5.1 vs 7.1 QS8s - Axiom Message Boards

Hello,

I am looking to decide between 2 QS8s or 4 QS8s for my surround setup. The Room is an open space in an apartment about 21 feet long by 11 feet wide. The side Speakers would be about 4 feet away on one side and 6 feet on the other side. The back wall is about 3.5 Feet from my listening position, would I benefit having both speakers on the side & behind (7.1).

If only 2 QS8s would be fine, would it be better to have them on the side or behind me?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

If you were to go 5.1, I'd have the Q's on the side walls slightly behind your seating position, say 2-3 ft, and 3-4 above your listening level.

Should you go 7.1, I'd have the sidewall Q's moved forwards on the side wall next to, but 3-4 ft above your listening level and have the other two Q's on the backwall 3-4 ft behind you(space permitting).

I'm set up in 5.1 in a similar shaped room as yours and have no complaints, although, having said that, I've never tried a 7.1 set-up and I'm sure most here would agree that this would be the best way to go if your budget permits.

Oh, and welcome diet!!

...also, keep in mind, the design of the Q's is very forgiving, as far as placement goes.

Currently I have a 5.1 set-up. My room is 35 feet long and I sit about 3 feet from the back wall. My QS8's are positioned on the back wall the same distance away from the outer wall as the M80's are, about 6 feet (my room is also 35 feet wide). Having a square room is a big dissadvantage I've been told. But the way it's set up now fills my entire living room with music on 5/7 channel playback for music no matter where you sit. I never used to like 5/7 channel playback with my last set of speakers, but with the Axioms it opens the music up so much its incredible!

I'm plannng on expanding this set-up to 7.1 & eventually even 9.1 (Denon recievers let you split the 6th & 7th channels into 4 speakers). Once I get my next pair of QS8's I will do a little more experimenting with placement. Didn't try these anywhere but the back wall, but I am quite happy with the sound I'm getting out of them where they are so no regrets.

I have a 7.1 setup (4 QS8's). The rears are 8' behind me and the sides are 5.5' (I'm also 8' from the fronts). At first I used PLIIx and THX Select to matrix the sound to the rears. Later I started allowing the soundtrack to decide (most are 5.1). To be honest, I can't tell the difference. Many folks would think that having 2 additional speakers behind you would make a big difference. In my experience, they do not.

When I got my pair of QS8s, I changed my room from having the surround speakers at about 45 degrees behind me to being directly to the left and right of the couch. I moved my old speakers to the be at the edges of the listening area (about the arms of the couch) on the rear wall. Each of the four speakers are 8 feet from the center of the couch.

When listening to 5.1 material without the rear channel I get the impression that the sounds are moving in an arc over head rather than panning around behind me. So I always use PLIIx to dematrix the surround channel which seems to place sounds more accurately.

This is just my experience, not everyone has reported the same. But many people don't have their 4th and 5th channel directly to their sides; most in a 5.1-only setup have them slightly behind. Which is what I had before, and it sounded fine.