Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Time to buy a toy

Hello all - yet another HT newbie looking to buy himself some grown up toys. I bought a 42" Panny plasma at Christmas and now need to replace the receiver and speakers I purchased in 8th grade with something that will, well, kick *ss. I'm moving into a new apartment with a big open kitchen / dining room / living room. It's 13' x 29' x 11'5" and has hardwood floors. The kitchen is at one end, with a big picture-type window at the opposite (13') end. My furniture is too big for the place really so the best place for the TV etc will be in front of the window facing into the LR/DR/kitchen. A way too big L shaped sofa will face it (and thus away from the kitchen) with the DR table between the sofa and the kitchen. I haven't moved in yet but I anticipate the listening area to be ~9-10' from the TV. There is a fireplace along one side wall in the LR area and a door to the patio roughly opposite it. My only neighbor (who doesn't know how unlucky he is about to be...) shares the fireplace side wall. There will be 2 big oriental rugs in the room. The ceiling is 11.5' and flat. A normal size hallway leads from the kitchen area to the bedrooms. It is on the top floor. It's also a brand new building and one of the things they advertise is that is is designed with "sound isolation" in mind, although I have no idea what the specifics are for that.

I'll probably use it for ~50:50% movies/music but maybe a little more movies. The movies I watch tend to have helicopters and most of my music collection is hard rock or electronic (although I do enjoy good acoustic music as well).

I've been lurking here for awhile and have been eyeing M60s or 80s, 150/500/QS8 x2 or x4. I want a system that sounds great and will be (sorta) future proof when I get a house in a few years, but I'm also going to have neighbors below me and next to me. They're gonna hate me no matter what, aren't they?!?!?!?

I'm lusting over M80x2/150/500/QS8x4. Is this way overkill for the volume constraints I'll have? With the M80 being 4 ohm will I even be able to power something like this with the Onkyo TX-SR805 I'm eyeing as well? Have you guys and gals ever even recommended someone go smaller! I also wonder if I'll need some simple 1st reflection type acoustic treatments. I do plan on sticking a couple bookcases along the common wall.

Thanks for your patience. Lots of pics will reward your assistance...

Cheers

Welcome Jess.

If you are planning on moving into a larger place and have been lusting after that combination and can afford it, then you have our blessing to go for it ! And why don't you upgrade to a 600 while you're at it?

The 500 (and I'm sure even the 350) will test the sound isolation of your building. In my house, no one can escape the frightening thunder of the 600. The choppers from Black Hawk Down made my jeans flap in my 4,000 cubic foot room.

In a place that small, you could go M3s (which have been getting rave reviews) and forego the centre channel for now. This would give you some additional money for the 600. When you move into your new place, you could use the M3s in another room (or go through Axiom's trade-up program) and buy M80s for your main room.

The 805 will have no problem at all powering M80s and the VP150.

You will end up enjoying whatever you buy from Axiom.

Hi, High.

Welcome.

IF you need some financial wiggle room, I'd suggest just going 5.1 for now. You might not benefit significantly from the jump to 7.1 and it's a pain to wire all those surrounds in a rental. You can always add them later.

But, yeah, if you can afford the cost and installation for all that, I'd do it. I actually like choosing the EP500; it will fit your space more easily than the EP600 and be easier to move later. My sense is that you don't really sacrifice very much performance.

I wouldn't worry about the Onkyo. If you run into volume issues later (which I doubt) you can always add an external amp.