Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Set on Axiom speakers, need avice

Seeking-

Thought I would also chime in to help alleviate any doubts you may have about buying the M22s. My current setup is similar to jumbo_tron's: M22s, VP150, QS4s, and EP350...all being driven by a "low end" Denon AVR-1910. I've had this setup for about 3 months now and can say that I have absolutely no regrets. I spend at least 2 hours every evening after work either listening to CDs or watching movies...and I'm still find things that amaze me every single day.

Unlike a lot of people on this forum, I'm using this setup in a VERY small dedicated home theater room (1000 cubic feet)...so I really can't comment on how these speakers can fill a large room with sound:



Having said that the M22 is an amazing speaker that, when paired with a sub, fulfills all of my wildest dreams in terms of both music and home theater. I'm not a true audiophile by any means, but I knew immediately just how high of quality these speakers are. I have realized that with the M22s, you do not listen to music, you experience it. I was left breathless last night after listening to The Crystal Method's "Divided by Night" in DTS Neo:6 at some crazy volume (my ears were a bit numb ). Simply amazing.

As far as home theater, all I can say is that I would much, MUCH rather wait for a movie to be released on Blu-Ray and watch it at home than go to the theater. As others have stated on these forums, the HD audio in Blu-Ray sounds simply incredible. Even my wife, who seriously didn't think that she would notice a difference between our old RCA home theater in a box and the new system has said that she is extremely glad that we upgraded. She has become a self-proclaimed audio "snob" who cringes when watching movies with regular TV speakers.

So, without a doubt, BUY THE M22s! It will be some of the best money you have ever spent!

BWeasner,

Wow, that is a nice little room you have there with awesome speakers.

I've been thinking about it a bit with everyone saying how the M22s paired with a sub sounds pretty close to the M80s. Depending on how I like the M22s, I don't think I will feel the need to upgrade to the M80s anytime soon. But that may be a bit premature.

Here is a technical question I've been meaning to ask: as great as the M22s are, why do people still prefer the QS8s as surround speakers. I know they are designed differently, but I don't know all the technicalities of it. I hear people saying how great the QS8s are and I am a little confused. Aren't the surrounds usually used the least amount of time? It is strange to me a pair of QS8s cost more than a pair of M22s.

Seeking

From what I understand, the QS8s are a more perfect match to the M22s than what the QS4s are (the QS8s have the same drivers as the M22s). This allows the QS8s to play a little deeper, a littler louder, and fill more space with sound than the QS4s.

When I purchased my system, I was ready to purchase the QS8s. But both JC and Brent at Axiom customer service recommended that I buy the QS4s and put the money saved into upgrading the center channel to the VP150. Their advice I believe was absolutely sound...like I said, my room is very small. My head in the prime listening position is only about 5.5 feet from the QS4s. So far I have been extremely pleased with the QS4s...they can play very loud when they need to, and their unique design really creates an immersive surround field. I have often wondered how much better the QS8s would sound (especially considering they are only like $120US more than the QS4s)...but I try not to get hung-up on the "what ifs" and just enjoy the stellar sound.

I think that if you have a larger room or have the few extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you should seriously consider buying the QS8s.

I would think that an Axiom expert can answer as to why the QS8's are more expensive than the M22's, but it's probably because of their more sophisticated, omnidirectional design.

But, they do have a reputation of being perhaps the finest surrounds for HT out there for the money.

I plan on using M2's for my surround speakers in my bedroom set-up since the dispersion characteristics of the QS8's won't be needed in that space. Good timbral matching for a "music first" system.

Now for my living room, the QS8 will be perfect, since there will be more space around them to "breath". This will be coupled with another set of M22's, Vp150, subwoofer, and will be a "movies first" set-up. For critical living room two channel listening, I will use a pair of M80's couple with a sub. I will have a lot of Axiom speakers in the house!

I mix projects in surround, and in the audio/film world, we use all matching speakers (mains, center, surrounds) for critical monitoring and mixing.

If anyone is interested, these are the speakers that I use in my recording studio for surround projects (music/film): http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/catalogue.asp?linkid=17

They are used by a lot of post production places.

So, that movie you are watching was probably mixed on a system like this. I know that George Lucas has been using them extensively at Skywalker Ranch studios. That's how I heard about them!

The QS8s are preffered because in our smallish rooms, compared to real movie theaters, it is hard to get direct radiating speakers to spread the sound out and surround you. The QS series have no drivers aimed at the listening position so the sound is more diffuse/spread out and envelops you, it doesn't hit you like direct radiating speakers do. Some people do not like the diffuse sound of the QS series but most appear to feel the design works, it sounds more like the big surround arrays they have in theaters all the while only using 2 speakers.

Nice room Brandon. How about some more pics?

Another reason the QS8s are more expensive? 1 more driver. And I'm sure the assembly is a bit more complicated.

That is an impossibly cool room.

QS8's have one more tweeter and presumably additional crossover parts; that's at least part of what makes them more expensive.

They are excellent surround speakers, for the reasons already cited.

Ken, get back to work.