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QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
#260547 05/16/09 01:31 PM
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cblake Offline OP
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So my wife and I finally agree that it's time to get some surround speakers for our home theater / stereo setup. We currently have M22s and a VP100 up front, plus a Velodyne ct-120. Probably half of the a/v usage is for CDs, and the other half DVDs and occasional TV shows. CDs play in stereo-only mode.

To be honest, I was considering getting some cheap surround speakers that would be small and not very noticeable. Then I returned to Axiom's website and the W2 speakers caught my eye. Right now I'm considering the W2s, T2s, and QS4s, but leaning heavily to W2. Will the W2 be an effective surround speaker if they are mounted directly above the couch?

Here's some info about the room. The ceiling height is 7.5 ft and it's 14 ft front to back; however the back wall is only 9 feet wide because it has the hallway entrance on one side, and a connected dining room on the other; mounting on side walls is not possible. Basically the first floor is about 50% dining room / family room in an L shape. The couch is hard up against the 9 foot wall. Even if we went with QS4s, would they really work well when the listeners are sitting directly below the speakers? Perhaps direct radiating speakers would be more appropriate here. Honestly, my wife has a hard time accepting the QS4s aesthetically anyway.

Any opinions on W2 vs. T2? Better bass and imaging?

thanks,
Cooper

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
cblake #260558 05/16/09 04:04 PM
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When you say above the couch are you saying flush ceiling mounted. A direct radiating speaker will work, but won't give you the same "surround" experience as the Q series speakers. For surround purposes, they are hard to beat. The point is you want to be enveloped in the sound, not have to be sitting in the sweet spot to enjoy a bookshelf design.

So it sounds like your wanting to mount the speakers on the back wall, above the couch? If so I would think the Q's spread out would do a much better job. They have woofers firing up/down and two tweeters firing left/right. If they were spread out they shoud work fine.

I would also consider the Qs8's over the 4's for the extra woofer size and power ability.


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Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
SirQuack #260560 05/16/09 04:13 PM
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Hello cblake,

I certainly agree with sirquack about the fact the QS4/QS8 will give you the best "enveloping" surround experience. However due to your WAF issues I would go with the inwall M2's like you suggested above.


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Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
BlueJays1 #260564 05/16/09 05:53 PM
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cblake Offline OP
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In response to sirquack: I should have said they will be wall-mounted directly above the couch.

Assuming W2 or T2, should the speaker be mounted 5-6 ft from the floor? And has anyone been able to compare T2 to W2?

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
cblake #260568 05/16/09 06:02 PM
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If my visual image is correct, I think a W-2 will just shoot the sound out straight over your head!

Another vote for QS4s or QS8s...


::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
MarkSJohnson #260580 05/16/09 07:53 PM
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I thought the point was you didn't want the drivers pointing directly at the listener for surround speakers. Conversely, if people are sitting two feet below QS4s, won't they get blasted with the direct woofer output? I would think that could be both distracting and problematic for volume adjustment.

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
cblake #260581 05/16/09 07:56 PM
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Are these supposed to be side surrounds or rear surrounds?

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
CV #260583 05/16/09 08:03 PM
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They will be the only "surround" speakers in the setup, and they will be on the rear wall.

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
cblake #260585 05/16/09 08:12 PM
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If they have to be on the rear wall, I would still probably go with QS4s. I would have them spread apart as much as possible to minimize how many people the woofers are directly blasting and to get as close as possible to side surround positioning. I would also run this question by someone from Axiom and see what they recommend.

Re: QS4 vs. W2 vs. T2 for surrounds
CV #260597 05/17/09 12:08 AM
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But now I am leaning further away from the QS4s because they are so much more expensive and still not ideal when the couch is against the wall.

It sounds like people generally recommend that monopole surround speakers face each other rather than face forward; this is now what concerns me the most. If both the T2 and the W2 can only fire forward, will they produce a good but somewhat diffuse surround effect, or will they go unnoticed?

If it is the latter, is it better to just get M2s and have them face each other?

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