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April 13, 2006
In-Wall Stereo Recommendations?
I need to run stereo and cat5 in our house this weekend. The walls are open so it's now or never.
I think I can figure out cat5. Just run a line from each spot I want to have an outlet, and back to the closet with the router. But I've just scratched the surface for stereo systems.
The big difference in my mind is analog volume controls or digital controllers. I'm not seeing a big price difference and I'm leaning toward digital controllers because they give more control and look easier to install. But I like analog because, well, volume knobs have been analog for about 100 years, and I think there will be analog volume knobs for another 100 years. Twisting is also much better than pushing buttons for volume control.
This is what I'm looking at.
Does anyone have any recommendations for systems or components?
Posted by David at April 13, 2006 11:52 AM
Comments
I like the simple look of the knob, versus the digital. My sister has them in her house and hasn't had any problems.
Posted by: Trissa at April 13, 2006 01:47 PM
We've got the old push button light switches. So I thought when I get ready to run speakers I'd try to find similar push button/dial analog switches so they blend in. I haven't found any yet. I think analog would be easier to repair too, but there aren't as many options as digital.
Posted by: ben at April 13, 2006 02:10 PM
Instead of "Hard wiring" one in place, can you run a hollow conduit w/ an electrical box at both ends of the run? I did that in my house when we had the walls open to allow for technology changes in future, and I can easily switch the wires or switch at a later date. I didn't want to limit myself in the future...
Posted by: Sean at April 13, 2006 02:47 PM
Why run wire at all for the network -- go wireless. The standard is going to change anyway (it's already gone from CAT5 to CAT5e, and there's also CAT6 -- but it has no hardware standard). For some audio applications such as CobraNet, there's shielded CAT5e. So I'd either go wireless or listen to Sean.
Posted by: Shauna at April 14, 2006 12:57 AM
I agree with Shauna, go wireless. Cheaper, easier, cleaner, imho anyway.
Posted by: Katharina at April 14, 2006 10:08 AM