New home wiring

[SeedlessOne]

Okay so I hate to even be this guy starting a "how to wire my house thread" but I've just had a curve-ball thrown at me.  So I  am very familiar with network wiring as its my profession, but I've never really dealt with whole home audio. This weekend I am wiring my new construction house for cat6 data and audio through out.  
 
Let me start with what I would like to accomplish.  I would like to be able to listen to radio and internet radio stations like Pandora through out the house.  I would also like to be able to listen to difference music in each room.  The original plan was to run cat6 and 16-4 to each keypad and then 16-2 to each speaker from the keypad.  I was told today (by a very knowledgeable wiring guy) that I didn't need to do that.  He is telling me I only need to run cat6 from the keypad to media room and just speaker wire to the keypad.  Is this correct?  I am more less wanting to just get the wires in place and then decide on how to distribute later. I would rather wire for many different options of distribution.  I was looking at Russound as it was recommended but their website doesn't have too much info.  Any info would be great as I need to have a good game plan by Friday.  I've got 2000ft of cat6, 500ft of 16-2 and 500ft of 16-4.  Thanks a bunch!!

 

[picta]

The wiring method will depend on the system used. If you choose Russound, for example, you'll need to run cat5 to each keypad and 16/2 to each room speaker from a central location. If you choose an A-bus system, then you run cat5 to a keypad and 16/2 to each speaker from the keypad. To make it the most flexible installation, you can run 16/2 to each speaker from central location, 16/2 from speakers to the room keypad, and cat5 to each keypad from central location. You can easily achieve your goals with the Russound system and a few Sonos players connected to it as sources.

 

[drvnbysound]

The signal has to get from the amplifier to the speaker any way you slice it; the only difference is whether you run the speaker wire to a keypad location first or not. Personally, I think it would be more beneficial to homerun the it to the keypad location anyway.
 
A ) If you select a system that requires the speaker wire at the keypad it's already there.
B ) If you select a system that doesn't need the speaker wire at the keypad, you can simply wire nut the wires together behind the keypad.
 
Note, I actually ran 16/4 to my keypad locations. I utilize (2) speakers in areas of large enough space, and dual-tweeter speakers in areas with a single speaker.

 

[nightwalker]

I ran 16/4, Cat5e and 22/4 to each keypad location from the wiring closet and then 16/2 from the keypad to the room speaker locations. I did this long ago and have been through a couple of different audio systems since and haven't been caught short yet.

 

[pete_c]

Yeah; here too ran 16/4 and 16/2 and cat5e relating to audio everywhere some 10 years ago.  At the time I also purchased some in wall speakers.  These were all the same and I purchased a few cases of them. 
 
Initially started with the Leviton Chopin audio digital audio controls (1-2 years); then went to using a  Russound zoned audio system.
 
Example of zoned audio on the second floor of the two story is:
 
1 - 4 bedrooms each with two in wall speakers plus the hallway.
 
2 - master bedroom / master bathroom is also wired for 5.1 subzone of the master Russound zone.
 
IE: such that there is 5 primary Russound audio zones on the 2nd floor and today some 4 subzones of audio if that makes any sense.
 
I am using Leviton HAI Omnitouch consoles, Russound KPL's and Homeseer HSTouch consoles relating to managing just the base stuff.
 
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