Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater vp150 ok with m100s?

Hi everyone,I'm new to the Axiom family! Just ordered the m100's and the vp150. I can not wait to get my new speakers, waiting is killing me... Coming from polk audio set-up(rti a9s, csi a6) have dual svs sb13 ultras, denon 4308 preamp, and emotive xpa2/xpa5. I'll keep it simple, I want the the vp180, but the speaker is huge and the wife is giving me hell...
Will the vp150 sound good with the m100s? I am honestly only limited to the vp150 since the vp160 is 11.5" tall and the vp180 is almost 40" wide...
What do you guys think?? VP150 ok with the m100s?
Thanks for helping me out 60/40 music/movies (2ch music)

Welcome! well I can't comment on the M100's as I've never heard them...I have had a few different Axiom setups through the years..starting with an M60 setup and later upgraded to my current M80 setup. I used 2 different versions of the VP150 and I thought it always sounded just fine with my M60s and M80's. They have had different versions through the years and made changes to the crossovers, drivers, etc...

Maybe someone else will chime in, but I'm guessing the latest version of the 150 should do just fine for movie dialog and center duties.

thanks for the quick response!!! Appreciate the welcome
What I like about the vp150 is that it has the same size mids 5 1/4 and 1" tweeters as the m100. It should sound seamless across LCR, right? I don't like a lot of bass in the center channel I might add,( male voices full, not muddy..)
Are the 5 1/4" woofers and 1" tweeters the same kind that are in the m100?
If I had a dedicated HT room this wouldn't be an issue.
Also, do you guys think I will notice a big increase in SQ coming from the polks? I have plenty of power...

I think that sounds correct..once you setup your receiver correctly and adjust your crossovers, etc... you most likely will have an 80hz or so for the 150 anyway, so most bass from that channel will slope to the sub.

I would assume the newer speakers all have similar drivers V4 I believe now, at least in the standard line. I've never owned Polk, so can't really comment on that brand. I've always considered them a retail type brand you see in stores, versus direct from mft like Paradigm, Axiom, etc...

Looking forward to your results..

I will let you know how I make out.The wait just sucks though. Thanks for your input

Personally, if you're going to spring the money for M100s, I'd go with a centre such as the VP160/180. They'd probably compliment the M100s better than the 150, imo.

I agree with Adrian. If you could swing the 160 or 180......

Go for broke, why not grab a third?

160 too tall @ 11.5" and vp180 too wide @40" . Im coming from a polk audio csi a6 center which is 24"w 8"H 14" d. Need something around that size and the vp150 fits the bill. I guess Ill try it and see how it goes.
I honestly cant imagine why it wouldnt sound better then the polk I have now. It definently will be a lot clearer with 3 mids 2 tweeters...
Another thing, im not too crazy about the 3 piece grill for the m100s. I honestly think it looks awful. Anyway to have Axiom make a one-piece like on the m80?

Hi, Smom100s, I am also new here - I'll be interested in your experience as I am considering an Axiom setup (switching out from Boston Acoustics), but I am limited to the VP150 for size. For me, the limitation is due to the fact that the center MUST fit in a cabinet below the TV. The VP160 is too tall and the VP180 is too wide.

I'm considering going with a VP150 with M80s, but the M100s surely are nice....

Eastcoast I'll let you know how I make out. I'm sure it will sound good, but the anticipation is always a killer...

hey guys
well I got my m100s and all I can say is wow!! Truly an impressive pair of speakers. The clairity and realism is by far unbelievable. Imaging is spot on, right perfect in the center. M100's were very bass heavy out of the box had to turn bass down to +1 and use all of the port plugs 3 on each tower. That helped tame some of the bass. Highs and mids sound great. Best sounding speakers that I have ever owned.

One thing though that I do not like is the 3 piece grill. I like a more seemless look. Having 3 different pieces is distracting and draw your eyes to the speakers, just not a fan. Im hoping that Axiom will make a grill that is all one piece.

Now on to my topic of this thread vp150 ok with m100'?
To make a long story short....NO. VP150 is not even in the same class as the m100s. I know, I know you guys told me, I just had to see and listen for myself. Thats why I ordered the vp180HP. I was just not impressed with the vp150.

