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Posted By: kayizm QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 03:32 AM
I've read a couple of posts but I want to be sure on a few things. I currently have the M60's, VP150no sub.............yet. :-) I am looking to buy the QS8's to now have some sort of "surround sound". My question to you is the placement of them. Ceiling mounting is not an option, I am really not an expert on this but, what would give me the better surround sound, placing them on the side wall so the front of the speaker is "looking at me" directly from each side? Or, behind me and the couch "looking at the big screen TV" ?

Posted By: Ajax Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 04:34 AM
From the Axiom FAQ:

"Where should I place my surround speakers?
Ideally, surround speakers should be either wall-mounted or stand-mounted to either side of the couch or primary listening area, from one to six feet higher than seated listeners' ears, and slightly forward or rearwards of the listening area if you wish. Axiom's Quadpolar surrounds are especially versatile and can yield excellent performance with stand or wall-mounting to the rear as well as at side locations.
"

As you can see from the above, the ideal is on the side walls slightly behind the listening area. Failing that, on the side wall, slightly in front of the listening area is next best. You'll find the QS series speakers will do fine on the back wall if that is a better option for you.

The QS series come with brackets for flush mounting on the walls. It is not necessary to aim them at the listening area, though, if you wish, you may do so using the optional Axiom Full Metal Bracket, or something like the Omnimount wall bracket. .
Posted By: bigjohn Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 01:34 PM
i have a very big HT room(28x26x8) with M60's, QS8's, and the VP150. my viewing position is 11 feet from the tv. now, because the room is so wide and long, i had to put the QS8's in a not-so-optimal position. they are 1ft below the cieling, which is approx 3 to 3 1/2ft above the listening position, and about 1ft behind the listening position. now, keep in mind that they are on the wall, so they are about 11 to 12ft to each side of the listening position due to the width of the room.

now with that being said, i have no problems hearing my QS8,s/ during movies, or all channel stereo listening, they sound great. i had to bring the levels up a bit during calibration, but they blend very well to the whole mix. like i said, placement isnr perfect, but you can only deal with what you are given. i will say, that with the down firing speaker on the QS8, i think having them directly above the listening position(if you put them on rear wall) would be distracting. that just my opinion, i am not an expert.

good luck.. oh, and the T-brackets for the QS8s mount very easily to the wall.. just make sure to find a stud, cause these babies are pretty heavy.

bigjohn
Posted By: kayizm Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 08:20 PM
You mean to say the full metal braket that Axiom sells, doesnt come with the stud that you are refering? (Im talking about mounting the QS8). Am I wrong in saying that its really personal preference when it comes to deciding to put the QS8's on the side wall or the back wall? This assuming you have the option to do both.
Posted By: Ajax Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 08:44 PM
In reply to:

....its really personal preference when it comes to deciding to put the QS8's on the side wall or the back wall?



Absolutely! However if you have the option of doing both, the side wall is preferable, but the back wall will work, also. The QS8s do a fabulous job of diffusing the sound wherever they are placed.

In reply to:

You mean to say the full metal bracket that Axiom sells, doesn't come with the stud that you are referring?



The "stud" John was referring to is a wall stud; a vertical 2x4 (usually wood, sometimes metal) inside the wall. They are usually 16 inches apart, and they are what your plaster/wallboard is attached to. Their location inside the wall can be found by lightly tapping on the wall with a knuckle and listening for the sound to change from kinda hollow to kinda solid (a hit or miss proposition), or by purchasing a stud finder at your local Sears, Home Depot, or similar outlet. Attaching at least one of the screws on your QS8 bracket to a stud just minimizes the chance of the speaker pulling loose from the wall.


Posted By: Ken.C Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 08:49 PM
And no, the positionable full metal bracket is sold separately. The T bracket that mounts the speakers flush against the wall comes with them.
Posted By: Ajax Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 09:00 PM
Just to be sure I didn't misunderstand. The QS series speakers come with a "T" shaped bracket for mounting the speaker flush to the wall. Once mounted the speakers remain flush to the wall.

The Full Metal Bracket is an optional way of mounting a speaker which has the advantage of being adjustable, so you can slightly turn, and/or tilt, the speaker to which it is attached. This is NOT a necessity with the QS since they are quadrapole speakers meant to diffuse the sound not aim it.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 09:05 PM
Bingo. Although the FMB is useful for those with strangely shaped walls, ceiling mounts, etc.
Posted By: James_T Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 09:16 PM
What he said.
My 2 cents: I have the QS8s mounted directly behind and above (about 3 feet about ear level) with the T bracket flush to the real wall.

Superduperawesomeamazingwow. I forced a friend to sit in the sweetest spot and watch part of The Bourne Identity last night. He said "How does it make the bird sound like it's over there when there is no speaker there?" Even though they are placed poorly (according to THX standards) they still do an amazing job.

jr
Posted By: bigjohn Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 09:23 PM
you are talking about the scene when he is out on the side of the building, climbing down the ladder.. i remember that scene, and said the same thing to myself. or the scene when he is crouching down from the sniper out in that big field. when the quails fly off, pretty cool.

i just assumed having the down firing speaker directly above your head would be distracting. guess i was wrong!

bigjohn
Posted By: kayizm Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 10:30 PM
I live in an apartment and I would like to place the surrounds on the side. What if while I'm "tapping on the wall" I dont find any stud. What do I do next if I cant find a "stud"?
Posted By: MrBill Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 10:55 PM
In reply to:

What do I do next if I cant find a "stud"?



Get an electronic stud finder at Home Depot. They cost about $10 as I recall and use only a single 9V battery.
Posted By: Michael_A Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 11:00 PM
I have my QS8s on the side walls. They are about 3' above, and about 8" forward of the LP.

Sounds coming from behind are incredible. Just unbelievable.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/28/04 11:45 PM
I would not sweat having to mount them on a stud. It might be "better" but probably not essential.

I use E-Z Anchor products, especially the 30- or 50-lb self-drilling plastic drywall anchors. They are super easy to use, and your local Homeless Despot or Blowes should have them or something virtually identical. If you put 4 of these on each QS8 bracket, there is absolutely no way it will pull out of the drywall. Plus, when you move, you can unscrew them from the wall and fill the hole with spackle (unlike traditional "molly bolts").

It is very different if you are using the Full Metal Bracket, however. I'm talking about the flush-mount, T-bracket that comes with the QS8. Some physicist can explain the different kinds of force. I've got to go home and drink my beer now. And fix that girl a little toddy for her body.

That's how I have my QS8's on the wall. They are very solid. I don't worry at all.
Posted By: Twirly22 Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/29/04 01:48 AM
This is what I used to find out where to mount my QS4. Take 18" of sturdy wire coat hanger or #14 copper wire and form twisted loops at each end so that they will hook on the hooks that are pre-installed on the QS8. Now use heavy duty picture hanging hooks to try them in different TEMPORARY locations without making big holes or (((shudder))) irreversible decisions.

P.S. I used this method, but only on the side, and I love how they sound. If you do try side and back, PLEASE tell us about how they compare.
Posted By: kayizm Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/29/04 01:56 AM
Thanks to all of you guys for all of your advice. I think Im going to go with the QS8's and try the T bracket it comes with and mount them on the side walls with one of the E-Z Anchor products. I'll let you know how it works out.
Posted By: BrenR Re: QS8 Positioning? - 05/29/04 07:06 AM
I second Tom's recommendation of EZ Anchors - they're ludicrously strong. My QSs are held up by 3 in each T-bracket - thought using every screw hole was overkill, since I've hung my 160lb body off of a shelf standard screwed in 4 places into EZ Anchors in vinylboard.

Bren R.
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