Covering in-wall exit points for speaker wire?

[Mushkins]

So I just had some speaker wire run through the wall as a quick favor from the contractor doing another project for my two satellites behind the couch. Seeing as how it wasn't really a planned home audio installation, where it exits the wall to where the speakers are going to hang, its essentially just speaker wire dangling out of a ~.5 inch in diameter hole in the drywall.

Is there a reasonably clean way to dress these holes aside from using spackle to fill the whole thing? I'm worried that it'll look odd with a wire just jabbing out of the wall, and I also want to do something to make sure the wire cant fall backwards *into* the wall if I disconnect the speaker.

 

[iRONic]

Wall plate

Wall plate

 

[queequeg99]

So I just had some speaker wire run through the wall as a quick favor from the contractor doing another project for my two satellites behind the couch. Seeing as how it wasn't really a planned home audio installation, where it exits the wall to where the speakers are going to hang, its essentially just speaker wire dangling out of a ~.5 inch in diameter hole in the drywall.

Is there a reasonably clean way to dress these holes aside from using spackle to fill the whole thing? I'm worried that it'll look odd with a wire just jabbing out of the wall, and I also want to do something to make sure the wire cant fall backwards *into* the wall if I disconnect the speaker.

I typically cut a whole large enough to fit a single gang low voltage drywall ring (here is a link to a site that show what I'm talking about - you can get them at Home Depot and Lowe's as well):

http://deepsurplus.com/Network-Structured-Wiring/Dry-Wall-Brackets

I then get a solid nylon plate cover and drill the smallest hole I can get away with in the plate cover that still allows the speaker cable to fit through. In my installations, there is enough fraction to keep the wire from falling back through the hole. However, if you want to play things safe, you can always wrap some electrical tape around the speaker wire on the room-side of the plate (enough to create a diameter that is wider than the hole in the plate).

You can also get wall plates that are specifically made for speaker wire connections. I haven't done this as I didn't want to deal with multiple breaks in the wire. Here's an example:

http://www.summitsource.com/speaker...4.html?ref=1&gclid=CO2j8fuN17UCFcdxQgodiDQA3Q

 

[Mushkins]

Thanks for the suggestions, I was hoping for something smaller than two single gang wall plates hanging above the couch though Something more like a simple grommet that the speaker can more or less cover. A whole gigantic wall plate seems like overkill for a wee bitty 14 gauge wire.

How do they not make half gang wallplates?

 

[iRONic]

Thanks for the suggestions, I was hoping for something smaller than two single gang wall plates hanging above the couch though Something more like a simple grommet that the speaker can more or less cover. A whole gigantic wall plate seems like overkill for a wee bitty 14 gauge wire.

How do they not make half gang wallplates?

Are your speakers stand-mounted or wall-mounted? Any way you could position them so a wall plate is hidden?

 

[Mushkins]

Are your speakers stand-mounted or wall-mounted? Any way you could position them so a wall plate is hidden?

Wall mounted. Really just a screw in a drywall anchor popped into the back, nothing too fancy. They're not big speakers though, probably about the size of the wall plate itself.

 

[iRONic]

Wall mounted. Really just a screw in a drywall anchor popped into the back, nothing too fancy. They're not big speakers though, probably about the size of the wall plate itself.

Well then, the simplest solution is right in front of you. Get bigger speakers!

My work here is done.

 

[spacejamz]

nevermind...

 

[Kelvrick]

Well then, the simplest solution is right in front of you. Get bigger speakers!

My work here is done.

I agree. Why mount bookshelves when you can just buy a larger floorstanding speaker. Takes the hassle out of life. Don't forget to upgrade your receiver.

 

[sm625]

Just tape the wire to the wall to keep it from falling back into the wall. If the speaker is covering up the hole where the wire comes out, then the speaker can also cover up a piece of tape and 4-8 inches of slack.

 

[Mushkins]

I agree. Why mount bookshelves when you can just buy a larger floorstanding speaker. Takes the hassle out of life. Don't forget to upgrade your receiver.

Should I buy a boat and a couple of corvettes while im at it?

Turns out the speakers hide most of the hole well enough, and the guys at Home Depot pointed me to those little black grommets for office desks ><. Some spackle, some touch up paint, and some electrical tape to bulk up the speaker wire so it doesnt fall back through the hole. Problem solved i guess.

 

[purbeast0]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10517&cs_id=1051703&p_id=6727&seq=1&format=2

+

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8436&seq=1&format=2

+

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10426&cs_id=1042603&p_id=8434&seq=1&format=2

looks extremely clean, much better than a grommet with wires coming through a hole in the wall.

 

[wirednuts]

if you need something smaller then a wallplate, then just use regular speaker box terminals.

a simple hole saw will bore out the exact size you need, and these will just push in and stay there.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=260-295

theres nicer ones of course, but for 85 cents why not. if you need white, a 99 cent can of spray paint would do the trick!

 

[Zorba]

Wall plate

Wall plate

This is how I have always done it, looks much better than the wire sticking through a hole.

 

[wirednuts]

This is how I have always done it, looks much better than the wire sticking through a hole.

yup. although, i have seen plenty of installs where the wire is just mudded into the wall and done well, so it does look nice. and moreso because you dont really see it, especially when it comes out right next to the bracket.

with wallplates, you usually do see them, and they always look weird. a huge square on the wall for such a tiny basic connection... many installs i see, the wallpate isnt much smaller then the speaker its supplying.