Just wanted to give a quick, small review, more to come

good to hear, thanks for the update

My first setup was M60's with a VP 150. It was good, but the center could sound a bit boxy to me off axis. It was the best I could get at the time. The soundstage was close but not seamless. Waiting on my VP160 (delayed by the ceiling speakers) to compare, but with the same driver array as the M60's it has to be better.

Someone mentioned the crossover, I was actually wondering if letting the VP160 do some of the 60-80hz stuff might sound tighter than letting the sub do it. It'd be interesting to A/B it.

Let us know how the 180 stacks up.

Thanks for the update. Kind of bummed by the response, although I'm not completely surprised. Wish I could fit the 160 or 180 in the space, but just no option other than the 150.

Quick update:
Im starting to get mixed feelings about these speakers.
Sometimes they sound great and other times I get disgusted. Listened to cds Ive enjoyed for years now sound like ****.
The m100s are extremely sensitive to room placement and very bass heavy. I am using all of the port plugs btw. Back of speaker is 12-13" from back wall. I had to turn the bass down on my Denon 4308 from +2 to 0 or -1. Its hard for the m100s to integrate well with my dual svs sb13 ultras. I have the xovers sometimes on 40 or 60. Not using Audssey. A very very picky revealing speaker.
IMO
My room is 14'x 22'. Is my room too small for this speaker to perform to its potential?
Please help, guidance needed...
For what it is worth I auditioned some Paradigm studio 100s at home. Switching between m100s and studio 100s at first I thought the studio 100s sounded better but after listening for a couple of hours they are just not as clear and sometimes sound artificial not life-like. Studio 100s going back to dealer m100s hooked back up. M 100s clearer stronger speaker.
I need some help...Do these speakers need more break in? I know my thoughts are scattered.
Thanks everyone for their input/opinions

If at all possible pull the speakers further from the wall. Based on experience with M60s and M80s I would think about 2 feet minimum from back of speaker to wall.

Are the speakers against the long wall or the short wall ? Just trying to visualize your room.

Are the M100s set to "large" or "small" in the receiver ? If you're integrating with subs I'm pretty sure you'll need "small" (no matter how wacky that sounds ;)).

I cant pull them out more, wife will get upset. Due to the way my room is set up the m100s are on the long wall.
M100s are set to large 40/60 xover depending on source.
Settimg them on small with what xover? This would be better?
thanks Bridgman for getting back to me, kind of bummed out

Yes, set to small. Large means it's sending the full signal, and small is what you want for it to utilize the crossover.

I admit I didn't re-read this thread all the way back up so this may have been stated earlier but you may just be suffering from what oh so many of us have discovered when you switch to a high quality speaker.

You described the M100s as having more clarity, more realism than the Paradigm Studios. This is a very good thing. This is what gives you that "I'm blown away feeling" when you play a quality music source.

The downside of clarity (although its not its fault) is that you are now hearing just how HORRIBLE many recordings have been made over the last few decades. For a huge number of recordings, studios moved to something called dynamic compression in order to make thier albums sound 'louder' than everyone else's. People tend to like 'loud' so this worked back in the 80s when everybody was using cheaply designed boom boxes. Then we had the iPod revolution which also made popular what may be some of the worst headphones ever made and encouraged over compressed music (size vs. dynamic) as well..

So Ya, I went through the same thing. Some of my once favorite CDs do indeed sound terrible on my M60 but it's the recording studio's fault, not the speaker's. I've found better mixed, replacement recordings of some but you can't count on the word "remastered" meaning better every time either. Others, have moved from favorite to 'I'll occasionally suffer through them' or I only play them on my iPod where I can't tell what a horrible job the producer did to them.

However, when you do get a well produced album, it is an amazing thing. I'm not saying the M100 is the right speaker for you. However, I'm just adding the variable of the music source to your considerations.

I started buying some cd's from a discount store (new/used), and it seems almost all of the ones I buy there are poorly recorded. They must be selling mostly boot leg copies. Probably not be going back there.

Sorry if I missed it, how close to the side walls are they? I recall there being a few comments that they would need room around them.
If you can't move them you might consider placing (at least temporarily) a full batt of pink insulation or a thick drape behind and or beside them to see if it helps. I've got Roxul (safe and sound, had extra left over) between my side walls and my towers and it helped with my rooms issues. Bass traps across the rear corners helped a lot. More Ruxul, fit to the corner, +/- 24"x 24"x 32". I'll likely add more, this seemed to help the most.

