Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners RX-V2600 and M80's (hopefully)

I just purchased a Yamaha rx-v2600 last week - hoping that
it would be capable of handling the M80's. I noticed in the RX-V4600 thread that other receivers were listed as being able to handle the load without issue (NAD, HK, Denon, ...), but Yamaha was missing from the list. Are there any known issues with the Yamaha's? Unfortunately, I'm at the end of my budget and there's really nothing left over to spend on an external amp, for now at least.

So, hear's the question (**albeit a subjective one**), is it possible to enjoy the M80's ("loud" action movies) driven by the Yamaha receiver? I can get the M60's now and be certain my receiver can drive them without an external amp, but I don't want to latter regret not getting the M80's. I could probably be able to pick up an amp this summer - but I dont' want to wait until this summer to purchase the speakers.

I have a 15'x22' enclosed media room with a 10' ceiling. Are M60's more than enough for this size of room? I've purchased a Panny 900 and will probably use a diy screen initially, with plans to pick up a Carada screen a little later.


Here's my planned setup:

M80s, VP150, QS8s, EP350?/500? (not ordered yet)
Yamaha RX-V2600
Panasonic PT-AE900U
Carada Criterian 92-102" (not ordered yet)


Thanks for any suggestions!

- Paul

Hey Paul (and welcome to the forum!):
Yamaha is not on the list of receivers that are generally recommended for driving the M80s. But, I don't think that's a bad thing if the Yamaha has the features you wanted.

I believe that the M60s, if mated with the EP500 sub, will do very well for your action movies in your room. How far away from the front speakers will you be sitting? Set the M60s to "small" on your receiver to let the 500 take much of the burdon off your receiver and the M60s. Honestly, if you were committed to the M80s, I would recommend the EP500 for those action movies anyway.

FWIW-

I'll be sitting about 11' back in the front row and 17' in the back row.

I'm not 100% committed to the M80s, but if I go with the M60s, I'm afraid I'll always wonder if I'm missing anything . As far as the sub goes, I'm guessing the EP500 is worth the extra $$$ from what I've read so far here.

- Paul

Unless your plan is to induce premature deafness in your friends, family and yourself, the 60s with an EP500 should be a killer combination that leaves nothing to be desired.

IMHO the 80's are great speakers for large or small rooms. They sound just as good at low levels and better when you just have to rattle the walls. The 500 helps there too.

I'm in a 11 x 17 room, but it's open to other rooms in the basement

The 4600 is holding it's own quite well. I have no desire as of yet for an external amp. My neighbors are already mad enough at me.

I'm sure the 60's would have done me just fine, but I too knew I would regret not getting the 80's for some silly reason at some point.

gman, my room is approximately the same size and I drive my setup (2XM60ti + VP150 + 2XQS8 + HSU STF-2.) with a Yamaha RX-V657.

Your receiver is perfect for the M60ti.

Paul, welcome. In the past some Yamaha receivers had difficulties with 4 ohm speakers. The tests on more recent models(e.g. 1500 and up)indicate substantial 4 ohm power and should do well with M80s except in situations such as extremely loud levels in extremely large rooms, which would also cause problems with other units.

Mark - M60s
dmn23 - M60s
bugbitten - M80s
newf - M80s
pfillion - M60s
John - M80s should probably work with receiver

Ok, it looks like a tie ... unless I put my vote in! I think I subconsciously wanted everyone to say the M80s were absolutely, hands down, the best way to go (or maybe not so subconsciously).

John, thanks for the info on the Yamaha's historical difficulties. So, I'm understanding from your comments that an external amp would not be required (knowing, of course, that I'd only be able to push the M80s to about half their potential)

pfillion - thanks for the M60s nod - and if you don't mind, what made you choose the STF-2 over either the EP350/500? I'm definitely up in the air over the sub. Being my first 'real' speaker system to purchase, I wasn't even expecting to be considering an $1,150 sub.

newf - great to hear the 4600 is holding its own - I think the 2600 has the same wpc rating, so hopefully I would be able to see similar results, except maybe the mad neighbors

bugbitten - if you run without the M200s are you able to rattle the walls? cuz that's what I'm talking about!

dmn23 - appreciate your comments - I'm hoping to get the best quality sound at exhilrating loudness levels (with a good sub), looks like the M60s may very well do both


Has anyone had the opportunity to do side-by-side comparison of the M60s and M80s in a similar sized room (15x22x10)? I've read on Axiom's site that they are tonally equal (at least very close), but I'm concerned that they won't be with one less high and mid driver.

Thanks again!

-Paul

Paul, in my view there's no good reason to doubt what you read on the Axiom site about the M60 and M80 being very similar tonally. Alan Lofft has discussed this and pointed out that the additional mid and high drivers give greater power handling capacity for extremely high sound levels in extremely large rooms. This doesn't change the tonal quality at more reasonable levels. Be that as it may, if this is going to cause you to continually linger in anguished doubt in the future, then go with the M80s.

If your parenthetical comment reacting to my previous post and ending "...half their potential" was based on something I said, that certainly wasn't intended. Apparently no lab tests on your new 2600 have been published, but the recent Hometheater lab results on the 2500 showed among other things 198 watts into 4 ohms with 0.1% THD and 242 watts at 1.0%. Keeping in mind that the M80s would be using about 1 watt at comfortably loud average listening levels and that even brief peaks might be unlikely to use more than about 100 watts, this would appear to provide for the full potential to be realized.