New member here and have a question for all the experts here..
I became the proud owner of a new 65” Hitachi Ultravision HDTV unit in December of last year based on my wife and I’s avid watching of widescreen DVD’s. After I found out the real scoop on high def. I signed up for the VOOM satellite service so I could fully utilize the HD potential of my new set.
About a month before I bought the Hitachi I upgraded my age old surround sound system with one of the Onkyo HTS-760 HTB’s after a lot of research and reviews. At the time this unit was perfect for my budget since I was about to invest in my new TV. After getting everything settled in and calibrated I just wasn’t 100% satisfied with the low end so back to the net for research I went. Two weeks ago I said hello to my latest upgrade - a SVS 20-39 PC+ sub. Now THAT’S more like it.
Now since all of your understand what the “upgrade” fever is all about you can relate with me. After reading thru many of the home theater forums online I kept seeing all the hoopla about the Axiom speakers and now that little voice starts telling me this is something I should look into. So thus that brings me here. Now that I have bored you with my story here is my question.
The fronts and center speakers of the HTS-760 have basically the same speaker elements as the M22’s and the VP100. I do realize that just because a speaker has the same amount of elements doesn’t mean they will sound the same. I keep seeing that most HT users equipment list contains higher end stuff so some of you may not have even heard any of the “low end” stuff but thought I would ask anyway. Have any of you ever heard the fronts and center of the Onkyo 760 and can tell me if the M22 and VP100 would give me any improvement? I just have this gut feeling that the Axiom’s will in fact give me a better sound than what I have now due to them containing better drivers and are probably a better built box.
The rear surrounds I won’t even ask about since there are more speaker elements in the Axiom QS4’s and am sure they would definitely be an improvement.
Most of our usage will be 75% HT and 25% music. I was at first considering the M60’s but as you see from my setup here:
http://www.stampcometal.com/files/tvwithsub.jpg
I really don’t have room to place the towers plus with my SVS Sub I have the low end covered. My living room is 20x20 with a vaulted ceiling that starts at 8’ and rises to 14’ and what I have in place now I feel does a real nice job. As I found with the SVS, until you hear something better you never realize what you’ve been missing all along.
If I do go with the Axiom fronts/center I will of course have to replace my 3 rears to complete the whole matched set.
I wish someone had warned me about how addicting all this HDTV/HT stuff was going to be and I might have side stepped it..Yeah right...Who am I kidding?
Thanks for sticking with me thru all my ramblings.
Any advice or “arm pulling” greatly appreciated.
Rick
