Need some expert ADVICE - Axiom Message Boards

Ok here, need some help on completing HT. Currently have HK AVR630 and a SVS 20-39PCi. Just ordered both. Looking to finish setup and I am stuck between some different speakers.

Have been looking at Axioms for a while now along with Ascends. Trying to compare them so I know which one is the best for the buck. Also, do not know what speaker to choose from if I go with Axiom. Floorstanders or the bookshelf.

Here are my choices.
M60 or M22
VP150
QS8

95% HT and I have a big room.....Any suggestions???

I have the m60s,vp150, and qs8. I've gotta say, they sound awesome. Coupled with an HK AVR630 and SVS 20-39PCi...I think you'd be quite pleased. I haven't listened to the Ascends or the m22s, so I'm sorry I can't give you comparative input.

If you do a search on the forum, Ascends and Axioms have been compared many times.

Curtis you lazy bones.

You've heard both...what did you think?

I don't think he wouldn't go wrong with M60's or CMT-340m's.

Ofcouse, I would have gotten a Hsu.

How's that?

well, i think if you are looking for the "best for the buck", the axioms are the obvious choice.

bigjohn

If you're in a big room, then the floorstander is the way to go. No doubt. You simply can't fill a room with a small speaker.

Spiff is right.

Go with M60's, VP150, and QS8's.

Welcome praider,

Curtis is being tactful, as ever, which is why he's welcome just about everywhere. But, Curtis owns the Ascend 340s, and I'm reasonably sure he prefers them. I don't think the calm, gentle, respectful people here would object if he so stated.

I own the M60s, but I've not heard the 340s. From what I've heard ABOUT them, I'd wager they are an excellent speaker, and paired with a sub, would be capable of filling all but the largest rooms.

It would be helpful to know the exact dimensions (LxWxH) of your room. Then we would have a better idea of what your needs are. Also, let us know if your room opens up into other rooms (such as a dining area), and provide their dimensions if possible.

I set my Parents up with the CMT-340's on the custom stands in a 15' x 25' (35 if you count the entry way) livingroom, with a 12' ceiling....openings are the stairs down to the family room and kitchen. They more than handle the area.

yes...I prefer the CMT-340's, but have not heard them side by side with the M60's for a long time. It is time that I visit spiff's new place and bring the 340's.

Acoustically, my new place isn't as good as my last apartment. My apartment had a nice big living room with wall-to-wall carpeting. My new place has a living room about 50% smaller, with hard wood floors.

Things still sound good, but not as "open" as before, because my speakers are closer together, and I'm sitting closer to them. In fact, in a room the size I have now, the M22's would likely be the better choice than the M60's. (When you take price into consideration as well)

That's not to say I'm not still VERY happy with my setup. I am!

OK here are the room diminsions:

45Lx15Wx8H

65in sits in front of room, couch is about 14ft from front of TV. Behind the couch is open space that cannot be closed off because the stairs from the wifes part of the home connect to mine.....

My dilema is this............M60 VP150 QS8 = $1600
have been looking at this....M50 VP100 QS8 = $1300

However, I have heard to get a good center to make a good system?? Is the extra money worth this...

Ascends are cheaper, will they sound as good?
CMTm 340 = $650 (with stands)
CMTc 340 = $300
CBM 170 = $330
Total = 1280

What you guys think?????

Just to through a loop in here I have even looked at the Diva Swans 5.2 with the C3 and R3 can get for about $1500??

Give me some advice here to fill this room for 95% HT

Thanks Todd

Jack, by the way I am assuming you are a BROWNS fan...I am a season ticket holder...Where are you from??

Todd

If you use the System Advisor on the Ascend site...the total cost of the package you are looking at is $1078 plus the stands ($100).

As far as sounding as good as the Axiom setup, that is subjective.

Seriously, the only real definitive way you are going to know if you like any speaker is if you hear them for yourself. Everything you are looking at has a great reputation.

Both Axiom and Ascend make incredible speakers. I've heard both and I like both. My only concern for you is the size of your room. That's a mighty large space to fill, even with the decent sized 340's.

Are there no Axiom or Ascend owners near you for you to give a listen first?

I just saw the size of the room! Yow...that is big! Will the speakers be along the long wall or short wall? On the long wall, no problem. If on the short wall, how far back from the speakers will you be sitting?

That room is HUGE!

I would go with the M60 VP150 QS8 option. Although I have not listened to the Ascends I do know the Axioms are great. If you really want that room to be off the hook go with a second sub along with a total of 4 QS8's. If you do that you will never leave the place but the extra pair of QS8's and sub may be a future thought but one that is recomended.

How about some M80's on that list,that is an awfull big room.

In reply to:
Jack, by the way I am assuming you are a BROWNS fan...I am a season ticket holder...Where are you from??

Good assumption!

I'm in Fairview Park. Used to be a season's ticket holder, but watch the game from warmer seats now............right here in my living room.

But, I'm still a huge fan. Where are you?

Trying to fill the entire area of your room (5400 cubic feet), would be quite a challenge. I certainly don't have any experience with a room that large. But, if I understand you correctly, your listening area is roughly 15 wide by 14 deep with a large open space (15x31 feet) behind the couch. I suspect either of your choices would fill that area OK.

