How the counts and the cable total are produced
The X.Y.Z notation is itself the definition: X main channels, Y subwoofers, Z height channels. This page reads the layout you pick straight off that notation to count units, and choosing a soundbar collapses the mains into one unit with no separate amplifier. Total cable length is the per-unit run multiplied by the units that need wiring, added together, then increased by your slack allowance.
The runs and the slack allowance are figures you measure yourself. No recommended distance or allowance is published here, because routes behind walls and furniture positions vary too much to reduce to one number. Written as of October 2026.
This tool counts units and length only. Sound quality comparisons, viewing distance, speaker placement angles, cable gauge and signal loss are out of scope. Check the product manual when choosing equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
The notation itself sets it out: the first figure is the main channels, the middle one the subwoofers, and the last the height channels. This page reads that notation directly to count units.
A soundbar puts several channels in one body and has its own amplification, so the mains are counted as one unit and the separate amp as none. A standalone subwoofer is still added on top.
The runs are multiplied by the number of units that need wiring, added together, and then increased by your slack allowance. A powered subwoofer takes no speaker cable, so it drops out of the total. Cable gauge is not covered.