Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Speaker Order order

I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find it. So...

When ordering speakers for a new setup (50/50 HT/music) in stages (over several months), what order would you order in? This is my guess:
1. mains
2. sub
3. surrounds
4. center

However, when considering the cost of a sub is almost the same as the center and surrounds combined maybe:
1. mains
2. surrounds and center
3. sub

Any comments on what provides the most improvement for money spent?

I think you'd get a lot of mileage out of mains and a sub. That combo will go far for both music and movies. Then add surrounds and center later.

If budget does not allow you to get everything, I would say get the center last, you can use phantom mode to simulate the center channel with your mains.

Both the Sub and Surrounds are vital for good HT experience, so that is a hard one.

Not sure what your budget is, but if you order from the Factory Outlet and order 5 or more items, you get 10% off and also another 5% for the 5 items, so maybe you can afford more at once...

I think it really depends on what speakers you plan on using for your mains, If you go with the M80's you could probably go without a sub and get surrounds, if you plan on using M22's as mains a sub might be your next best choice.

Homedad has the right of it. Me, I went with sub, mains, surrounds, center (then some other stuff), but I'm weird.

I went center, surrounds, sub, followed by the mains, ok just kidding.

What exactly does music sound like with just a sub? I accidentally directed the surround channel to all speakers when I was trying to figure out my soundcard. That was wierd!

I am planning on going with the M60s as mains, then EP350, QS8s and VP100. Unfortunately, my moms TV is going bad so I will probably end buying her a new one since she is retired and on a fixed income. That will put a damper on buying a full set of speakers all at once.

Sounds like a good plan to me.

Kyle, since you're going to using M60s which have pretty good bass extension for mains, I'd suggest moving the QS8s into second place ahead of the sub.

I would still go with M60s then a sub, the impact for movies is better, but going for the QS's is a very close call. You will have the money for the surrounds before you will be able to get the sub, so the QS's from an economical point of view is better, you will get to start enjoying movies in 4.0 much sooner, tough call.

I'm a bass fanatic as well and would put a sub second in line after the mains. Which you choose would depend on whether you prefer the immersive sound created by surrounds or the resounding boom that comes from a good sub.

Jason

mains
sub
surrounds
center

If the mains are large, bump the sub after the surrounds.
If you are more movie than music, do the same.
Centre last, followed by rear surrounds of course..

Kyle, all these people are hugely negligent and I wouldn't listen to any of them.

Namely, no one asked what types of music or movies you enjoy.

Movies are probably more telling:

If you like "Love, Actually..." and "The Notebook", go for Mains, Center, Surrounds and Sub.

If you like "T3" and "Ironman", go for Mains, Sub, Surrounds and Center.

If you like Multichannel music, go Mains, Surrounds, Center and Sub.

If you like Classical Music, go Mains, Sub, Surrounds and Center.

If you like Regina Spektor, ask CV. If you like Rush, ask JP.

I like Rush!

Hey, no one else gets to like her. I'll freak out.

Whew!

Not that this will matter, I have M80s, and next in line are the QS8s, then the centre and sub (I am in an appartment now, so the sub is last on my priority list)

Regardless, when ordering towers, I would recommend going with QS8s next, the towers will provide enough bass, but a sub will provide no surround sound will it?

"If you like Rush, ask JP?... "

I have ~24 Rush CDs... Is JP a bigger Rush Lunatic than that? If so, I may finally have found my match!

Jason

I think that almost makes you an honorary Canadian.

1) Mains (Bookshelf or Towers)
2) Subwoofer if Bookhelf, Centre Channel if Towers
3) Depending on answer to 2, either sub or centre channel
4) Surrounds

Always good to see another Rush fan!

I have all of their studio and live albums, plus Geddy's solo CD and Alex's Victor CD. All the concert DVDs, plus Neil Peart's "A Work in Progress" instructional DVD.

Fun fact, I've seen each Rush tour except one (two if you count the 30th anniversary) since 1985. The one I missed was due to a med school rotation that did not allow any time away. I didn't see them on the R30 tour because there was no album to support unless you count "Feedback".

The number of different arenas is fun to recount because it paints the pitcure of where I was at the time:

April 25, 1986: Power Windows tour, the Omni, Atlanta, GA (senior year, high school, Athens, GA)
March 2, 1988: Hold Your Fire tour, Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN (sophomore year, University of Notre Dame)
March 8, 1990: Presto tour, The Palace at Auburn Hills, MI (senior year, N.D.)
March 5, 1992: Roll the Bones tour, the Carolina Coliseum, Columbia, SC (lived in NC, met a friend from high school halfway between our houses)
February 24, 1994: Counterparts tour, the Omni, Atlanta, GA (medical school, Augusta, GA)
1996-1997 (missed Test for Echo tour)
July 9, 2002: Vapor Trails tour, Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA (have lived/worked in VA since 2001)
June 23, 2007: Snakes and Arrows tour, Nissan Pavilion - with pmbuko!

In my home office, I've got autographed photo collages of each member via andrewmacnaughtan.net

Maybe if my wife lets me have more than one room in the house, I can keep the Simpsons room and add a "Rush room" ...

I'll go out on a limbaugh and say you're not getting a Rush room.

Wow...I was just playing Rock Band with my nephew/niece/brother-in-law (early 30's). When I saw Tom Sawyer I said "we *have* to play that next" They all looked at me and said "who's Rush?"

They never heard of Boston either! Oh well.

JP - that's an impressive concert-going streak. I'm on about the same page as you CD/DVD-wise, though I hadn't heard of Peart's DVD, I'll have to check that one out.

On the tours, I am insanely jealous. I've been to 3 shows, one of which was the one you missed (in Denver, great show by the way) ;).

They're an awesome band and I can't wait for the Blu-Ray to come out in November.

Hansang - what a sad story! Even more than that, what really annoys me about Rock Band is that most of those songs are cover bands instead of the real band. (I don't actually have the game, but some friends do...) Would it be that hard to get license rights from the band for the game? Bah!

OhioKyle - by the way, you are now an official Axiom Forum member. The first requirement is to have your host completely hijacked, which now has occurred. Take hear though, at any point you can turn it back in the direction you started, or take the conversation in a completely new direction and we'll all follow blindly along.

Jason

Well, they can count themselves as fortunate for never having heard of Boston, at least... *runs and hides*

Wow, lots of input.



Uhh, never heard of them; wonder what that says about me. A friend from work gave me a copy of Juno to watch and I thought it was fairly good.



Ahh, now you're talkin. My personal collection is heavy on things going BOOM.



Most of my music is two channel, background listening. I have an open floor plan and can listen is most of the house. Style wise is mostly acoustic (Damien Rice) or alternative (Cold Play, Snow Patrol, Nada Surf).

Yep, Mains and sub first. I bought my system as music first, but I really do enjoy those 'things that go boom' movies a lot more now that I have a sub.

Kyle - given your last post, I think you'd be disappointed if you don't add a subwoofer. To put it more positively, you'll be one big step closer to audio nirvana after adding new Mains + a sub. Happy shopping.

Jason

Infidels! I keeel them!

Take it easy Mr. Terrorist or you go back in the suitcase.

I have a name, it is Accccchhhhhhhmed the Dead Terrorist.

L@@K

I was being polite, but one more out burst Acccchhhhmed and back in the suitcase with Walter.

Love Jeff Dunham