Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Final pictures in basement theatre (Lots of pics)

Looks great!

You mean, no more soup cans???

Otherwise - it looks great!

Excellent job on everything! It's hard to believe it's the same bare room that you showed us before. I imigine you'll be doing a LOT of movie watching now.

You've got me curious about the surround placement. Mine are positioned almost exactly like yours since it's always been recommended that they should be 3 or 4 ft. about ear level. However, whenever I listen to 5.1 music, it sounds very unnatural. Of course, it's great with certain movies, but I imagine that ear level would sound just as good.

From having the QS8s at ear level (on the Bridgman pattented soup can design), to having them 3 feet above ear level I can say without a doubt that they sound better at ear level.

The problem with that is if you have a setup with lots of couches etc, really only the sweet spot will have a good surround experience...for example, those sitting in the lazy boys wouldn't even hear the surround content in my room, it would be too low...

I understand the 3 ft above ear level thing, but I did like the ear level much better. I'll have to do some more listening on my own to judge for sure. All I have really done is played movies, and some music, but not really listening intently to the music (using Neo6).

I don't plan on changing the position of the QS8s at all. I know that they perform extreamly well where they are simply because on Master and Commander, you actually feel like you're in the ship, with all the footsteps around you, the wood splinters, extreamly detailed surround effects. Which is why I am thinking the source is more important than anything.

As well, I watched Kingdom of Heaven last week, the siege on Jerusalem was freakin' awsome, lots of surround content, so I think it depends more on the source than the placement. For music thats a different story.

Sitting up on the couch is my favorite spot, right inbetween the QS4's. Perfectly ear level.

The wall pretty reflective, so if I sit a little forward in my seat, the side-firing tweeters of the QS4's bounce off the wall and create a sonic image directly behind me, it's wild.

I'm a huge surround guy. I turn the surrounds up and listen for those surround effects. I just love it.

Haven't thought twice about upgrading to QS8's. My ears are happy.

Hutzal - great looking romm!

It looks great!

I saw some comments about the over under twin center speakers but actually I think this should work really well to steer the image to the center of the screen. I don’t want to use a perforated screen with the center behind it so I’m also considering this approach. I think in theory it should work great but I was wondering what your thoughts were since you have this setup.

Also, have you experimented with using only one or the other? You should increase the center volume by +6dB when using only one or the other to get a fair test. In particular I think you should observe a much better impression that the dialog is coming from the actors mouths instead of some place above or below as I suspect it will be with just one.

So, while some have commented that it looks, “strange” or what ever, I say it looks functional or better yet, it looks, “correct”! That’s just my opinion for now but within two or three weeks the slab will finally be poured for my new house in which I’m planning a dedicated HT. So, some six or seven months later I’ll know for sure since I’m also planning twin centers over and under the screen.

Oh, one thing though, you might consider inverting the top one. Put the tweeters both toward the center.

Nice job!!!

Monte

Ya, the dual centre channel is awesome. I love how the dialog is fixed at the centre of the screen.

I never thought I would say this, but after listening to some Neo 6 Music, messing with the centre channel width, I am beginning to want M2s instead of M3s. When switching from the M3s to the M22s (centre channel width from 1.0 to 0.0) the vocals are just so much more crisp and clear and clean.

Don't get me wrong, the M3s are an awesome speaker, but I like the crispness of the 5.25" woofers on the M22s. I really honestly can't believe I am contemplating switching up the M3s for M2s.

I am going to do an A/B test with the mains and the M3s prior to me doing this to make sure that this is what I want. But I am pretty sure that this IS what I want. I think the M2s would sound better than the M3s when paired with M22s. (you all can hold the "I told you so's...JohnK!)

-Hutz

Well that should make sense, since then your left, center and right channels would all be using the same drivers. Should make for a more seamless soundstage.

I have decided that after I get some spare cash (hopefully this month) I will order a pair of M2s, and move the M3s into my home studio. I wanted to use the M22s for the studio (and later order M60 towers for the theatre instead) but this is a much cheaper alternative, and the wife likes less money spent .

I have also read a great review on the M3s as a studio monitor on this board, so I know that they will do just fine.

Anyone in canada know of a REALLY cheap 2 channel amp? I may go for the emotiva BPA-1, which will end up being around $300CAD which kind of sucks! There must be a better alternative for driving M3s