up the walls to the speakers.

 

The only solutions out of those that will work are the flat wires. The fake crown molding wont work because the house already has crown molding made into the plaster. I'll take pictures later.


I wonder if there is a wireless solution?

 

Also, what do I need to look for when buying an audio reciever?

 

If you have equipment to hook into the receiver that doesn't have HDMI connection make sure that the receiver has the legacy inputs that you need. I've noticed a big push with this years receivers to ditch much of the legacy stuff.

 

They make special base molding with a channel for wiring...

OR, remove the base molding that is there and dig a trench in the plaster underneath it to fit the wire, then reapply the molding (you could also use a router to make a channel in the back of the molding if it is thick enough).

 

You should be able to run wires behind the plaster/lathe. Cut a hole for an electrical box and that should give to enough room to drop a plumb bob to the baseboard or use a fish tape. Pop off the baseboard and drill a hole and fish out the plumb bob/fish tape and pull the wire back up the wall. Install an electrical box with an audio outlet plate to accept banana plugs or whatever you're using.

 

Why is it not possible to run wiring in side the wall? Is there a basement below or attic above? If you are going to run the wiring under the carpeting, do yourself a favor and buy this kit:



I purchased the same kit from one of my suppliers for a job in which we had to install a system in a room that was previously a garage, so it was on a slab. Cathedral ceiling so no access above. The contractor went ahead and had his painters paint the entire room before we got in there to run wires, so we had no choice but to run the wiring under the carpeting around the edge. The kit I linked saved me a ton of time and made it easy. I had in wall speakers, so I was able to reach my whole arm down to grab the snake, which is rather thin.

If you want to make it easy for yourself, get yourself a set of fiberglass glow rods as well, one that come with a hook.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Too...5#.UfM_NG3OBrM

Take some cat5 and strip it back about 4 feet. Take one pair of wires and tape both ends to the snake that come with the kit, creating a large loop. Now stuff that in the wall. Shoot the glow rods down the wall with the hook attached and try to snag the loop and pull it up. Will save you hours of time to complete the install.

This is how it looked more or less going into the wall. I cut the tack strip with my multitool first to give the drill bit apparatus its required room. The wire was moved to the outside of the tack strip to allow the carpet to tuck in properly. The carpet was replaced from that pink crap about 30 minutes after we finished running the wires.




More or less finished picture. Waiting on a more permanent equipment stand still. They preferred to have the stand off to the side to allow for the center channel. It's a little distracting at first, but what are you going to do. The original plan was to have an equipment rack in the closet, but they contractors decision to NOT wait for us to run wires changed that plan. Oh well.