Centre speaker via ethernet?

BoardsMember

I've a room wired with speakers in 4 corners, wired back to a 5.1 yamaha amp. If I want to run a 5.1 system I need a centre speaker. The location for the centre speaker has CAT6A, and the amp is beside the patch panel. I've done some googling but there doesn't seem to me a way to send sound down ethernet. Or whatever I have read gets into resistance and ohms and stuff I don't understand.

Is there any off the shelf adapters to convert output from the amp into ethernet, and then at the speaker end to convert it back tonstandard speaker wire?

I know there are audio transmitters, but I'd be worried about the timing, the 4 wired speakers being out of sync with the wireless. Which may of course be an issue with any ethernet/speaker wire adapter.

Idleater

You can try to use the actual wire as speaker cable? Half of the pairs for left/right.

It would mean wrecking the existing conditions (cutting them off) unless you find something like an Ethernet coupler for each end and cut a patch cable in half (one for each end)

fael

How is the CAT6A run? If in a conduit or if it's a smooth run without too many obstacles you might be able to pull a new cable into the location. Attach fish tape (something like this Zocipro 20M Fish Tape Wire Puller Through Wall, Cable Running Puller Rods, Electrical Wire Threader Puller with 2 Metal Lock Wires for Communication Cable, Wall, Floor Duct (Width 4mm) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools, or grab it at your local electrical shop) to one end of the CAT6 and pull the CAT6 back to the patch panel. Then when the fish tape comes out at the panel attach the speaker cable and pull it back to the speaker location. With or without the CAT6 still attached, that would depend on how much wiggle room (pun intended) you have. Bonus points if you run some smooth poly rope from patch panel to speaker so that if you have to do it again you can use the rope to pull the fish tape through.

BoardsMember

Thanks for the advice people. I might need to ask the electrician about how it is wired. When I tried pulling some slack on the speaker wire it didn't pull too easily, so I have my doubts there is conduit.

I'd prefer to know that the speaker wire would work in theory. I guess I could get some spare CAT6A and test it.

Idleater

Speaker wire is not shielded, and there is no problem using single vs multiple stranded cable. For audio, it's just two copper connections.

The only issues that might arise may be that the 4 strands are still too thin a gauge connection for the current being passed.

A random google search says it's perfectly fine.

Eg https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cmple.com/amp/learn/how-to-use-in-wall-ethernet-as-a-speaker-wire

fael

Any cable that conducts electricity works in theory. However cat6 has 24awg pairs, which is 4x0.2mm2 = 0.8mm2 in total. Decent speaker cable is 2.5mm2 so don't expect quality unless you have a very small speaker that doesn't require much power.

Have a go and see for yourself if you want.

BoardsMember

Thanks @fael I think that's the crux of the issue, it can technically work but for a decent speaker it won't be able to carry enough power.

meep

You will likely have better luck sending line level rather than speaker level audio over the CAT cable. You'd need to move your amp (or an amp if you need something visually discrete) next to the speaker, and use something like this that's designed to send audio over network cable (not through a switch , mind, direct cable connection only!)

This one might be even better. It ships to Ireland, and doesn't need a power supply.

BoardsMember

Thanks @meep for the links. The issue I have is that the 4 x wired speakers, the amp and the HDMI for the projector (the only source I need) are all wired back to the cabinet, patch panel is there too. So line level is not really an option - I won't have the amp where I want the speaker.

I'm trying to find a way to have a centre speaker in the room with the 4 wired corner speakeers. I may end up just having a (very) sub-optimal set-up with 4 corner speakers and use for sport with an all channel stereo setting or something like that.

fael

It's an annoying problem @BoardsMember

Unfortunately without a dedicated speaker cable for the center I think everything else will just be a compromise that might not be worth it.

Is it a modern amp that sets up automatically using a mic? If so they can adjust the timings for speaker cable length. Perhaps they can deal with a wireless center speaker by delaying the rest of the channels. Then on top of that you would have to solve for lip-sync issues. Could be solvable though.

All wireless speakers would work but then you need power everywhere and obviously expensive.

If it's worth it to you maybe get an electrician out to run the cable for you? They might have better equipment that would allow them to do it in an hour or so. Just guessing here.

BoardsMember

Thanks @fael - I've a fairly basic amp right now. I may just accept my lot and use the setup for sports events, in which case all channel stereo will be fine.

I already have a decent (wired) 5.1 system in another room, so this is more a luxury or folly.

I don't think getting the electrician back will go down well with herself, she loves the wall with no centre speaker!