Questions on In-Wall Wiring

Hi everyone, Well, I completed my home studio a year or so ago and it was a big success. Unfortunately, it is not BIG enough. Originally, it was designed for myself and another guitarist to have a comfortable place to play and record. Now I have a drum kit in there, and a bass player. The fact that I can have four amps and a kit going at once while the kids sleep upstairs is just awesome. However, I need to move a wall about four feet to make the room bigger. Since the existing wall has to be removed, I'm going to build a double-wall construction. The other walls are single walls (with lots of layers and flexible channels), but I figure it can't hurt to make this wall a double wall. Two doors aren't an option, unfortunately, as I don't have the room for the door to swing out of the room. But, I have learned some things and want to do things a bit differently. Primarily, I want to run some wire in the walls. My thought is to put plates behind my desk, run wires from those plates to plates on either side of the room. XLR is what I need, but I suppose running some TRS connectors isn't a bad idea. I'm just trying to create punch-in spots so I don't have to run long mic cables back behind the desk. I also plan on running some AV cable so that I can hang a projector from the ceiling. This will be hooked up to a computer and running a real-time visualizer. :) What cable do you recommend I use for the audio (I need at least 3 connectors), and what do you recommend for the video cable? I need to cover about 12' for the video. Also, any other advice? Since I have to move the wall, I would like to improve the studio in any way possible during the construction. thanks! :)

Do you know that the wall can be moved...for a fact? I mean, any wall can be moved, but how much is involved to remodel the existing structure if required?

xSpace wrote:

Do you know that the wall can be moved...for a fact? I mean, any wall can be moved, but how much is involved to remodel the existing structure if required?

Yes the wall can be moved and it's being done by a professional contractor. It's going to cost me between $3-$4k, but it can be done. We're going to build a dual-wall construction, and the wall on the inside of the studio will be angled a bit so it doesn't meet the sidewalls at a 90 degree angle.

Sounds like you got it all together then;)

What cable do you recommend I use for the audio (I need at least 3 connectors), and what do you recommend for the video cable? I need to cover about 12' for the video.

You have several options, depending on your budget. If I'm using multipair, personally I prefer Mogami. If budget is an issue, you can use multipair such as Gepco. Check the Sticky at the top of this forum on Technical Resources, there's a list of different cables. Video, depends on what you intend. Are you running VGA, RGB, etc.? What are you connecting? On another note about projectors you mentioned...they can be noisy on the cheaper models, so do some research. And once again, these can get extremely expensive quickly.

I checked out the links - thank you. Do you have a particular Mogami part number in mind for the cable?

Hi James, I'll double check these, but I believe these are the correct numbers that are the most common:

BTW, James... What a small world. You posted a message to me this morning on your site. :lol:

Aaronw wrote:

BTW, James... What a small world. You posted a message to me this morning on your site. :lol:

You have to be kidding me!? :shock: Wow, it IS a small world. :)

These are the correct numbers. This is what I have installed in my studio.

xSpace wrote:

Sounds like you got it all together then;)

Oh, all except the details. I want different lighting, I need to figure out the changes to the accoustic treatments, inwall wiring, angle of the wall, laminate flooring that will match the existing floor. you know, details. :)

>>> You have several options, depending on your budget. If I'm using multipair, personally I prefer Mogami. Mark at Lava Cable recommended either conare L-4E6S at $.70 a foot or Gepco X-Band at $.85 a foot. Would you recommend Mogami over either of these? >>> Video, depends on what you intend. Are you running VGA, RGB, etc.? What are you connecting? The projector is strictly for fun. I have a real-time audio visualizer that I feed from jamming, so on the wall is a visualization that moves with the music. It's a fun and creative experience. That's pretty much just a VGA signal to the LCD projector, and the projector isn't overly fancy.

Another question: Is it possible to run cable for SPDIF through the walls? It would nice to have that for connectivity...

Mark at Lava Cable recommended either conare L-4E6S at $.70 a foot or Gepco X-Band at $.85 a foot. Would you recommend Mogami over either of these?

I love Canare for mic cable. In fact, I even like it better for mic cables. I have a mixture of both the Canare and Mogami for mic cables. Years ago, I did a serious A/B comparison in listening to them, and the Canare appeared to have a better high frequency response (a little more top end). I haven't worked too much w/ their multipair though. I do know it's more difficult to work with (installing). The L-4E6S is also beast to work with because of the braided shielding.

The projector is strictly for fun. I have a real-time audio visualizer that I feed from jamming, so on the wall is a visualization that moves with the music. It's a fun and creative experience. That's pretty much just a VGA signal to the LCD projector, and the projector isn't overly fancy.

One of the reasons I asked about the projector, is usually the cheaper one's have some pretty noisy fans. If you were using it in a control room environment while mixing, etc. it would make it difficult to work.

Hi Aaron, The projector won't be an issue because I'll turn it off when recording or mixing, but I appreciate the question. I'm still undecided about the cable. I like Mark over at Lava, so I might go with the Conair. Having just wired up a rack system with the Lava ELC, I'm quite familiar with dealing with the shielding braid! No fun at all, but you can work it. I really need to update the rack project page. I ended up gutting EVERYTHING and started over. It came out amazingly well. I'm still waiting on Mario at Axxes Electronics to send me the FX1 so I can get everything programmed properly, but the rack is 99% done. So, are you burnhamd on the other forum? I'm trying to put the pieces together... :)

So, are you burnhamd on the other forum?

Not familiar w/ the term burnhamd, but definately confused on trying to make some features work... :? :( :roll:

Sorry about the confusion - what is your forum name on the other forum? :)

James, SPDIF is a 75 ohm coax signal so it can be run on video cable such as RG-59 - if you terminate at wall panels using BNC panel mounts, you can use it for either SPDIF or a camera. For SPDIF you'd need an adapter from BNC to RCA, available at Radio Shack or at REAL electronics stores :wink: IF you ever plan to use several digital devices, you may want to consider word clock distribution - for a few closely spaced devices, it's OK to "daisy chain" the WC signal but for more than a few feet, it will drive you nuts trying to phase sync your sound - better to use a common clock fed into a distribution amp, and ALL outputs of that DA should have the same length coax or you'll get minute phase shifts between channels that'll mess up stereo imaging, cause comb filtering, etc... Steve

Hi Steve, Thanks for the input. I couldn't get solid answers on the SPDIF, so I just wired analog connections. The walls are sealed up and in the 3rd mud coat, so it's past time to change it. :) I do appreciate your help though!