Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Audyssey DSX wides vs. heights?

My current setup is 5.1, all Axiom speakers.

For now, I only have enough money to put up either DSX heights or wides. I've been scouring forums to get different opinions and I'm stuck. I've emailed Chris at Audyssey and even called Axiom. All different opinions.

SO, I'm looking for personal experience, not theory. Anyone listened to both configurations that prefer one or the other?

I am strongly leaning towards heights because I have a tall cathedral ceiling and I think it may add some really nice reflections up high. I like the idea of expanding the sound stage upward, rather than just getting wider (Brent agreed with this, btw).

Opinions anyone? No theory, if possible, just listening experiences.

Thanks.

I use M2's as wides but also tried them as heights. I found that much more information was available in the wide channel. Only way to be sure is to try it yourself. I have low ceilings and could not really put them as high as recommended so I didn't find it added much.

Peter, Dean(grunt)probably has done the most experimenting with wides and highs and has commented several times. Here's an example of his view on the matter.

That's helpful. I am also considering PLIIz as an alternative. Anyone have experience with this? I've been reading that some people really like it and it doesn't take away volume from the surround speakers as DSX appears to do.

How wide is your room? Unless you can move the width speakers several feet to left / right of the mains, and position them midway along the side walls, between you and the mains - don't screw with them. I tried for weeks and gave up with my narrow room (12'). There is more information, and I suspect that if you have the space for them, then the width speakers would be terrific. Height channels add some ambiance, but nothing earth shattering. I've been using PLIIZ for over a year now and most of the time, I'm not even aware that the height channels are in the mix (QS8's).

I have both wides and heights. Go with wides first always. This is also per audyssey DSX website as well, wides take priority over heights.

Well, I've put up some M2's for heights and the difference is stunning. I have them angled down at the listener. I'm using DSX height mode (not IIz). I can imagine a purest wanting just 5.1 or 7.1, but these speakers aren't going anywhere. They create a giant wall of sound. I just ordered some M2's for wides as well. Should be fun!

a real purist (fundamentalist) will have a monophonic system, like what people used to have "in the good old times".

my system is 7 channels, and that gives me 6 spare channels when one breaks down.

I have a 9.2 receiver and 1 spare real wood M2. Kinda makes me want to buy a matching one and try the heights. LOL. I already have 10 speakers hooked up to it.

In my case, I doubt I'd get much, if any, benefit from heights, since I have 3 M22's already mounted above the TV.

What say you? (So say we all.)

I made some minor changes to my HT room plus dropped my 2 X Velodyne Subs' Volume to 2.0 from 2.5 - so I re-ran Audyssey today.

Interestingly, while Audyssey set my QS4s & VP100 crossovers to the expected 80Hz, I was surprised to see that my M22s were determined to be 40Hz again. Perhaps they go lower than advertised in my room as I kinda expected 60Hz; however, I manually set them to 80Hz.

The subs at the 2.0 level are now set at -4.0Db vice the -9.2Db where it had been previously. That setting is now closer to the center of Audyssey's correction range.

TAM

I just ordered a pair of M0s to act as heights to go with my M80,VP150,QS8 setup-

They haven't arrived yet. Do you think I went too small?

I probably would have gone with M2s. It's all about what you think, though. If you like them, fine. If not, you've got 30 days to return or exchange them.

Thanks, I forgot about the 30 day return.

HI. I'm in the same boat looking for a Front Height speaker. I'm thinking on buying a pair of M2 (but not sure if go in-wall or on-wall). I'm building a new HT Setup with drywall. Does the M2 brackets allows to be install with an angle? Towards the listener position? If so then maybe the on-wall would be best as I don't know how the in-wall with the angle will look.

Thanks in advanced.

-Jose

I'm pretty sure all the onwall and inwall speaker brackets are designed ONLY to allow for plumb/flush mounting. If you need to angle the speakers, you probably need to buy the bookshelf version and Full Metal Bracket.

Jose, it shouldn't be necessary to have height speakers angled toward the listening position, although some users have them that way. As Dean discussed in my link in the post above, the height content is ambient in nature and doesn't have to be sharply focused toward the listener. For this reason, the very wide dispersion of the QS4s, positioned above the mains just a few inches below the ceiling, might be an even better choice.

John,

Thanks a lot. You're right QS4 may be a better choice. I decided to let the height speakers for later on and I will go ahead and buy a pair of QS8 for SBR/SBL instead. A friend of mine is selling my a brand new v2 set. I already have a v1 QS8 set for SR/SL at the moment.

What do you think? Is that a better choice or will I have better sound content with the height speakers instead of SBR/SBL speakers.

-Jose

I don't use heights and just briefly listened to a setup that had them, so I can't give a personal comparison. Opinions as to the benefits of the heights vary widely, as you can see from just the responses that were made here. I can say that if you have enough room behind the listening position(say, at least 4'), back surrounds provide a significant addition to the sound field with all music if a mode such as DPLIIx is used. Although there's relatively little discrete 7-channel material, that mode extracts useful content from both 2-channel and 5-channel material that is heard best with back surrounds and sends it to them. As Dean pointed out, ambience for height speakers isn't always present.

You should certainly get the extra QS8s and if possible try temporary placements as either back surrounds or heights.

John,

Thanks for your feedback. One last question. I just head from my friend that the speakers are not QS8. They area pair of M3v3. Are they good for that setup of SBR/SBL or should I skip them completly. They are brand new.

Again thanks.
Jose

He certainly changed speakers drastically. The QSs are particularly suited to surround duties because of their very wide dispersion, which generally fits the nature of the surround material. More direct radiating speakers, such as the M3s, can certainly be used successfully there, but it's suggested that they be given more room to "spread out" than the QSs need, say 9-10' behind the listening position. If you don't have a considerable amount of room in back, it wouldn't be the best application for them. If you can get the M3s at a very good price, you might also consider using them up front as "width" speakers.

John,

Yes he changed speakers drastically. I bought them for $200 brand new still in box . Now I don't know if using them as "height" speakers or "width" speakers. I think they will fit better in my room as "height".

What do you think?

-Jose

Jose, I don't use either height or width speakers, so I have very little personal experience with them. Note my link in the post I made above in this thread to Dean's view. He has considerable experience with each setup and as the link shows, he prefers width speakers.