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Most of the work happens before anything is visible: deciding which rooms get sound, where the amplifiers and sources will live, how cable reaches each speaker and screen, and how the network will carry streaming. It's far easier while walls are open during a renovation or a new build, though experienced installers can fish cable into finished walls. The home theatre page covers a dedicated media room; this page covers audio and video spread through the rest of the house and outdoors.
Speaker wire and AV cable are low-voltage work for the installer. New outlets and circuits go to a licensed electrician, and hanging a TV on the wall has its own page.
Whole-home audio systems: listening zones, streaming amplifiers and wall keypads
Whole-home audio divides the house into zones, each able to play its own source at its own volume or join the others for a party. A zone might be the kitchen and dining room together, the primary bedroom, the basement or the deck. Settling the zones first determines how many amplifier channels, cable runs and controls the system needs.
- Centralized systems: a multi-zone amplifier in one rack sends signal over speaker wire to passive in-wall and in-ceiling speakers in every zone.
- Streaming amplifiers: a compact amplifier for each zone, often tucked into a closet or cabinet, that plays music from phones and streaming services over the network.
- Wireless speakers: self-powered speakers grouped in an app, the simplest route in a finished house, though each needs an outlet and a strong Wi-Fi signal.
- Controls: phone apps for most people, plus wall keypads or simple remotes for guests, children and anyone who'd rather not reach for a phone.
- Integration: announcements, doorbell chimes or morning routines through the home automation system, where the audio system supports it.
In-wall vs. in-ceiling speakers for kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms and decks
In-ceiling speakers spread sound evenly and all but disappear, which makes them the usual choice for background music in kitchens, hallways, bathrooms and open-plan spaces. In-wall speakers aim sound at the listener, so they suit living rooms where music or TV sound needs a clear left and right, and they're easy to place at ear height beside a screen. Angled in-ceiling models are a compromise where walls are taken up by windows or cabinets.
Location changes the specification. Speakers near a shower or bathtub should be rated for moisture, and speakers on a covered porch or deck should be built for outdoor use, since humidity, sun and freeze-thaw cycles wear out indoor models. Pot lights, smoke alarms and heating registers already compete for ceiling space, so laying out the speakers alongside the lighting plan avoids a cluttered ceiling and speakers pushed into poor positions.
Speaker wire and AV cable in walls: code-rated cable, home runs and conduit
Every cable hidden in a wall or ceiling should carry a rating for in-wall use printed on its jacket, which shows an inspector or a future buyer that it's code-compliant cable rather than cord meant for a shelf. Speaker wire also comes in different thicknesses: longer runs and more demanding speakers call for heavier wire, which the installer chooses zone by zone.
- Run each speaker and keypad back to the equipment location, a layout called home runs, so zones can be rearranged later without opening walls.
- Leave empty conduit from the rack to each TV location, since video connections change faster than walls get opened.
- Use cable rated for outdoor or direct-burial use for deck, patio and garden speakers, and seal it where it passes through the exterior wall.
- Send video to distant screens with extenders that run over network cable, which cope with long distances better than long video cables.
- Label every run at both ends and photograph open walls before the drywall goes up.
Planning the equipment rack and TV locations for a multi-room AV system
A whole-home system needs one home for its amplifiers, streamers, network switch and video sources: a closet, a basement utility area or a cabinet with a door. Choose a spot with room for air to circulate, access to the back of the equipment, and a network connection close by, well away from the furnace, the water heater and anywhere that could take on water.
Settle each TV location early, because it decides where video, network and power are needed on that wall. Choosing the bracket, anchoring it and setting the height are covered on the TV mounting page; for AV planning, what matters is a recessed box behind the screen for connections and a conduit linking it to the rack or to the cabinet below.
Power for amplifiers, racks and outdoor speakers: licensed electrical work
Amplifiers for several zones, subwoofers, streaming gear and a network switch add up, and an equipment closet often has a single outlet on a circuit shared with other rooms. A dedicated circuit to the rack, a recessed outlet behind a wall-mounted TV or a weatherproof outlet for a powered speaker on the deck all involve the house wiring and aren't do-it-yourself jobs. In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) says homeowners may legally hire only a Licensed Electrical Contractor for electrical work; in Quebec, the CMEQ says electrical work for others requires a licensed electrical contractor. Speaker wire, AV cable and network cable remain the AV installer's job, so plan both trades together.
Keeping whole-home audio from disturbing other rooms and units
Music in the kitchen shouldn't keep a child awake upstairs or bother the tenant in a basement suite. Ceiling speakers send sound into the joist space as well as the room, so enclosures behind them help limit what reaches the floor above, and per-zone volume limits and subwoofers kept off shared walls help too. Stopping sound from travelling between rooms or units takes changes to the construction itself, not better speakers; the soundproofing page explains the options, which are best planned before the drywall is closed.
Network needs for streaming audio and video around the house
Streaming amplifiers, wireless speakers and TVs all depend on the home network. Wire what you can: a network cable to each streaming amplifier, TV and the equipment rack is more dependable than Wi-Fi, and it helps grouped speakers stay in sync. Where speakers stay wireless, check the signal at each location, and see the Wi-Fi installation page if coverage is patchy.
Putting connected equipment on a separate network from your computers, as Get Cyber Safe suggests for smart devices, takes some planning here: many audio apps only find speakers on the same network as the phone, so the installer should arrange things so control still works. Smart speakers with voice assistants also have microphones, so decide which rooms really need one, and keep every device's software updated.
Audio & Video Installation: frequently asked questions
Can in-ceiling speakers be added without opening the whole ceiling?
Usually. Installers cut only the speaker openings and fish wire through the joist spaces from an attic or an unfinished basement. Joists running the wrong way or blocking between them can require a few small access holes that are patched afterwards.
What's the difference between whole-home audio and wireless speakers?
Whole-home audio usually means built-in speakers wired to amplifiers, with zones controlled from one app or wall keypads. Wireless speakers are self-contained and grouped in an app. Many homes combine both.
Do outdoor speakers need to come inside for the winter?
Speakers rated for outdoor use are built to stay out, but check the manufacturer's instructions for cold weather. Mount them under an overhang where possible, and bring in any speaker that isn't outdoor-rated.
What kind of cable should be used for in-wall speakers?
Speaker wire marked on its jacket as rated for in-wall use, in a thickness suited to the length of the run. Ordinary cord meant for connecting equipment on a shelf doesn't belong inside walls or ceilings.
Do I need an electrician for an audio and video installation?
Not for speaker wire, AV cable or network cable. You do for a new outlet behind a TV, a dedicated circuit for the equipment rack or an outdoor outlet: a Licensed Electrical Contractor in Ontario, or a master electrician who is a CMEQ member in Quebec.
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Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides