Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners QS2 versus QS4 and M2i versus M3Ti

I’m putting together an Axiom speaker system that will consist of the M3Ti for L/R and the VP150 for the center channel. My dilemma is with the L/R surrounds. I’ve been able to locate some brand-new QS2s and I was wondering if anyone has done an A/B of the versus the QS4? Reading the specs, it appears that the QS2 and QS4 are very similar – with the QS4’s frequency response just a little lower (100Hz versus 110Hz). They both use the same 1” hybrid tweeter and aluminum mid/woofer with the QS4’s mid/woofers being slightly larger. I prefer the smaller footprint of the QS2 (WAF) but do not want to sacrifice sound quality. Any thoughts/comments would be appreciated.

Also, in regards to the M3Ti, it has been suggested to me that the M2i would be a better tonal match to the VP150. Can anyone comment on that? It appears that the M3ti would be fine but I don't know what the crossovers are set at on any of these speakers.

Thanks in advance!

Choose the QS2 if you have a smaller room and go for the QS4 if you have a larger listening area.
Don't be too concerned about the tonal match b/w the M3 and VP150. Although the M2 could be listed as being a better timbre match, the difference will not be so great that you would hate the sound, at least i doubt it.
Many people have mixed brand systems and in this case, you are just mixing models which are still very similar in design.

I wouldn't buy QS2's. I have heard them, they're weak sounding speakers up against QS4's or 8's. 8's are best. I'd go with them. 4's are OK if you have a small room.

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but my question is similar - QS4s or QS2s. Are the 4s $250 better? (QS2s come up for sale on audiogon occasionally).

Fairly small room - 7 feet wide and 20 some feet long. The QS2s or 4s would be on the wall about 12 feet from the front speakers. I want something I won't bang my head on but it still sounds good.

Ravi_singh had the only direct response I could find on the list.

I have never heard QS2s but AFAIK the difference is just the woofer size. If the mains are going to be on the short wall and the surrounds on the long wall close to the listening position I imagine the 2s would be fine.

If you are going to have a fair distance from surrounds to listening position then I imagine the 2s would be like most other small satellite speakers -- mighty fine at low volumes but kinda weak at high volumes.

The 2s have a different tweeter, as well. They have the old hybrid tweeter, like the 4s did before a couple years ago (last year??).

Yes, thanks - I was just about to bring that up. In sleuthing around the web I found that fact out - meaning that the qs4s tweeter matches the M22s I believe and the M2s. But, the QS2s match is not as close?

The other bit of info I found is that "Axiom probably discontinued them for a reason." Probably so.

Yes, all currently shipping Axioms use the standard 1" titanium tweeter. The old M0s, M1s, M2s, and M3s, M40s, M50s (I think on those last three), VP0s, VP50s, and QS4s used the hybrid tweeter.

I wonder how different the old hybrid tweeter sounds from the new one.

Maybe rather than get QS2s I should stay with my Athen RS-1 surrounds (in other words - neither will match the M22s).

Ian talks a bit about old vs. new tweeters at the following link. The context here is upgrading the M2ti to become the M2i, using the 1" instead of the hybrid tweeter. The main differences seem to be (a) power handling, and (b) ability to go down to lower frequencies. He does mention a couple of times that the hybrid tweeter was fine with the smaller woofers but didn't cut it with the 5-1/4 and larger woofers for a couple of reasons...

http://www.axiomaudio.com/archives/m2i.html

I guess

1) it depends how loud you play sounds- the louder the higher number QSx is needed.

2) Even at low to mid volumes the QS2 is "quite good" and the QS4 is "outstanding"

Thanks for the link bridgman

Hi TonyS

I've been interested in Axiom speakers to replace my Brand "X" speakers and HTIB since...oh....'bout the year 2000.

Best as I can tell, the 1" tweeters have been in the M3, M40 and M50 since at least the end of year 2001 and certainly since the inception of the SE moniker.

Anybody notice when the "SE" went away......I seem to have missed it.

I am using M2i's for surrounds, with M80's & VP150. I'm happy with the tonal balance. I've heard on this board that the bookshelf speakers are the way to go if one is more concerned with mutichannel music, than moves. The QS series is the way to go for movies. Plus the M2i's are quite a bit cheaper than the QS's. I haven't heard the QS4's or 8's, so I can't compare, but the M2i's do the job very well I think.

I started another thread on here somewhere - basically in a small room the QSs are preferred - better dispersion of sound and you don't bonk your head.

In a large or medium room - you are probably right on.

http://www.audiolofftreport.com/stereo-intrinsic-flaw.html

Read this from Alan Lofft - maybe the quad pole speakers are better for music. ???????

I think you are both right. For music the better dispersion of sound doesn't seem to be important; in a music system I would proabably still go with M2s myself...

Link Police; Step away from the computer !!

Alan makes a good point that QSs probably provide a larger sweet spot in a music system, even if you don't need the dispersed sound for other reasons.

Be realistic, though... how many of us actually care if the sweet spot reaches past our own chairs ?

I care if it reaches past my chair - I am mildly hyperactive and usually listen while moving around doing things.

I ordered the QS4s today - the M2s would look bad and would stick out some. And, I don't think my wife would want them in the kitchen (nor would I - about 12 feet behind my ears).

This is for a narrow and fairly long room in my small apartment. Back surrounds would just not seem right 12 feet behind me when the width of the room is only about 7 feet.