I'm not sure what the stands are that you are describing for use with the QS8s, but if you're planning to set the speakers flush on the stands, there is a problem. The Qs have woofers that fire from the top and bottom, so they need clearance. I have my QS8s sitting on wall-mounted shelves, but the are sitting on 2 1/2" plumbing couplers that give the bottom woofer enough room to breathe.
In general, the consensus of the Axiom owners and the recommendation given by the Axiom staff is that the QSs are the best choice for surrounds. They diffuse the sound and envelope you with sound rather than act as a directional audio like the M3s. The QS8s are also the general recommendation, but if your room is on the smaller side, the QS4s are excellent as well. I have the M60/VP100/QS8s and my feeling is that the QS8s are the stars in the set up.
The M2s or M3s are generally recommended for the rear speakers in a 7.1 channel set up.
