A new bedroom speaker setup

[kiwi32]

Hello,
I am planning to build a small but decent audio setup for music listening only.It will be located in a bedroom as a second listening room(read:when I don't want to disturb everyone else in the home by using my main living room setup).

One might notice that I built an audio rig consisting of a CD,Tape,and MD deck with a turntable and a denon avr 21xx receiver.I also have an EQ and a reverb unit is on its way.All this stuff is downstairs,connected to a mixer along with my computer creative soundcard out and my ipod.There is also a Logitech G51 surround speaker set for light listening.

That said,in the main living room setup upstairs there's a nice audio setup.A pair of Energy connoisseur C4 driven by a NAD 712 receiver and a matching NAD Cd player.The downstairs system out is splitted and plugged in the NAD using RCA cables(about 50ft end to end).This setup sounds really nice to me.What I am trying to do is to recreate this sound quality in my bedroom.
Located at around 100ft end to end from my downstairs rig,I am planning to use 100ft speaker cables(from monoprice for in wall installation)to plug my denon receiver to my future speakers.I like the surround effect of my creative card,which transform 2.1 music in 5.1 output by splitting some of the music on the rear.It creates a nice enveloping sensation and does not deteriorates music quality of the front.Sure isn't true 5.1 but the effect is nice to my hears.So I am planning to get a 4.1 setup(4 since center is not needed considering the size of the bedroom).

I just grabbed an energy XL-S8 sub along some 5 Klipsch Quintet II speakers for 120$ shipped.I am not expecting a lot from those Klipsch,I purchased it for the energy sub.
I should be able to sell them for around 120$ on ebay.That means an almost free energy sub(even less considering shipping!).
With that 120$,I am planning to get at least the front speakers.What I'll do is to search deeply through every used ad sale site I know and on ebay to dig a nice set.Since I like the sound of energy ,I would like to see this brand for the fronts at least.I won't buy them until a month so I have time to search.I'd like to hear you recomandations!

Here are a few questions on my mind:
1-That 100ft speaker run is driving me crazy!Any other recommendations?Even from monoprice it will cost 70$ for all this cabling in gauge 16 since I will need 2 pairs + 1 rca for the sub (see below question).
2-The woofer accepts High or line level inputs.It looks like high level inputs provides better sound,but I am not sure how to plug it.There is 2 high level inputs on the back: http://2.ly/dgc3
3-Will I get a significant difference in sound(not power) due to the 100ft run?
4-What do you think of those Klipsch?
5-What about those:
Polk R40
Mirage FRX-1
Energy C-50


Thanks for reading!

[JoeE SP9]

100 foot speaker cables? Not recommended by me or any I know. I'm pretty sure any response you get will be just about the same.

[kiwi32]

really?I tough this was pretty common...

[MikeyBC]

100 feet wouldn't be good for critical listening, but it will work, I really doubt you'd hear a big difference if any with those Klipsch you picked up

[kiwi32]

Maybe not with those klipsch,but as stated in the post,I am not planning on keeping these.
In fact I'm broke and was supposed to wait a month until getting the fronts,but I have a 150$ deal on a pair of Energy 4.1e and might pick them up this week(no,you shouldn't you're broke,you know it,wait,there will be other deals).

When you say "hear the difference"what difference exactly might I expect?
I red somewhere that only volume will be affected,that is,I will have to pump up the volume more than if it was a 10ft run to get a decent level.If that is the case,I really don't mind since I do not plan on listening to high volume levels:my goal is not to disturb the whole house.

If it's something in the sound then this is problematic.Balance between lows/mids/highs ?
Thanks for your tips.

[Hyfi]

I run about 50' of good rat shack wire to my Family room running JM Labs speakers and also another run outside to my Athena patio speakers.

Both of these are run from a Niles box connected to the second taps of my Counterpoint amp.

Surprisingly, the JMs sound very good as do the Athena. You could easily test by buying two rolls of 100' cable and terminate to the speakers and then swap in a 10' pc to see if YOU hear any difference that would deter you from doing it.

[kiwi32]

Hyfi,I think this is exactly what I'll do.In fact,do I have the choice?What else could I do since my speakers are indeed 100ft away from the source?
Aside from speaker wire,I have no other options that I can think of.
Thanks.

[Poultrygeist]

You can buy good gear so cheap these days you should consider another amp and sources.

I ran some Monoprice 14 gauge wires some 50 ft out to my porch without any degradation.

[kiwi32]

Well,in that case,I do have a few hundreds of gear down there.Plus,I would have to use another PC or some kind of media box to stream my music.I simply don't have the space and money for that.
I'm going to shoot for a 100ft 12 gauge cable and see what happens.Please take a look at the next questions:


2-The woofer accepts High or line level inputs.It looks like high level inputs provides better sound,but I am not sure how to plug it.There is 2 high level inputs on the back: http://2.ly/dgc3
4-What do you think of those Klipsch?
5-What about those:
Polk R40
Mirage FRX-1
Energy C-50
Energy 4.1e

[Poultrygeist]

Pre-outs from amp to line level inputs on sub via RCA cables ( Monoprice only has 50 foot RCAs). A single sub out ( LFE ) on a receiver can be connected to sub L&R via a Y connector or a single cable can be connected to the mono side of sub. Avoid speaker level connections as this can remove the lower bass from the amp and mains.

[kiwi32]

I tought doing this would give me lower sound quality than speakers cables?
And why is there a left and right?

EDIT: Monoprice does make a 100ft version : http://2.ly/dgzj

[Poultrygeist]

No matter what connections you make 100 ft runs will probably take their toll. Subs are mono so you can connect just one side on many of them. On some you must use a Y connection as the signal may not be strong enough on the mono side. Your sub woofer manual should give you all the connection options. The best situation in which to use speaker level sub connections is where one has small satellites that wouldn't produce much bass on their own. With a pre-amp line level the sub and mains operate independent of each other and this offers better control options.

I once used 50 ft RCA cables to carry audio from a cable box to a remotely located receiver. The quality wasn't much different from the wireless X-Fi that replaced it.

[audio amateur]

100ft? That's huge, can you not find a way to shorten the cable path? Whatever you do, use thick speaker wires for that, 12 gauge or more...

[kiwi32]

Ok,after everyone saying its not a good idea to do a 100ft run of speaker wire,I am considering another solution.
Use the digital out of the basement receiver to run a single toslink 100ft cable and buy a cheap,used amp to drive the speakers at the other end.I could probably put the receiver in a hidden place(say,a drawer) and only open it when needed

[JoeE SP9]

For less than $30 the Monoprice 100ft. Toslink cable looks like a good deal.

[kiwi32]

Only problem is I now need another receiver :(

[audio amateur]

Be careful not to bend the toslink too much they are fragile

[kiwi32]

The Mp ones are pretty solid,they are very tick shielded and have a metal mesh to allow easy routing thru walls.
I just sent a partial payment for those energy,couldn't resist.Any body have personal experience with this model?