I just bought a Denon 3805 and I'm considering M80's, VP150, and either QS8's or M3ti's (a 5.1 channel setup with a Def Tech PF15 sub). I'm wondering if my listening area would do better with direct radiating M3's or not.

The area is approx 12' X 15' X 8'. When seated, I face the 12' wall, and to my left there is no wall. It's open to the rest of the house, approx. 14' to the next wall. So while the right surround would be in a corner, the left would be near only 1 wall about 3-4 feet from the couch. The couch is up against the back wall.
Would the QS8's effects be somewhat wasted to the left open area, or am I better off going the direct radiator route?

By the way, I'll be listening to about 70% HT, 30% music, although that ratio may change once the speakers are in and I start relistening to everything!

Thx in advance!

QS8's are designed for that. They reign supreme in the surround speaker domain.

For a room that size (ie relatively small) I would definitely go with the QS8s. Assuming you are mounting the speakers at the sides (rather than on the back wall) the left QS8 tweeter will still bounce off the back wall and give you that ambient effect.

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that it's the tweeters where the bouncing is important... the woofers are just mounted top and bottom because there is no room anywhere else in the cabinet

From what I know and what I think I know. I think I would also suggest QS8s!!

A direct radiating speaker is used by lots of folks in a mainly music situation, but for a mostly HT system, the highly rated QS series is hard to beat!! However a stand would probably be needed for the best effects on the open side of your room.

I suspect others more knowledgable of the QS series will pop in with clarification!!

The M3 is an excellent speaker for any number of applications, but I'm not sure it's really as good a match with the M80s and VP150 due to differing driver configurations.(even though the VP100 is successfully matched with the M3s in Axiom M3 HT packages!) The M22 or even the M2 could probably match up better and give smoother pans.

Ain't nothin' ever easy??!
Rich.

In reply to:

---

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure that it's the tweeters where the bouncing is important... the woofers are just mounted top and bottom because there is no room anywhere else in the cabinet.

---

If axiom did that then they would be like any other dipole/bipople speaker out there. The quadpole design bounces sound all over the place to get that ambient effect.

Q's baaaaaby, look at my open room with only one wall on the left side...

>>The quadpole design bounces sound all over the place to get that ambient effect.

I have heard both views -- one view is the "bouncing at all angles" explanation, the other is that the QS work so well because the tweeters bounce and the woofers don't bounce much. Of course I never think to ask when I'm actually at Axiom, no that would be smart...

The Q's are also great for music.

Well thanks all... QS8's it will be then! Now it's just a matter of when to pull the old trigger. I have a pair of large Infinity Kappa 8's to ship that look like they'll be tough to box properly. Thx again!

Update:

Trigger pulled!! Saw that prices are going up, so now was a good a time as any. Ordered M80's, VP150, QS8's, & stands (pricey!). Ordered this morning, just got the email that everything's shipped! Amazing. Thanks to all who contributed... have been thinking about this for at least 2 months.

Congrats on the purchase!

Now the wait at the front door for the Fedex truck begins.