In reply to:
1. why m60 center vice vp150? just guessing here, but woudn't the vp150 have a more . . . ummm even soundstage?
2. vert. or horiz. placement or m60 ? I presume horiz. just below TV.
The ideal for the 3 front speakers is having them all the same speaker. The reason center channel speakers are designed as they are is because of space limitations. Not many of us have room for a 47 inch speaker under or above our TVs or screens. That being said, you shouldn't be concerned about using a regular center channel speaker. Most manufacturers voice them to blend as seamlessly with their main speakers as possible. The VP150 matches very well with the other Axiom speakers.
That brings us to #2. Though some of us have used a vertically oriented speaker in a horizontal position with no problem, the conventional wisdom is you should avoid it. Personally I've never tried it, so I can't offer first hand testimony. But, were it I, I wouldn't do it.
As to your speaker options, I'm not gonna be much help. I've never heard any PSB speakers. And though I've owned, and loved, M60s, VP150, QS8s, and currently own Rocket 850s, RSC200, RSS300s, and 250s, which I supplement with an Axiom EP500 subwoofer, unfortunately I've never heard the 760s or the M80s.
Here's what I can tell you about my Axiom M60s and Rocket 850s. Thought they sound a little different, I consider them to be in the same class of speakers (EXCELLENT!). In other words, with either speaker, you are getting an excellent product. Since my personal experience with the speakers you are considering is limited to the center channels and surrounds, I'll restrict my comments to those.
I happen to prefer the RSC200 to the VP150. In no way should that be interpreted as saying the VP150 is NOT a good center channel speaker. It, indeed, is. However, I prefer the QS8s to the RSS300s (same disclaimer as above). I'm currently using the 250s in a small bedroom system, and will be using them as rear surrounds in a 7.1 system when I get my 7.1 processor. I'm impressed with the amount of bass response I'm getting from them (corner loading), but other than that I can't comment as to how they would work as surrounds.
In reply to:
3. qs8's I haven't the foggiest as to why I hadn't considered 4 of them for surrounds and rears as the yammy 2500 is a 7.1 rec.
placement? rears same spacing apart as the front mains? roughly 6 feet high, and same height for surrounds, mounted about 3 to 4 feet infront of seated ear position?
When it comes to subs, I've owned a HSU STF-2, Rocket UFW-10, and an Axiom EP500. I've heard the SVS PB12 Ultra, and the rocket UFW-12. Of all of them, I prefer the EP500. It is very difficult to explain why. The Ultra plays deeper and I suspect the HSU VTF-3 would as well, but above 20Hz, I find the EP500 smoother and more refined. That's just my opinion, and all you HSU and SVS owners have every reason to be content with your subs. Stone_Man, if money is an object, you would not be disappointed in the HSU or SVS.
