Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Finally HT nearly done

I can't stand it any more I've wanted to wait till my system was completed before posting up a bit of a review (still lacking the VP150), but after my latest addition (QS8s x2) and oppo 981HD I'm busting with joy.

My system is M60s, QS8s surrounds, Yamaha RX-V2500 receiver, HSU 2.3 sub, oppo 981HD.

Had the house to myself and fired up the last Star Trek Next Generation movie "Nemisis".

OMG.

I've heard a lot of people talk about movies with some deep base, but "Nemesis" takes the cake. The battle scene towards the end is loaded with deep base that last for a good 10minutes straight. My 19 year old daughter came home right as the sceen was starting and she said that the dishes were vibrating all over the cabinets in the next room.

It was HT experience I've been waiting on for almost two years. Like many others I was completely ignorant of HT and went to best buy to by a HT in a box bose system. It was the Bose 123 thing. Sounded great to me, but the wife just shook her head at the price ($900) and that was that (no doubt she regrets that move).

So, being a regular internet person I decided I would see what the A/V geeks think on their popular forums. I was hoping I would find an even cheaper set up that I could finally talk the wife into.

The more I read the more I realised what real HT really was and sadly how much I was going to have to pay.

I slowly started building my system. First the Yamaha 2500 receiver for about $500. Then for Christmas the wife gave me the go ahead for the M60s.

The EP500 was next, but the price made it a bit out of reach and so I went with the HSU 2.3. A very nice addition.

Finally the QS8s I bought just recently via the factory outlet and I sprung for the oppo 981HD and now I'm in HT bliss.

BTW, how much of an improvement to the HT experience is the VP 150? Just wondering as it already sounds awefully darn good.

I could live without my VP150. But I could not live without my EP600 .

I take it that right now your only using a phantom center channel? In a true 5.1 setup getting a center channel would obviously be the most common thing to do but I'll tell you what, I prefer the dialogue from watching movies on my 2 channel system vs in our 7.1 theater with the Vp150. Its just smoother, more solid, more focused. sounds more natural. It makes me wish i had chosen a 3rd M80 for our center channel vs the VP150.

Yeah, using a phantom center channel. Sounds pretty darn good as is, just wondering how much more wow factor I would get with a center channel. Doesn't sound like I'd be getting a whole lot.

How big is your screen and room?

I would suggest 2 M2's for a centre channel wired in parallel (your 2500 can handle the load easily). I have one mounted above and below of my screen...the dialog sounds like it is coming from the actor's mouths, the very centre of the screen.

This option will put you back about as much as a VP100...you will save money and get a better sound too, with wider horizontal dispersion from the centre channel (if the M2s are vertically orientated).