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[Peter Kowalczyk]

Heyo,

I'm searching for some shielded twisted pair wire for an audio installation.  It will carry line-level analog audio from a mixer or system processor to some self-powered speakers, and be enclosed in the walls of this new construction.

Searching through Markertek's offerings, West Penn 291 appears to be a very economical option.
West Penn 291 @ Markertek
... but the fact that it's half the price of Belden's similar offerings makes me wonder...

Has anyone used this wire in this capacity before, and would you recommend it?  Would you recommend something different?

Anything else I should consider when spec'ing wire for installed analog balanced audio distribution?  Just emailed the installers to see if they have a recommendation but I figured I'd ask you all while waiting on their response.

Thanks!
P

[Caleb Dueck]

West Penn is great.  X454 (x being color code) if non-plenum, and 25291 if plenum.  If you're pulling through conduit, 454 with various colors is great. 

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

Heyo,

I=
Searching through Markertek's offerings, West Penn 291 appears to be a very economical option. West Penn 291 @ Markertek
... but the fact that it's half the price of Belden's similar offerings makes me wonder...

Belden is like Mercedes, West Penn is like Ford. Both will get you to where you are going just as fast as the other. Just depends on how much money you want to spend to get there. 

-Hal

[Ivan Beaver]

Back in my install days, we used West Penn 291 for line and mic level signals, control lines etc.

I have installed many many miles of it, and never had an issue.

We used all of the resistor color code colors.  It makes it easy to identify the different lines.

[Josh Millward]

These days West Penn x454 is my go to for installation.

Many years ago I first started with 291 and it was always very adequate for mic and line level balanced and unbalanced audio signals.

I just love the fact that x454 strips a lot easier than 291 since the foil shield is bonded to the jacket and there is no plastic wrap inside the cable on the x454.

The variety of colors is always handy when you are pulling in a pile of cable.

[John Rutirasiri]

FWIW West Penn is owned by Belden.

John R.

[David Sturzenbecher]

FWIW West Penn is owned by Belden.

John R.

Interesting... did not know this. Have they always been together?


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[Cailen Waddell]

Interesting... did not know this. Have they always been together?


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They also recently (last year or so) bought Gepco I believe...


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[John Rutirasiri]

Interesting... did not know this. Have they always been together?

I think it's been about 10 years.

Gepco was supposedly bought by Belden late last year, not sure if it's a done deal.

John R.

[Ron Hebbard]

I think it's been about 10 years.

Gepco was supposedly bought by Belden late last year, not sure if it's a done deal.

John R.

My only complaint with the West Penn was it didn't pull out of the cardboard cartons as easily as the Belden, not even close.  If you're only dealing with one carton at a time, you can give each carton a little more tenderness and personal attention but if you're trying to pull 48 pairs plus 5 spares simultaneously I found dealing with West Penn's cardboard boxes a serious pain and time waster.  And then there was all the extra time required to separate the plastic from the wood from the cardboard when taking your empty cartons out to the recycling bins.  Again, If I'd only been dealing with a carton or two possibly I wouldn't feel so strongly annoyed by this but when you're pulling in about 250,000 feet of cable on one project I found the annoyance factor FAR too high.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

Those boxes are made for pulling a single, maybe two runs. At least that's all I've found them good for. Some are probably better than others I suppose but I can't tell you how many times I've kicked the hell out of one because I was half way through a pull and the thing got all tangled up. "Unreel", "Reel in-a-Box", whatever, doesn't matter. So I decided long ago to prefer my cable on reels and if you are going to do a project that requires any where near 250,000 feet you'll be pulling your hair out (not wire) with those boxes.

Get yourself a couple of these. You can get a lot of 1000' reels of two pair on that.



-Hal

[Ron Hebbard]

Those boxes are made for pulling a single, maybe two runs. At least that's all I've found them good for. Some are probably better than others I suppose but I can't tell you how many times I've kicked the hell out of one because I was half way through a pull and the thing got all tangled up. "Unreel", "Reel in-a-Box", whatever, doesn't matter. So I decided long ago to prefer my cable on reels and if you are going to do a project that requires any where near 250,000 feet you'll be pulling your hair out (not wire) with those boxes.

Get yourself a couple of these. You can get a lot of 1000' reels of two pair on that.



-Hal

I actually found the small, solidly built, plastic jacks that would elevate lengths of rigid conduit and wooden or metal 1,000' and 5,000' reels quite pleasant to deal with.  The last theater I pulled, we received twisted pair red and black 10 gauge on 5,000' reels (5,000' AFTER twisting) and those were some beefy reels to roll around the project.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

[John Rutirasiri]

On a recent install, a retired AT&T tech who pulled cables all his life laughed at us when he saw the wire cart. 
"Fellas, all you need is two chairs and a broom."

John R.

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

On a recent install, a retired AT&T tech who pulled cables all his life laughed at us when he saw the wire cart. 
"Fellas, all you need is two chairs and a broom."

John R.

Two chairs and a broom isn't always easy to come by in new construction.  Besides, try that with Ron's 1000' reel of twisted 10 gauge and you'll be going through quite a few brooms. I've tried all kinds of makeshift reel support ideas over the years. Usually more trouble than they were worth.

-Hal

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