Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Anyone using an M80 for a center channel?

I've thought about having a matching center channel speaker to the mains, but it either puts your screen up too high or you have to have a perforated screen with a projector. Some people say that perforated screens are great and that there isn't any sound or picture degradation. Some say that there is. I'd like to find a place that I can compare these perforated screens and settle it for myself.

Most music listening I do is in 2-channel plus the sub. However, I do have some music DVD's done in 5.1. Maybe I will get out my Diana Krall Live in Paris DVD and try it in phantom versus 150 modes.

I wonder what it would sound like if I stacked my M22's below the screen in place of the 150, hmmm.

I don't want to get too far off of topic, but I do have my screen up (temporarily) in the theater with my old speakers (NHT Superones) behind it, just to test things out. I'm really, really happy with the sound, and that's with my old equipment. I went with a Seymor A/V screen (highly recommend if anyone is interested, I think best bang for the buck). Of course, I also did acoustic treatments in the room, but as good as things sound with my old stuff, I can't wait to get my Axioms in there. And so far, all I've been using is two channel.

That sounds like good news. Having bookshelf speakers makes it a little easier since you can place the entire speaker behind the screen. I was thinking that the best way to to setup the speakers is to have the front three completely behind the screen so that they all acoustically match with the small coloration by the screen. But, then you have to make sure that the screen is wide enough that you can get your front left and right speakers separated enough. If you go with tower speakers, like the m80's or m60's then you would have the bottom's of the speakers hanging out, which visually wouldn't look that great.

The bottom of my screen is about 16" off of the stage which is another 8" to 9" off of the floor. But I will have a panell under the screen wrapped in speaker cloth so you won't see the bottom of the speakers, and the speaker cloth is obviously acoustically transparent. I don't think that the any coloration difference between the screen material and the speaker cloth will be noticeable. At least I hope not :-).

I have had the same thoughts about using a speaker that is basically the same as the M80 as my center channel. Although the VP150 is a wonderful speaker, I have to cross it over differently than the M80s (90Hz vs 60Hz) and I can hear a difference when listening to music. A vertical mount M80 for a center is not possible with my theater layout.

I contacted Ian about a month or so ago about the possibility of constructing a custom center channel for me based on the M80. Same drivers, cabinet size and crossover, but horizontally designed with the drivers placed accordingly. To my surprise (although at this point I probably should not be!) Ian was up for the challenge.

According to Ian, the speaker has passed the computer design phase and by this point may even be fabricated. Axiom will be testing the speaker and be performing double blind listening tests before releasing it. If Axiom is satisfied with the quality, Ian may be considering releasing it as part of the product line.

I'm hoping I receive it in several weeks or so, and if I do, I will be sure to post pictures and give you all my review.

Whoa, that's darn stout.

Steve do you know the dimensions of the speaker, primarily the height? (That's a 'strike that', I read that the cabinet size would be the same.)

Cool. Of course that means I'll have to look for another TV stand with larger shelves!

Steve, I can hardly wait to see it and read your review, Axiom is quite amazing.

Can't wait to see/hear it!!