Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners M60s versus QS8s for rear surrounds

Let's see...

1. Your room is a great candidate for a 7.1 system (many aren't) because you have enough length that you don't have to cram the rear speakers right behind the listener. Doesn't mean you have to get 7.1 immediately but definitely plan for it eventually. You have enough room length that the M80s can be out from the back wall a bit, which really seems to help.

2. My room is smaller than yours (13x23) but I found that having QS8 surrounds really added to the "big movie theater" experience. My first thought would be to stay with QS8 surrounds.

3. For that room size, definitely go with M60 or M80 mains. I don't know how well the B&K will drive into a 4 ohm load; if you can't be confident it will handle M80s (4 ohm) well then M60s will be mighty fine in that room as well.

4. Some receivers (not mine AFAIK) will let you play 5.1 music with the surround channel going to the rear speakers instead of the surrounds. This is great because you can run multipolar surrounds for movie effects and have the surround channels on music go to your direct rears. If the B&K won't do that then I imagine a switch box would be pretty easy to set up. I need to look into that for my room as soon as I hook up the rear speakers.

5. I don't know if the sound levels going to the rear speakers are enough to make full use of M80 rears but there are some arguments for having full range rears (the sub will carry the bass from smaller rears but the sub is normally at the front -- some people say they can tell the difference when there is either a second sub at the back or full range rears/surrounds.

6. My first thought would be M60s or M80s for mains and rears, QS8s for surrounds, VP150 center. Make sure the surrounds are mounted high on the wall and either level with or a bit behind your listening position. If you want to spend a bit less getting started, you could get most of the enjoyment from a 5.1 system and add the rear 60s/80s later. If you go with 5.1, remember to hang the surrounds further back on the side walls particularly for music.

7. PM Dennis ("Tharkun") if you want some real world experience with a 7.1 system using M80s front and rear. Pmbuko and Kcarlyle (sp ?) have also heard his system and can comment. I can't say for sure whether having M80 rears gives you your money's worth over (say) M22 rears but listening to Dennis' system is apparently quite an experience.