Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Need some advise for a budget HT

hey guys,

I just convinced my father in law to get an Axiom setup over a Jamo HTIB with speakers about 3 inches by 3 inches marked down from $1500 to $500...I can't believe some of these big box retailers selling stuff like this...

In any case, he has a pretty big room but is on a strict budget, they don't watch ALOT of movies in the basement (which is pretty big, and could easily use M80s).

So here is my plan:

Reciever: VSX-917 (1016) from futureshop on sale right now for $379...which is a killer deal.

Speakers:
M22 mains, M2 centre, M2 surrounds.

Sub:
I am thinking the EP350...however, if there was better choice in Canada for the $700 shipped category, I may go with something different, any suggestions? does the PB10 from SVS outperform this sub?

Of course, all the cables will be from monoprice etc.

They really won't be able to appreciate the QS series surrounds, I am just happy I convinced him to go with Axioms instead of these little tiny speakers that are as big as my thumb!

I was almost going to go with M2 or M3 mains...but I think M22s are most needed in his basement (which is well over 6000 cu.ft. I think). Seating area is very intimate, farthest seat is around 10 feet from the screen, so the M22s will work well.

any suggestions? How is that reciever, anyone own it?

thanks!

M3s all round is an option. I think they will play almost as loudly as M22s.

Hsu STF-2 might be an option if you're on a tight budget, but I'm guessing the EP350 would outperform it in a large room.

I like your plan, well thought out considering the budget. I haven't heard M22s or M2s, but it would be nice to have 3 identicle M22s accross the front. Not required, but nice. But I realize this probably goes agains the budget contraints.

No matter what, I'm sure this system will blow away the one on sale you mentioned your father-in-law was first looking at.

I'm hoping to be as persuasive with my in-laws when they re-do their family room within the next year. Good job spreading the joy of Axiom Robb!

I'd probably do 3 M3's across the front and 2 M2's for surrounds in the Axiom lineup.

As to the sub, I don't know how the Canadian dollar shapes up relative to AV123, SVS, Hsu, etc. "Budget" is pretty relative, and I am pretty sure my parents/inlaws would balk about that much sub in context. That AV123 X-Sub seems like a pretty good deal, but I haven't heard one.

For a truly budget HT, I'd look pretty seriously at the Hsu Ventriloquist system.

Make sure the receiver's user interface makes good sense to them. No matter how great the speakers are, if they can't get any sound to come out, you can't be a hero.

I think I am convinced to go with M3 mains and centre channel. However, I am not sure of the surrounds, the M3s are NOT small speakers, the M2s are much smaller than the M3s for surrounds (they will be wall mounted about 7 feet up probably).

Tom, you think M3s up front, and M2 surrounds eh? hmmmm...one thing is for sure, they really won't care about the woofers matching or anything...so M2s in the back and M3s across the front sounds like a good plan!

Thanks for the advise guys.

Tom charges (good) beer for advice.

Yeah, but you should see my Accounts Receivable journal. It ain't pretty.

IMHO
(Ha, I was going to try an abbreviation for "In my VERY Humble Opinion" but when I wrote it, it turned into IMveryHO.)

Anyways, I don't know how techie your parents are but anytime I help older folks with their HT systems, I always make sure they reserve 1 to 2 hundred bucks in the budget for a good universal remote. No matter how good it looks or sounds, making it just one button to switch everything from TV to DVD or whatever, is the best thing you can do for many people. I prefer more complex remotes but the Harmony's are really easy to set up and understand.

Good advice no matter what the age, actually.

I would go with a lower cost receiver. I use the Panasonic sa-xr55 which can be had for under $200.00 at many ID locations. DO a search on the reviews. I LOVE it!!! Do NOT let the low price fool you. Read the many reviews on many forums. Of course you will find those who do not like it, they are the same types who don't like Axiom also. To them if it's digital and doesn't cost their first born, then it's no good. Too bad for them. I like to save $$$ and still get great sound.

How much is the budget anyway??? Really how big is the room??? Most people will not notice the difference on which AMP is being used, but they will notice quality sound coming from the speakers. Get the most speaker your money can buy.

This will give you a little more money for the speakers.

In canada, internet dealers are not as common as the US, and not as cheap either...basically, buying retail is the best option in Canada.

Just to give you all an update...

I ended up getting my original speaker package...

I told him that I cut down the cost a bit (with the M3s) and he responded, "are you cheapin' out on my now??"...so I figured the M22s with the M2 centre is not that far from all M3s across the front...so M22 mains it is.

I think they'll be really happy with the final product. I am going to help him fish wire and stuff this week. I also convinced him to get a projector instead of a TV...so now he's going to have a 92" screen and an axiom setup for the same cost as a 52" LCD and a $500 HTIB...crazy eh??

Way to go, Robb!

well, I just calculated the room size that the theatre will be in, about 4700 cu.ft. The farthest listening distance is about 15 feet from the speakers (the main theatre area is about 16 x 16, the room then extends back for a total length of 16 x 37 feet)...Hopefully the M2 centre will bode well for my in-laws...I am worried that the single M2 centre won't be enough...if thats the case, I may have to get another single M2 and run them in parallel...

I guess I won't find out until its all set up...

Hey all,

Well I just got back from installing their home theatre, played some movies at reference levels, the M22s held out well, unfortanatly, the same can't be said for the M2 centre...

After 1 night of movies, the next morning I just decided to play around with the speakers and such, and noticed some buzzing coming from the M2 centre channel (ooooops!). Turns out the mid woofer is blown, after one night....so I got my father in-law to upgrade to the VP150...the M2 just wouldn't cut it. Especially after being blowing after 1 movie...

So in the end the VP150 will be used...I can't wait to hear it, as I have dual M2's in my theatre for the centre.

Robb,

It sounds like the M2 had a manufacturing defect.

Let us know what you think of the difference between the VP150 and the M2. And please remember to provide your data and test methods .

Mojo,

I talked with JC at Axiom, it appears that there is no manufacturing defect...we just drove the little M2 too hard I guess.

That's really surprising to me. I can certainly see you destroying the tweeter if you raised the volume too high and introduced distortion. But I wouldn't expect the woofer to suffer the same damage.

It suprises me that you are suprised

I thought about this earlier today and maybe I'm not that surprised after all. That voicecoil in the M2's woofer is pretty small. And if he pushed the amp too hard, it most probably square-waved and opened the coil.

I am surprised that my surprise surprised you though .