Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Floorstanding vs Suuround and adding Amp

Thanks Adrian,

The bass from the M80s is amazing. The 150 sounds good sitting in front of it about 11 ft away, but if I sit 5ft left of center, the voices become hollow. Sounds as if the voices are coming from back of TV.

The 150 sits just below tv on shelf about 3ft from wall no back on shelf. I took a listen on hands and knees behind center speaker sounds as if there is a hole in back of speaker. I did not have this problem with my other center.. Any thoughts on this?

If you haven’t already check the speaker to make sure all the drivers are working. If you have some room to move it around a bit try pulling it out in front of the TV some. Nearby surfaces can sometimes impact the sound quality. Also, I’ve found that having the seating near the walls seems to cause this effect to be more pronounced.

On the other hand, what you are experiencing (sound like it’s hollow and coming from through a tunnel) I also experience with the VP150 in my present room. IMO that can be the nature of the VP150’s sound in some room/seating arrangements. Though in two other rooms I used it in this didn’t happen. I switched long ago to using an M22 and later and M80 as a center because I just don‘t like the sound quality of the VP150. If you tweak the VP150’s positioning to get it sounding right I would try trading it in for a M22 if you can fit one below your screen or a VP100 which from what I‘ve read should have this problem.

Cheers,
Dean

I cant move it much, I did move it out a bit and also put a small blanket double wrapped along the back of speaker didn't help enough..

I guess using a total different brand center is a no?

Some people have luck using different brand centers. I think it all depends on which brands you mix and match and how sensitive you are to tonal differences. If you already have another center laying around it wouldn’t hurt to try, but I wouldn’t go out and buy another brand center w/o the option to return it if it doesn’t work.

Is it going to be impossible for you to use a M22 speaker as a center? The reason I ask is when crossed over with a subwoofer it is a very close match for the M80s. As close as your going to get w/o using another M80. To get an idea of how this will sound set your center speaker to “none” in the receiver allowing you to use a “phantom” center with the 2 M80 mains. If you like the sound of this I think you’ll like the sound of the M22 as a center speaker. Fredk even uses two M2 speakers one above and one below his screen to good effect.

Also, as I mentioned the VP100 shouldn’t from what I’ve read (don’t have one myself) exhibit the effect your hearing.

I’m pretty sure that if you trade in a speaker within the 30 day demo period for another speaker Axiom foots the shipping for the return. I’m not 100% sure if that applies to trading in for a lesser price speaker but someone else can probably confirm it or not.

Grunt, I hooked my other center up and right off the voices are more upfront and the tunnel sound went away. As far as how matches m80s Im gonna watch a few movies and see.

Is what I like about the m80s is I can run them on large. I was considering another sub but the M80s solves that and sound pretty good so I hope the center wont be such an issue I have to trade brands. What do you mean by the M22 will cross with sub? run it on 'large'?

I do have room for the m22, wish the tweeter was in the middle of the cabinet. Also dont care for looks of it as a center.. arrg

By the M22 I’m talking about using the M22 bookshelf speaker standing up vertically under or over your screen depending on how high the screen is. You will need to run the M22 small crossed over around 80Hz but you could try lower. This will blend very well with the M80s especially in the midrange. I’ve done this before and it sounds about 90-95% like using an M80 speaker as a center speaker.

If I was you I would call Axiom and ask to trade in the VP150 for a M22 and a VP100. Try both of them out as a center speaker and if you like one keep it and pay the $15-$20 to send the other one back.

OTOH if your old center sounds good with the M80s then you’re problem is solved. I’d hate to see you give up on the M80s because of the VP150. I think the M80s sound great especially the bass which I hear a lot of listening to GOA Trance and other types of EBM.

The VP100 should cure the problem of the lobing you are getting and the difference in SQ is very minimal, the VP150 is a little pickier for placement.

You could also try aiming the VP150 at different levels, higher or lower than seated listening point, to see if one spot helps eliminate the hollow effect. I have mine angled slightly upward and it actually points past my seated hearing position and sounds pretty good to me.

I tried the few positions I had available Jake, didn't work for me.

I took Grunts advice and have the 22 on the way. Axiom customer service is fantastic..

I did some searching last night and read Grunts experiences and experiments and think the 22 will be good in my situation.

Thanks a lot Grunt for sharing your experience and knowledge!

I also really like the M22 as a center, I was still under the impression the vertical center wasn't going to work for you.

Axiom has always footed the bill for any and all shipping charges too and from their factory... even when I've offered to pay it myself.

As far as the other center speaker, I'm the sort of guy who likes one brand name on all my speakers smply so that the all have the same badge on them... I'm anal like that. However if it doesn't bother you any and you prefer the sound of your other center then don't let any theoretical or otherwise issues with tonal differences convince you that it's somehow inadequate. Just trust your ear, if it sounds ok to you then damn conventional wisdom... call it 'custom'!

But I think Grunt is suggesting you trade you're VP150 in on something different since you already have that money spent as of right now, so might as well try out something else to see if it might possibly blow your hair back even more!

You could return it for a refund, but with the 30-day return policy, why not have a little fun trying something else out eh?