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Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126073 01/29/06 10:33 PM
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FLMike Offline OP
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I need to add a left and right surround to bring my system up to 5.1. I'm currently using Athena AS-f2's for fronts nd an AS-C1 for center with a new p-6000 sub on the way. I'm using a Yamaha HTR-5790 as a reciever. I'm extremely happy with the performance of this setup, but I am really NOT sold on the Athena bookshelves. So I'm looking seriously at Axiom as an alternative, specifically the M2ti. The QS4's are also an option, but I have not been impressed with the sound from other omni-directional speakers for music, and this is a 60-40 Music/movie system. I was ready to go with the M2ti's until I read some comments from someone who's opinion I respect that the M2ti's and M3ti's are not suited for an environment with tile foors. Being in FL, the entire house it tile and drywall over block.

So, I'm looking for some feedback from those of you who are most familiar with the Axiom line. Does anyone have any comments or advice?

Thanks,

Mike

Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126074 01/29/06 10:46 PM
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IMO no speaker on the planet is suited for an environment with tile floors unless you have some other absorbtion (eg a rug, soft furniture, fat people etc...)

M2s are very neutral; M3s are just the tiniest bit "laid back" (midrange dip) but not as much as, for example, Paradigm Monitors.

I ran M2s as surrounds for a while and was very happy with them, particularly for music. I upgraded to QS8 surrounds which were significantly better for movies and IMO not *quite* as good for music.

What crossover frequency will you be using ?


M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1
LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8
Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126075 01/29/06 11:01 PM
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Bridgman,
Crossover for the sub/fronts should be about 40. The As-f2's are pretty good on bass. I can set the surrounds to small, and I **think** that the receiver will cross them higher. Another option is to set the receiver crossover higher to accomodate the surrounds, set LFE output to both fronts and sub, and set the sub to ignore everything over 40. But I have to see if there is a negative impact to using two crossovers on the same signal. It's going to take some experimentation for sure.

The room is not quite as bad as all tile. There is a large leather couch with a natural fiber area rug in front, an overstuffed cloth easy chair with a matching overtuffed ottoman. Walls are painted drywall, and windows are covered with wooden blinds--stained not painted.

I also should have mentioned that I could probably squeeze M3ti's in as an alternative.

Thanks,

Mike

Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126076 01/30/06 02:04 AM
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>>Crossover for the sub/fronts should be about 40. The As-f2's are pretty good on bass. I can set the surrounds to small, and I **think** that the receiver will cross them higher.

I don't think the Yamaha can do that. AFAIK it's just one crossover frequency picked from a short list of values.

>>Another option is to set the receiver crossover higher to accomodate the surrounds, set LFE output to both fronts and sub, and set the sub to ignore everything over 40.

Problem with that is the sub will ignore everything over 40 from the center and surrounds as well. Again, I think you're stuck with one crossover frequency and the lowest setting *may* be 100 Hz.

>>It's going to take some experimentation for sure.

Always



M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1
LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8
Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126077 01/30/06 02:55 AM
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FLMike Offline OP
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Bridgman,
The 5790 definitly distinguishes between small and large. I've just never examined what frequencies it does not send to small and whether that is determined by the crossover point that defines LFE. It definitely allows you to send low frequency signal (as defined by the specified crossover) to the sub, fronts, or both. So if It only gives me one, then I have to use the subs X-over as well. Any thoughts about speaker selection?

Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126078 01/30/06 04:46 AM
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Mike, welcome. So far as the crossover for the mains, the fact that they may have good response to 40Hz or whatever doesn't make it necessary(or even advisable)to cross them at lower than 80Hz(whatever crossover setting you select on your 5790 will apply to all speakers set "small"). If you have a good sub it should be allowed to handle what it does best in the low bass and relieve the mains(and the 5790's amps)of part of the low bass burden. Another point, although it isn't entirely clear from your post, if you think that using the internal sub crossover affects the other speakers, that isn't the case; it's simply a low-pass for the sub itself.


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Enjoy the music, not the equipment.


Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126079 01/30/06 06:24 AM
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The M3s are probably a better choice than the M2s.
They are pretty big though - and rear ported.

Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126080 01/30/06 02:35 PM
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FLMike Offline OP
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Thanks for the welcome and the reply John. That clarifies things a bit. Athena recommends that the crossover on the AS-F2s be set low--40 to 50 I believe. But I plan to mess around with it to see what sounds best. I didn't think that the crossover on the sub would affect the other speakers. I was just curious if running the signal through two crossovers (first on the receiver and second on the sub) would degrade it in any way.

On another note, I really had no idea how complicated selecting a couple of surrounds was going to get! :-) The other poster is probably on the right track that the M3ti is the best choice given it's rep for a more laid back sound, but I really have to think about whether it will look to big on the wall.

Mike

Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126081 01/30/06 10:39 PM
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In reply to:

I don't think the Yamaha can do that. AFAIK it's just one crossover frequency picked from a short list of values.


I think John #1 is right, AFAIK, the only major manufacturer short of higher-end processors and boutique brands that offer individual speaker crossover points are the HK line of receivers. Yamaha offers global crossovers (same for all speakers) something like 40/60/80/100/120/140/160 i believe.


"Chickens don't clap."
Re: Advice on speaker selection in a tile room
#126082 01/30/06 11:20 PM
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Thanks Sid. I think you are correct. If the crossover is set from the listin the receiver, it sets the corssover for any speaker set to small. So the most likely way for me to set this up will be to set the crossover on the receiver to match the limitations of the left and right surrounds and set them to "Small". Leave the fronts set to "Large", and set LFE Out to "Both" so that low frequency signaling goes to both the fronts and the sub, and set the Subs cross-over as appropriate for the fronts so it ignores the higher frequencies I want handled by the fronts.

I'm looking to place my order tomorrow--Hope they end up working in my room.

MIke

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