OK. Next question. What is your ratio of movie watching to music listening? I.E., 40% movies, 60% music? Or, 70% movies, 30% music. I ask because the Ascend and Axiom packages you are talking about come with different types of surround speakers. The 170s are direct radiating speakers, while the QS8s are quadrapolar, dispersing surrounds. You should take that difference into consideration when making your decision.

Curtis' advice to hear the speakers for yourself, if possible, is a good one. Which sounds better is a VERY subjective decision influenced by many factors including the size and configuration of your room, your hearing, and your personal tastes.

My speakers are along the short wall

<15ft>
----------------------
/Sub..S..TV..S........./
/--------------------/
/--------------------/
/-------14ft---------/
/--------------------/
/R-----couch-------R/
/--------------------/
/--------------------/
/--------28ft--------/
/--------------///////
/------------- stairs/
/--------------///////
/--------------///////
----------------------

Here is my layout...
I cannot go with M80, a little out of budget.
My budget started at $1800 but I have already dropped $1300 on receiver and Sub. This stuff gets expensive!!!!

I will listen to HT 95% of the time, will not need to fill room, just to seating position that is shown in graph. Have been thinking of make a pulldown curtain behind couch to seperate room and keep sound up front...Any suggestions on that subject??

What is the major difference in the two rear spearkers??
QS8 and CM170, Could I go with the M50 upfront or spend a little extra and get the M60s??

I can get B-stock Ascends for $1100 340's upfront with 170 rears...How bad are B-stocks??

PLEASE HELP I AM FROM CHILLICOTHE OHIO IN THE HILLS...Do not know of anyone in this area with these speakers

You're in Chillicothe, and you're a Brown's season's ticket holder? Holy Moly! That's a heck of a Sunday drive.

The pull down curtain might work just fine, but I wouldn't set it up until you try out the speakers without it. It may not be necessary.

The 170s are direct radiating speakers, which means they create and output sound from only one side of the enclosure with that side aimed at the listening position. The M60s are direct radiating speakers, as are the 340s.

Some surround speakers are dipolar, featuring speaker drivers on two opposite sides of a speaker enclosure and wired to operate out of phase (as one driver moves in the other moves out) creating a null to the front of the speaker (very little sound emanating to the front) and a broad, spread-out sound in general.

Some surrounds are bipolar, directing sound in two directions using speaker driver on two sides of the enclosure opposite one another operating in phase (meaning that they both push out at the same time and they both come in at the same time).

The Axiom QS series surround speakers are Quadrapolar. They have 4 drivers, one woofer firing out the top of the speaker, and one woofer firing down from the bottom; one tweeter firing from each side at a 45 degree angle. The drivers are wired in phase, like bipolar speakers. So they are bipolar speakers x 2 = quadrapolar.

I can say for sure that the QS8s are the best surrounds I've ever owned. The QS8s are startlingly immersing. My standard comment on the QS8s is "the thing I notice most about the QS8s is that I DON’T notice them." They do a wonderful job of providing the surround experience without calling attention to themselves in any way. They do not distract you from the movie.

If you're primarily a movie watcher, I cannot recommend the QS series highly enough. There are those who feel differently and prefer direct radiators as surrounds. They'll probably offer their opinions here soon.

I wouldn't hesitate to get B stock speakers from either internet company. The perform the same as A stock speakers, but my have minor cosmetic flaws that are hard to find. All my Axioms are B stock from the Factory Outlet. Outlet speakers are 10% off, and if you order any 5 items (for example: 5 speakers; or 2 speakers, 2 stands and one cable) you get an extra 5%0ff.

thanks jack, I used to play college football at Mount Union so we were up there every weekend for the games, I now sell them on eBay and profit a little bit on the BROWNS until they may the playoffs, maybe in the next 10-15 years....

is my room to big to go with the QS4's??
also, B-stock say they take several weeks to get, is that usually hold true??

In reply to:
is my room to big to go with the QS4's??

No. If you wanted you could use the 4's.

Yes you could go with the QS4s, but I do love my QS8s.

If you ordered 2 M60s, 1 VP150, and 2 QS8s, in black oak,from the outlet, today, The wait time for the M60s is 10 weeks, 2 weeks for the VP150, and 11 weeks for the QS8s. All of them would ship at the same time and you'd get them in 11 weeks. Many report that their speakers arrive before the maximum wait time but you shouldn't count on that. I've ordered twice from the outlet, and both times my scheduled wait time was 6 weeks. Both times, the speakers arrived in exactly 6 weeks.

One option you might consider, should you opt to go with Axioms, is to order just the 2 front speakers first. That way, if you don't like them, you only have to pay return shipping for 2 speakers. If you DO like them, then order the center speaker and 2 surrounds within the 30 day return period (as soon as you are sure you like the sound of the Axioms), and you'll still qualify for the 5 speaker 5% discount. You should call Axiom and verify that I have that correct, but I believe I do.

For that matter, you should call Axiom and talk to the folks there about your room size and listening habits and see what they recommend. Their customer service is second to none, and they won't try to talk you into something you don't need or want.

Actually, it wouldn't hurt to do the same with the Ascend folks. Most of these internet direct companies (Ascend, Axiom, av123, Hsu, SVS, etc.) have marvelous customer service.

As always, nice post Jack! :-)

Thank you, sir.