The Wiring Solution is a great way to hide the portion of your cable run between the bottom of your wall-mounted TV and the top of your A/V cabinet.

Wire ties, wire tacks, and raceways

One of the easiest ways to tidy up your A/V cable runs is to take advantage of accessories like wire ties, tacks, and raceways. They'll help you bundle the cables together and keep them in place, so that wherever your wires are visible, they look orderly and neat. Here are some tips for each of these solutions:

Wire ties

• Look for sturdy plastic wire ties or wire clamps made specifically for cable management — the flimsier ties often packaged with garbage bags won't be up to the task.
• After you've routed your cables and made all of the necessary connections, start bundling your cables at one end of your run. Move down the run, keeping them smooth and well-grouped, and add a tie every 3-4 feet.
• Be careful not to cinch the ties too tight.
• Once you've bundled cables along the length of your run, snip the excess plastic off of the wire ties for a groomed look.

Wire tacks

• Look for wire tacks that match the shape and size of the cable you wish to anchor, so that you don't accidentally pinch the cable and impair performance. For example, wire tacks designed for flat speaker wire would be ill-suited for a rounder, bulkier subwoofer cable.
• Be careful not to nick or pierce the cable when hammering tacks.

Raceways

• Cable management raceways attach to your wall or baseboard, and most are paintable to match your décor. They're a great solution for hiding speaker cable running to a wall-mounted speaker, for example, or power and A/V cables under a wall-mounted TV.
• Make sure that the raceway offers enough space to comfortably accommodate all of the cable you wish to route through it.

Run wire along the edge of wall-to-wall carpeting, below the baseboard

Another quick option is to tuck your cables along the edge of your wall-to-wall carpeting. While this isn't a good option for large cables or bundles of cables, it's great when you're just trying to hide an unsightly wire or two — for example, if you're running wire to surround speakers in the back of your room.

• Check that there's enough space for your wires. Keep in mind that you don't want the wire to get pinched, so make sure there's some breathing room. Since the amount of space between your carpet and baseboard can vary at different spots in your room, check numerous points along your intended wire route.
• Don't jam your wires all the way into corners — those sharp right angles can pinch the conductor and impede performance. Instead, allow your wires to surface briefly and make a more gradual curve.
• Minimize the amount of visible cable by exiting the baseboard/carpet hiding place at strategic spots — for example, behind furniture, or directly below an on-wall speaker.
• Camouflage your wire when it is visible. For example, you could use flat, paintable speaker wire and paint it the color of your walls, baseboard, or even carpet.

Looking for low-profile cables? Consider flat, paintable speaker wire.

Run wire along your wall or baseboard

This is a common solution, and often the most practical for lots of folks. Tacking wire to your wall may seem self-explanatory, but the tips below can help you get great performance, as well as less intrusive wiring.

• If possible, select paintable cables and match them to your wall or baseboard color.
• Use wire tacks or clips to secure the cable once every 1-2 feet. Make sure they match the shape and size of the cable you wish to anchor, so that you don't accidentally pinch the cable and impair performance. Also, be careful not to nick or pierce the cable when hammering tacks.
• Keep wire out of the main field of view when possible to prevent it from interfering with the things you want to look at, like paintings and photographs. For example, if you're running wire to surround speakers that are mounted relatively high up on your wall, you may not want to run the wire up the wall right below the speakers. Instead, it may make more sense to run the wire up the wall in a place that's less visible, like behind a tall piece of furniture, and then run it the rest of the way high up on the wall or along your crown molding. Then, run the wire down the wall to the speakers.

Our self-adhesive, color-coded labels keep your audio, video, speaker, and power cables clearly identified.

Organize the cables behind your A/V cabinet

Anyone with a couple of components knows how quickly those audio, video, and power cables can add up into a tangle of wires. Here are some tips to detangle the mess and get a clean-looking setup that performs well.

• Use Crutchfield's CableLabels™ to clearly identify your cables. That way, it'll be easier when you swap out your receiver down the road, or add a new component to the mix.
• Keep excess cabling in an "S" or figure-eight shape (not in a loop) to prevent electromagnetic interference.
• Drill screws, hooks or pegs into the back of your cabinet and wind your cables around them. To make sure you don't create any sharp bends in the cables, install multiple screws to create smooth, gradual curves.
• Use wire tacks or clips to anchor individual wires to the back of your cabinet. Make sure they match the shape and size of the cable you wish to anchor, so that you don't accidentally pinch the cable and impair performance. Also, be careful not to nick or pierce the cable when hammering tacks.
• Use plastic A/V wire ties to organize your cables into bundles. Be sure not to cinch the ties down too tightly and pinch the cables.
• Bundle A/V and power cables separately to avoid audio or video interference. Try to keep A/V and power cables a few inches apart; if they do intersect, keep them at right angles.