M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Sep 2003
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I can't decide what to do. I currently have m60's, vp150, and a svs 20-39 pci. I have a pair of crappy surrounds right now so anything will be an improvement.
Here is my situation. I am in to both music and movies. I want to get the best possible setup with the least amount of compromises either way. I usually listen to music in 2 channel, unless it is a dvd audio, however if I had a nice pair of surrounds I would probably sometimes use the all channel stereo mode or pro logic for 2 channel sources. I want the music to sound as good as it possibly can when I do this. If the qs8's truly can sound like a direct speaker when they need to, then maybe this is what I want.
Have any of you compared dvd audio or all channel stereo using m2's and QS8's for surrounds?
thanks for the help guys.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 5,236
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Apr 2003
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QS8's
If you usually listen to music in 2-channel, you'll keep listening to it that way. DPLII and the other DSP modes really don't do much for music. Like you said, DVD-A or SACD is a different story, because they're mixed for surround sound, but honestly, how much DVD-A and SACD multi-channel music do you listen to?
The QS8's are awesome surround speakers. VERY enveloping. The compromise for music is only slight. They still sound great for multi-channel music. Just not quite so "direct" sounding, as would be expected.
You won't be dissapointed in the QS8's.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Nov 2002
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I agree with Spiff. I love the QS8's, and I listen to a lot of multichannel SACD and DVD-A. I had been using cheaper direct surrounds, and the QS8's are so much better. They obviously work perfectly for movies, but they really do work well for multichannel music as well. Any sacrifice vs. direct surrounds is minimal for multichannel music.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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i agree w/ spiffnme. When listening to music, I prefer 2 channel. My receiver has a 5 channel stereo mode so that my M22's, VP150, and QS8's generate the same sound. It just sounds like i'm in a hallway. I only use that if I'm cruising around the house and just want to have some music to listen to and not really caring about the clarity too much. M22's and the sub is the best for music.
For DVD-A and SACD, QS8's seem to work fine. But as spiffnme stated, how much multichannel music do you listen to? I've had my Denon 2200 for about 2 months and could only find 3 SACD/DVD-A's w/ my music taste. Think about how much home theatre vs mulitichannel you will listen to. I think that'd be your decision maker.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Jun 2003
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axiomite
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I'm with Craig. If you buy the premise that QS8's are "better" for movies and that M2's are "better" for DVDA/SACD, then the question becomes which of those do you listen to more?
But I think the improvement in multi-channel music would be negligible compared to the amount of difference you would see in home theatre. I used to have cheap Boston direct-radiating surrounds, and was astounded by the improvement with the QS8's.
I don't think the lack of directionality in the QS8's is going to be meaningful unless you listen VERY critically to a LOT of multi-channel audio from the sweet spot.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Wow, you guys make it sound like an easy decision. It's true that I only own 8 dvd audio's, and I do spend more time watching movies than I do listening to those 8 disks... but damn I love how they sound in multichannel even with my old direct rear speakers.
The other thing that bugs me is I can't place my rears to the side because one side wall is close to the listening area and the other is quite a ways away. My only choice (since I want to wall mount them) is to put them on the back wall. Will this work ok if I go with the QS8's?
The one thing I don't want is to have that "echoy" sound when I'm listening to dvd audio in multichannel. That would be a dealbreaker on the QS8's I think.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Jun 2003
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axiomite
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I've got my QS8's on the back wall and they're just great. They are very forgiving relative to placement. I don't think you'll find the DVDA/SACD gimmicky. If you are that undecided, you could get the QS8's and listen to them for a month and then decide. My bet is you keep them.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,185
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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yes, the qs8's are VERY forgiving. My system is corner configured. TV, center, left and right speakers are set in a corner. The rear QS8's are mounted on opposite walls on the back, ~5' behind the main listening position about 3' above the ears. My Pio 45TX does the auto calibration and the QS8's do the rest.
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,745 Likes: 17
axiomite
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cameron,
The 'echo' from a back wall type of sound is more generated by the DSP being used and not the speaker playing the sound.
Take a look at this old link where i discussed my impression of QS8s vs M22s in regards to your original question.
"Those who preach the myths of audio are ignorant of truth."
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Re: M2's or QS8's for rears (music vs. movies)
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 117
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Great feedback guys, especially from your thread cheese. I think part of me just wants to buy a new toy right now since I can swing the m2's right now but will need to wait a bit on the QS8's. It's so tempting with Axiom because you know that whatever you order will get to you in a couple days.
Thanks again, I'll post my impressions of how these rears do for music when I get them.
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