Every room is different but the HTS review posted the results of their speaker shoot out.

Their distances were stated as;

56” from side wall
123” speaker to speaker
94” to listener ears
13 degree listener angle

Their back wall dimension wouldn't work for most homes, 84” to the front wall. That said they were using a dedicated theater for their listening sessions, it could be this distance was needed for more than bass control, and or used for convenience.

Read more: http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/h...l#ixzz3Dm7S24wW

You're using M100s as full range speakers if they're set to large, and you have 2 SVS 13s. Yes, that sounds like too much bass.
Set the speakers to small for sure and try using 60 Hz (or even 80, can't hurt to experiment) for the fronts. I think your Denon can set individual crossovers and you need a higher crossover for the VP150, it doesn't have much below 100 hz (I had one before moving to the 160). I agree it's overmatched but it shouldn't sound terrible.
You have beautiful equipment, I'm envious. You should be able to achieve stunning sound.

At the risk of coming across the wrong way, if I had the M100's I wouldn't be using subs (most of the time).

Yes, as other replies have pointed out, at least part of the excessive bass heaviness which you're experiencing may be due to possibly having the M100s and the sub "doubling" the bass. If you have the M100s set "Large", the crossover setting is meaningless and they play full-range, along with the sub in the lowest bass(if you have the 4308 set to also use the sub on music, with a "LFE + Main" setting).

Set the M100s "Small" with a crossover of probably 60 or 80Hz, and let your excellent subs handle the lowest bass which they do best. Also, make use of Audyssey.

The crossover changes are the most important IMO -- if I had your system I would listen to music without the subs and start with an 80 Hz crossover & Small setting for movies.

Next, if you haven't done so already it would be good to experiment with pulling the M100s out much further from the wall even if you know you're going to have to push them back before your wife gets home.

I find that ~30" between back of speaker and wall is about right for my M40s and M60s, I would go right out to 4+ feet when experimenting. Find the right distance with and without the port plugs, just so you know what the speakers can sound like. You might have to move them a bit closer together to compensate for them being closer to the listening position but that shouldn't be a problem with them so far from the wall.

I want to tell you to pick up some cheap (but decently heavy wire) long speaker cables and experiment with having the speakers on the short wall, but I've also been accused of sowing the seeds of marital discord by doing things like that.

Maybe just pull the speakers another inch further from the wall every day and see how far out you can get them before getting caught.

If you could pull them out another foot that would only take 12 days (an inch a day) and then you would probably be able to put a VP180 in *front* of the cabinet ans still have it aligned with the M100's

I'm constantly surprised by the variety and depth of expertise of the folks here -- I bet if you posted a current floor plan someone might think of a "short wall" layout that your wife would like, that would have room for the M100s to breathe, *and* would have room for a VP180.

I think that Murph hit the nail on the head. I had the M80 speakers and found them deliciously smooth with some of my tracks but sounding rather hollow and missing with others. I had to with some music crank up the bass to +6 to get it closer to sounding right.

I traded in the M80 for LFR1100 and it did make it a bit better but same tracks now needed +3 bass (i think due to the HP speakers).

Found that just getting a better recording and it suddenly sounded a whole lot better.

what you are probably hearing is that your old speakers didn't make and clear bass so you needed some big subwoofer power to get them to sound reasonable. Now you have a speaker that will play bass and when you play a recording that is done right, you are over powering the bass by having the subs adding to what the speaker is making. But the tracks that were recorded bad don't sound right as you are now missing the clearity that you now have experienced on the good tracks.

For an experiment. Turn off you subs completely. Pull the port plugs and try listening to a whole sample of music that you have. You might find that quite a bit of it sound great with just the m100's with no sub at all.

One more possible thing to consider -- I found that after treating first reflection points the system seemed to be more tolerant of less-good recordings.

If you're oriented on the long wall then the side FRPs are probably OK but think about floor/ceiling and definitely the back wall. Guessing the listening position is a couch or similar seating very close to the back wall -- if so then try holding a cushion behind your head to block reflections off the back wall from your ears (it's best if nobody is watching) while listening to a not-sounding-good recording and see if that helps.

Do the crossover first though.