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I thought that I'd share what I've been working on for the past few nights. I'm going to be getting an Axiom setup (M80, VP150, QS8, EP500) once my new place is finished being built. To get a look at how things will look (and to keep me busy while I'm waiting for it to be finished) I did a rendering in SketchUp. These are for the most part to scale so should be a good representation of what it will look like (some of the specifics related to the Axioms aren't accurate, as I didn't have technical drawings to make my models from, just the basic dimensions).

I'll be sure to post some pictures once everything is finished (although that is still several months away), just thought people may get a kick from a preview (and I wanted to show-off my work).

-Todd...

That's a superb "sketch".

You'll want to bring the 80s out from the wall and toe them in. You will also probably want to flip the center upside-down so that it is pointing up at you.

Also, you may want to think about hanging your QS8s from the ceiling and angling them towards your couch (three cables). This will give you a cleaner installation.

What's behind your couch? Is it a wall?

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Also, you may want to think about hanging your QS8s from the ceiling and angling them towards your couch (three cables). This will give you a cleaner installation.

Those would be some pretty high QS8's.

Pretty high? Most people, including myself have their Qs8's either high up on the wall or hanging down from the ceiling. Axiom recommends around 2-6ft above your ears. Why else would they make the ceiling mount for the Q's? Mine are 7ft off the ground.

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Pretty high? Most people, including myself have their Qs8's either high up on the wall or hanging down from the ceiling. Axiom recommends around 2-6ft above your ears. Why else would they make the ceiling mount for the Q's? Mine are 7ft off the ground.

Quack,

If you look at his diagram, it looks like he has a vaulted ceiling, probably in excess of 20 feet :P

I suppose that is what he was referring to now that I reread, but you can clearly see that the OP is planning on putting them on stands. I thought that is what Hay was referring to, my bad.

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You'll want to bring the 80s out from the wall and toe them in. You will also probably want to flip the center upside-down so that it is pointing up at you.

I was thinking about that just this morning... the fine details on speaker position (including the sub) are yet to be determined (I need to have them in the room to play). I knew you'all were going to be specific. In my first model I had the QS8 on stands that were a single post that blocked the bottom driver... I knew someone was going to call me on it, so make it more accurate.

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Also, you may want to think about hanging your QS8s from the ceiling and angling them towards your couch (three cables). This will give you a cleaner installation.

The ceilings are 18' tall, so there isn't any way to hang them. I could position them on the rear wall, but then I'd have to deal with the wires up the wall rather than just to a stand. Personally, I like the stands (and I have no WAF to worry about). If the rear wall would lend to better performance I'm all for it, but I figured something like this would be more optimal.

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What's behind your couch? Is it a wall?

Yes, it is a wall... but if it was visible from this angle all you'd see would be the wall

Here is a better view of the rear wall:

I'm planning on having the couch pulled-out from the wall by about 1' to try and give the QS8 room fire infront/behind my ears. What do you think about that idea? Do you think it would make a difference from the same stand/couch position just against the rear wall?

One thing that people suggested in my previous post was rotating everything 90deg to have the TV against the wall of windows... I'll try that out tonight and see how it looks (virtual is SO much easier than moving furniture around a living room).

-Todd...

I was suggesting that he hangs them with cables so that they are 8 feet or so above his head. They would be long cables but at least he can get rid of those stands. I can see his drunk friends tripping over them

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One thing that people suggested in my previous post was rotating everything 90deg to have the TV against the wall of windows... I'll try that out tonight and see how it looks (virtual is SO much easier than moving furniture around a living room).

Ok, I couldn't wait. Here is how thing would basically look if everything was rotated 90deg:

I could wall mount the QS8, but this orientation doesn't leave much room to maneuver. One nice thing here is that I could watch the TV from the kitchen (but I'll have a smaller TV there anyhow so it's not that big of a deal). It may be worth trying out just to listen... I wonder how big of a difference orientation this would make?

-Todd...

another option would be to wall mount the QS8s, one beside the window, and the other on the little jetted out wall by the kitchen, you can set the distance in your AV reciever, you wouldn't know the difference.

It may not look "ideal" to you (equal distance from the couch), but it will sound great. Thats the good thing about the distance setting in your receiver. if it were my room and I didn't want to have the tv against the window, I would stick up the QS8s like I mentioned. This will also give you more room to add furniture in the future if you wanted. Because the Q's are right at the back of the room, and very wide so the whole audience can enjoy them.

Good luck.

PS: nice diagram!

Personally, I would never close off a window like that. I do think that you will have better sound quality with this configuration though.

You can mount the QS8s on the wall behind your couch.

As long as you're on a roll, how about rotating 45 degrees more, so that the TV is in the corner. That would reduce the window obstruction and align the couch so that it doesn't interfere with traffic from the kitchen area to whatever is on the other side of that doorway to the left of the window.

The sofa would fit nicely by the stairs, and would be mostly taking up dead space. You could also put the subwoofer on the wall to the left of the couch rather than with the TV and mains, which would let you spread the mains out a bit and would also probably give you better bass response.

John, I think you missed your calling as an interior designer

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John, I think you missed your calling as an interior designer .

Unfortunately a corner setup is the least desirable sound wise...

>>Unfortunately a corner setup is the least desirable sound wise...

Are you sure ? I have had pretty good success with it over the years, as long as you can get a clean 45 degree angle. If the alternative were a dedicated room with identical walls on left and right I agree this would not be as good, but the alternative is window on one side and wide open space on the other.

Since the corner position pretty much eliminates your first reflection points I think in this particular case it might be worth a try.

>>John, I think you missed your calling as an interior designer

Nah, I have just made more mistakes than most

There's no better way to learn than by doing it wrong once (or twice, or more).

John,

just speaking from my own experience, I had a corner setup upstairs, and move to a short wall downstairs (in a different room), and it sounded 100% better.

However, I see your argument for first reflection points, which is a pretty good reason to have a corner setup.

I don't think the corner layout works well for the room. I looked quickly in my model, but due to the size of the TV (51' wide) and the front speakers, it really has to be placed quite a distance out into the room (and still covers quite a bit of the window). The couch can't go under the stairs (I don't want to hit my head, and there is something there to keep me from doing it) so sticks out in the room.

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Since the corner position pretty much eliminates your first reflection points I think in this particular case it might be worth a try.

I have been thinking about this point with the wall/window to the right of the system. I was thinking of getting a few acoustic panels on stands to position at the first reflection points (I'm also looking into a heavy covering - theater curtain like - for the window). Given the high ceiling and open left side, would I need to worry about the first reflection points in those directions (given they are so far away)?

I was going to hold-off on the acoustic treatment questions until I got the first round of things setup and a baseline set of curves made... but some level of treatment I think is in the works to even the room out.

-Todd...

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I was going to hold-off on the acoustic treatment questions until I got the first round of things setup and a baseline set of curves made... but some level of treatment I think is in the works to even the room out.

-Todd...

I would wait until you move in and set it up. A buddy of mine has a house with a similar layout and his tv at normal volume really travels to the upper level. You will have some fun in front of you..

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I suppose that is what he was referring to now that I reread, but you can clearly see that the OP is planning on putting them on stands. I thought that is what Hay was referring to, my bad.

I was making a joke about hanging them from the 20'+ ceiling..