Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Advice Please

Hey folks, I'm new to the world of surround sound and am looking for some honest advice from those of you axiom owners with first hand experience. I'm wanting to build a surround system and have pretty much decided on trying the axiom line of speakers given the excellent reviews... My problem is which ones?


My room dimensions are 11'W X 16.5'L X 7'H. I'm looking not only for a good HT experience but something that really shines musically. I'm thinking of getting the M80ti based system but I'm uncertain as to whether this would simply be over kill and wondering if the increase in cost would yield an equal improvement in sound quality.

1) Would this system simply be too overpowering for a room this size ? ( its possible at some point I'd have a larger room but can't imagine it'd be much more that twice the size) I've read one review saying the M80's aren't suitable for smaller rooms but have noticed people on the forum with M80's and a room size similar to mine?

2) Will I get a better sounding system with the M80's over the M60, M50, M40 systems? How about the differences between the surrounds and subs. Would the extra cost of the QS8's, VP150 and EP350 offer an equivalent increase in improved sound...?

3) Any suggestions on alternate Axiom configurations than listed on the Axiom site?


4) I'm also uncertain about the amp. I'd prefer an integrated amp but mostly want something that is sonically good and future friendly, will handle DVD-audio and SACD formats (even though I'm not entirely sure what they are) and all those Dolby and DTS formats. Any particular products that stand out / match well with Axiom speakers?

My Budget:

-For speakers I'm willing to stretch for the M80 system if the ratio of cost/sound quality is justifiable. Purchasing my last stereo system some 15 yrs ago as a student I made the decision to buy the amp I wanted and to later upgrade the speakers, which of course never happened. I always regretted this, so this time I want to make the speakers the strongest part of the system.

-For the amp I'm thinking around 1k.

Thanks very much in advance for the help!

El

Seems like theres 5 of these type posts a week try searching the forums please. Nobody wants to repeat themselves a hundred times over. i know for a fact you will find the awnsers to some of those questions in older posts.

Hi Eldwynn

I have an HT system in my office which is a bit larger than the room you're talking about, but comparable. I have 4 M22 like speakers, twin subs and an Axiom made Merak MC6H center channel speaker. These speakers fill the room with incredibly full and beautiful sound. I think M80s or M60s would be too much. BTW where're the front and center channel speakers going to be in your room - on the narrow or wide wall?

In any case, I'd go with M22s rather than the towers for your room. Believe me, you'll love them!

OK my appologies, I have been searching all evening but really couldn't figure out any real consensus for most of these.

Thanks anyways.

El

Thanks for the reply 2X6spds.

The front would be the 11'W figure and I'd likely be sitting at the 10'->12' mark.

Much appreciated, El

Welcome aboard Eldwynn

BTW, as to amps, I picked up 3 Onkyo M282 2x120 watt amps and use a Sony STRDB1070 as a processor. ubid.com has been auctioning 282's for about $100 each, manufacturer refurbished. I'd grab 3 of these and save yourself some money. They sound terrific!!

Also, if you're going to hang out here, don't bother asking about cables or speaker wires. The combative consensus is that you're wasting your money if you use anything better than string.

Hey, you're misrepresenting the combative consensus. It's TWINE, not string.

Eldwynn, you're certainly correct now in wanting to give primary emphasis to the speakers. Assuming that a reasonable minimum quality standard is met, the other components will have little or no effect on the sound. I can assure you that the M22s will be more than adequate in your size room, especially with a sub handling the low bass. As to the possibility of a larger room in the future, I don't know that anyone can say much more than that it's your choice how to spend the money available now. Presumably if you buy more main speaker than you really need now you'll have less to spend on the other speakers.

My suggestion, in addition to the M22s plus sub would be a vertical M2 center and QS8 surrounds. As to amplification, you wouldn't want to buy simply a stereo integrated amp, if thats what you meant, since you'll need the full capabilities of a five to seven channel HT receiver. Give strong consideration to the receivers having automatic room and speaker equalization, such as the Pioneer 53TX or 55TXi and the Yamaha 2400.

I agree with JohnK about the sub, QS8s and M2s. I'd recommend separate 2 channel amps (if you can get 3 M282s with 2x120 watts for about $100 each you'd be smilin large) and a used processor like a Rotel which you can get for a pretty good price on ebay or your local classifieds. Won't have auto speaker equalization, but you can do that with a Radio Shack analog SPL meter, and I'd guess this set up would sound much, much better than a Pioneer or Yamaha receiver. JMO

SACD and DVD-A are high resolution audio formats that can take advantage of 5.1 speaker setups (although many SACDs are in stereo only). Initially, there was a Beta/VHS-format war, but now universal players are available that play both (as well as CDs, CDRs, and DVDs), so there is no real reason to choose one over the other--particularly since a given release will typically be in only one of the two formats, not both. They sound great and cost pretty much the same as a regular CD. Basically, they pick up where quadrophonic vinyl left off in the 1970s.

If you want to maximize the odds that your amp will be able to handle the next generation of SACD/DVD-A players, try to get one with a FireWire port. At the moment, for proprietary reasons, most SACD and DVD-A players have their own internal DACs and send out 6-channel analog signals to the receiver. In other words, they do not send out a digital signal as ordinary DVDs and CDs do. This is likely to change, as already there are a few high-end player/receiver pairs (both must come from the same manufacturer) that allow digital output of SACD/DVD-A to the receiver via a FireWire link. My guess (and it is no more than that) is that this is the thin end of the wedge, leading to the emergence of a FireWire standard that will allow consumers to digitally link universal players and receivers made by different manufacturers, at a much lower cost. If your receiver has a FireWire port, you will be able to capitalize on this development, should it occur.

In the meantime, most of us have gone the 6-channel-analog-out route. You can spend anywhere from $170 to well over $1000 for a universal player at the moment. I went cheap in the hope of upgrading in the next few years to a digital-out player, but depending on your budget you may wish to spend more. The Pioneer 563A is the cheap option; Denon is a good source for more expensive players.