(I have a couple of posts on this topic over in AVSForum. One of the folks there suggested a post on this forum.)
I am in the hunt for a pair of smaller speakers to be mounted to the ceiling behind my seating area to form the rear surrounds as I up my 5.1 system to 7.1. My fronts and surrounds are all Paradigm Studio Reference speakers circa 2002. The ceiling area behind is white, so I am thinking about white speakers to make those less noticeable.
Here is roughly how the room is laid out (I recently moved the seating forward for better bass response, so the sides may need to move forward):
The rears need to go where those ovals are, because that is where I pre-wired before sheetrocking 6 years ago.
From past research, I had concluded that direct radiators would be better for a rear surround speaker that far back.
In my hunt, I have looked at the Axiom M3v2. Seems to have a decent frequency response, and can handle being connected to the 200W output of my Sherbourn amp.
But the good folks at Axiom say that the M3v2 doesn't work with their ceiling mounting kit, but the Algonquin Outdoor speaker does. They point out that the Algonquin is the M3 in a weatherproof enclosure.
My questions are:
1) Anyone have any experience with how Axiom speakers match (or don't) sonically with Paradigms?
2) Anyone had experience mounting the M3v2 on the ceiling? Would the Omnimount 20 ceiling mount work with this?
3) Any comparisons between the M3v2 and Algonquin? How "cheesy" is the plastic enclosure for indoor use (everything else in this room is pretty high class)?
4) On AVSForum I was asked why not consider the Qs8. Does anyone have good technical arguments for/against reverberant versus direct radiating speakers in such a rear-location/room layout? I am still wrestling with this one.
Many thanks!
Ken
