Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners M3 port

My son has a pair of M3's sitting on the TV stand that is a foot or more from the wall. My question is, can he make, say, an L shaped bracket that's as wide as the speaker and as tall as the speaker where it sits on the bracket giving about 1 inch of clearance behind the port. Will this increase the bass?

Sure, Brian, at least a little, if you mean that the bracket will be directly on the wall, but first experiment. Use a stack of magazines or whatever and position the M3s an inch or so from the wall to sample the effect.

Edit: but if you mean what Randy suggested, then no. It's the relation to the wall itself which is significant. Just putting some object close to the port would have a negative effect, if any. Again though, experimentation is possible: stick a big heavy book or similar about an inch behind the port.

The rule of thumb for subs is one port diameter away from the wall to avoid port compression.

I think what he is saying John is to leave the speakers on the TV stand, but create a wide bracket behind them to simulate them being close to a wall.

I'm sure you might notice some improvement, but the wall is a lot larger overall and has more reinforcement. I don't know how thick, or what material your thinking about, but not sure it would have the same gains as an actual wall.

If that is what is intended, then it will have to be a VERY large bracket to deflect the longer wavelengths of bass frequencies. Bass sound waves will travel around a smaller object. Essentially you are deflecting a pressure wave.

He wants to leave them on the TV stand. There used to be a bookshelf behind the TV, I don't know if it's still there or not, I forgot to ask. When I asked him about them I discovered that he turns the bass up on the receiver. Then I remembered the ports, that they are just firing into thin air.

So, theoretically then I guess putting a plate behind the speaker, probably made out of 3/4 inch plywood, would not work then. It would have to be not much bigger than the speaker itself or it would take up too much space.

If he's turning up the bass, he needs a sub. It is, after all, just a bookshelf speaker.

The m3's should put out some good bass for 2 channel, but as Mark mentioned, a sub will help fill in the lower freq better.

I was trying to figure what to get him for Christmas this time, I was thinking a pair of QS8's, but maybe a sub would be better. It can't be Axiom, because I'm not going to be able to afford an EP350 for this and I wouldn't want to go smaller after my experience with the EP175. I know there are a lot of other ones to look at, I just need to keep the cost under $500.

There's the eD A2 300 along with the Hsu STF-2 and the Outlaw sub.

Of these 3, the Outlaw looks the best.

Sorry dude, the small slab of plywood is out.

Yes, I agree. Getting a slab of plywood for Christmas would be like getting a pair of socks from my late aunt.

Besides, it won't work. You need a big wall behind the M3s to provide some bass gain. If he's cranking up the bass control on his receiver, he definitely needs a subwoofer.

Alan

Hold on! Hold on! Some of us, and I think I'm speaking for a few others here as well, would l-o-v-e to get a slab of plywood for Xmas! a 3/4 x 4 x 8 sheet of A2 Bubinga or Zebrawood would make a super nice gift, please. Or maybe Olive Burl, even!

Ha, ha. Olive Burl? Sounds like a character from a comic strip.

I think this thread has been derailed. It's perfectly alright if you want to play with your tools and plywood.

Shucks. I guess I'll have to break down and buy the subwoofer, then.

Looking at my avatar gives me a headache.

Do you think maybe my bass is too small?

If you do not want to spend a lot of money, you can pick up a 12" Dayton sub like this





to complement your M3's for about $155 shipped to your door.

Dat dare is a Rock Bass no less.


Bob, I agree...I'm liking some of the exotic South American woods....make mine Cumaru please.

Looks like a chuffer.

Up here in Northern Ontario, we call 'em Rock Bass, as Adrian pointed out.

Chuffer? Is that like a puffer (-fish)?

Puffer. Isn't that one of those marketing types.

I think you're thinking of fluffer.

Wouldn't we all spend our days fishing if there were fluffer fish?

Probably, but the fact remains that all I'd catch would be scorpion fish and eels.

Hey Mark. Is your avatar having a brain fart or is it just spitting?

A chuffer is the kind of fish that occasionally infests the ports of badly-designed subs.

If chuffers are a problem, you need to stuff the ports with three hams.

Dude, the top related video on that page is quite interesting.

Ha ha, good call.

Belly up.

LOL!

Alan