Dave, I haven't heard the M2s, but my feeling is that ANY small speaker in open space, without a wall to increase bass from the "boundary effect" is going to sound thin. Your older speakers might be putting out a little more bass than the QS8s, but ultimately, the sub is going to come into play below 120Hz or 100Hz with any small speaker hung in free air....

I think you're overthinking it a bit. I know you want to make the right decision with the rear speakers, but listening to them by themselves without all the rest of the speakers running is not really how the system will work in the real world.


::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::