Oh, I know that they can customize it. I visited the Axiom shop in person almost exactly 1 year ago. GREAT experience. We talked about "un-skinned" on-wall M3s so that I could paint them to match the ceiling (I believe that this is a standard option anyway, but was good to talk about). I don't want to use found FMBs for a couple of reasons, 1) they would make the speaker hang down too low. I actually have a FMB from way back in 2004 when I have my VP150 mounted above my projector screen that I had at the time. Too much bulk for this application. (I want just a slight angle on them, but as close to the ceiling as possible.) 2) At $44 a pop, they start to add up.

Again, I just need to think of the design that can work with whatever Axiom can create for me for a back plate. I could create an angled piece of wood at the correct angle, but then I would have to be able to mount that to the ceiling (not hard) and somehow get the on-wall M3 to mount to that piece of wood in a manner that would hold it in place.

Enter the Axiom "Power Bracket"...



Really, the big question comes down to if the Power Bracket can hold up an M3 that is facing downward instead of facing into a room. If it can, without a doubt, do that, then all it would take to prevent it from coming off of that bracket and crashing to the floor would be a couple of pieces of Velcro. Then it would mount really flush, but not come off of the bracket. I just know that it is a lot more stress on that bracket as it not only has a downward force that is different than designed, but since it is closer to the top of the speaker, there is a twisting force as well due to the "bottom" of the speaker not being supported.

I guess that I could always ask for a 2nd power bracket per speaker, and a 2nd set of connection "ears" on the bottom part of the speaker that wouldn't actually connect to anything. Then I would have something that holds up both the normal "top" and "bottom" to provide more strength. Then again just couple of strategically placed pieces of Velcro would prevent it from ever working its way off.

See, now you have be thinking through it all.

The only other advantage to the DIY speakers would be cost. They are 1/2 the cost of the M3s, which at Qty 4, is a not-so-negligible $500. Knowing me, I will go that route anyway. I am sort of a "do it right" person whenever possible.

I am open to other suggestions for mounting. The way I look at it, the front overheads will nee to be flush on one side, and the other side will be something like 2 inches (I haven't done the calculations yet). I was planning on having them so that the tweeters for each pair (front pair and rear pair) point towards each other, and thus towards the middle of the room, vs having them closer to the front or back of the room, but that too is up for debate.


Farewell - June 4, 2020