I’m a total newbie to Axiom. I’d really appreciate any help the forum members can give me in configuring a home theatre setup to be installed in a bedroom of my new home.

My wife and I like to watch TV in bed. (I know, I know, but we’ve been married for a while!) Our viewing is mostly network shows in HD from satellite and DVD’s once or twice a week. We prefer the sound level to be low-medium, as best I can characterize it. We’re not that big into action movies. I wouldn’t call myself an audiophile, but I enjoy music, and like the sound to have some presence.

The bedroom itself is about 14 feet deep and 15 ½ feet wide. Ceiling height is 9 ½ feet, so room volume is about 2000 cu ft. There are lots of hard surfaces – the floor is ceramic tile, the walls are plaster over brick, and the ceiling is drywall. There is a large window on the left wall that is usually left half open with a screen. The window has no curtains. The only sound absorbent surfaces are the bed itself.

The TV will be placed on the opposite wall from the bed, slightly offset. The location of doors makes speaker placement less than ideal.

Here's a photo of the TV wall:




Here are some specific issues that I have.

1. Front left and right speakers.

The doorway to the closet makes positioning of the front right speaker difficult. The wall to the right of the door (perpendicular to the TV wall) is pre-wired with speaker terminals.

The solution with the best Wife Acceptance Factor is W22 in wall/on wall speakers. They would look best and not block the closet doorway. I’m doubtful however, that the sound would be acceptable, because the sound would be directed across the front of the TV and not towards the bed. Any comments on this would be appreciated.

An alternative would be M22 bookshelf speakers on wall mounts so they could be turned towards the bed. The wife finds this an acceptable idea.

A third alternative is floorstanding M60’s. I kinda like this idea myself, but I wonder if it would be overkill in the room. One thought is that with M60’s perhaps I could get away without a subwoofer.

2. Center speaker.

The TV will be a 60" or 70" rear projection model. I’m going to have a custom stand made to raise it fairly high from the floor for comfortable viewing from the bed. I’m thinking that the stand could be designed to place a VP100 centre speaker on a shelf below the TV. Alternatively I could mount a VP100 above the TV, or go with an in wall/on wall W100.

Also, I’m wondering if it would make sense to go with a VP150, or is that overkill?

3. Left and Right surround speakers.

First of all, should I go with QS4’s or QS8’s? Everyone seems to love QS8’s but I haven’t seen much on QS4’s. Cost is a factor here.

Secondly, the placement of the bedroom entrance door (usually open) blocks the sound from the behind the door where the speaker terminals are located. Should I mount the surround speakers on the wall above the door, or alternatively at a lower level on the rear wall one on each side of the bed?

Here's a photo of the right rear corner:


4. Subwoofer.

Cost is definitely a factor here. I think I would want to go with the EP 125 or EP175, or if I choose M60’s can I omit the subwoofer entirely?

Many thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Dan