I've been looking at the M22's because I don't want to take up floor space (and my room doesn't lend itself to standing speakers very well). I wanted to mount them from the ceiling so I can keep their vertical presentation. I thought of putting them on book shelves, on their sides, but they aren't really designed to be used that way I've been told. Then I got to thinking - why not get two VP150's or VP180's and mount them from the ceiling. They are horizontally designed to begin with and they would be hung about three inches below the ceiling, about 50" left and right of my TV, which is above a fire place. Any thought's on this?

Someone from the west coast used 3 horizontal VP150s as fronts in an HT setup with success, a number of years ago. Personally I'd go with a couple of bookshelf speakers in your case if you're just going two channel, ie music only. I'd have a look at a couple of M3's...relatively small and unobtrusive, but very rich sound with a slight emphasis in the bass.

It is best if your front soundstage is as close to ear level as possible when seated, not ceiling mounted. Why can't wall mount the speakers?

When your watching movies, the dialog and sound should seem to come from the screen.

I had a similar arrangement with all of the 5.1 speakers in a setup years ago, but not with Axiom speakers. I didn't like the setup at all, since even though the speakers were angled down it was still clear when you listened to it that it was coming from above you. It takes you out of the movie. For example one person is taking on screen directly in front of you, but it sounds like you are several feet below him.

I can wall mount the speakers, but it's finding a wall mount capable of holding the speaker up but at a 90-degree angle toward the listener. I'd have to mount it on a side wall.

How close would you recommend mounting them to the TV? Reading the speaker placement article by Alan suggests an angle of 22-30 degrees. Using geometry, that means about 4-5 feet from the edge of my tv.

Mark, as to the separation of the main speakers, that 30 degree angle(on each side)is commonly suggested, with the 60 degree angle formed creating an equilateral triangle with the listening position. Another way to say the same thing is to have them separated as much as their distance to the listening position.

I'll add that M22's sound a little smoother and go ever so slightly lower in FR than the Vp150's, so if you can, stick with the M22's. As for a wall mount, Axiom's FMB works very well with the M22.

I like the FMB, but it won't forward face the speaker to the listening area while mounted on the side. At least it doesn't look like it will.

Ah, I missed that odd mounting angle requirement. To get around this issue you could build out a wooden mount from the wall far enough to allow the FMB to work with the speaker at a 90 deg. angle.

Right you are - it's definitely designed to be mounted upright. This gives you the added advantage of gravity working to hold the speaker as well.

I was thinking of getting some bracket steel (the kind they use to hang garage door openers that has all the holes in it) and making a triangle type of mount, paint it black and use that to mount the M22's. But I'm still undecided between eating up floor space and getting the M60's or keeping the clutter out and getting the M22's. I won't be home for a while so I won't be ordering them until next week (I want the full two weeks to audition them ;-). I'll probably order both the M22s and the M60s and decide which ones to send back. Heck, it takes me two hours to chose a pair of boots..lol.

That decision is the best way to go. I don't remember and am too lazy to recheck the thread, do you have a good sub to use with the M22's? If not you might find the M60's superior due to the better bass.

I'm getting the Hsu VTF-2 MK3 (or the SVS Research PB-12NSD). I'm not sure which is best, but I'm leaning toward the Hsu due to it configurable porting.

The low end should be taken care of then; let us know what you think of each speaker