Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Anyone done a 11.1 or 11.2 DSX type setup?

Yea, me too. What's really strange about the Onkyo is there are speaker terminals on the back for 11 speakers. Plus the manual even list an 11 speaker layout. There are some rumors that Onkyo will address this issue in a firmware update, where you can add an external amp and use the surround back pre-out to get you to an 11.1 layout, (similar to the 4311).

But I have to agree with you, you already have the amp, so you have to go with the 11.1 capabilities of the Denon. This way, you won't have buyers remorse down the road...always asking yourself, what if?

They always come out with something better every year (for the most part) so yea, CES will be interesting.

Dana

I haven't dialed-in the new Onk 1007, but I'm using the 1007's preouts to an Integra M504 2 channel amp for the front L/R main (Thiel CS3.6s) and the internal amps for the front wide-side speakers (M22 like Michaura M55s), the Frankenspeaker center channel (modified Merak with twin Axiom 6.5" aluminum drivers and the tweeter and cross-over from a Reference 3a de capo speaker), the side surround QS8s and the back surround Michaura M55s. I cannot get my Sony 999ES DVD to output SACD through the analog multichannel outputs, yet.

So far my only source is Cox Cable Motorola HD box. Sounds great.

I'll be most likely purchasing an Onkyo 1007 or 3008 if I get more sold on XT32.

I'll be running Heights but probably not Wides yet.
I've heard Heights>Wides on reviews at AVS, but Wides>Heights according to Audyssey? My room is narrow, so I'm going Heights.

Why would you want to use something like the QS8 for Heights?

Why not direct-firing speakers?

I’ve been running 9.2 (actually have an 11.2 setup but my Onkyo 3007 doesn’t let me use wide and height at the same time).

The wide vs height debate is room dependent. The farther apart your L/R mains are from your L/R surrounds the more wide speakers will fill in the gap. The higher your ceiling the more height speakers will “resonate” filling the room with ambient sounds.

The reason for QS height speakers is everything coming out of the height channel is ambient (e.g. rain, wind, echoes) exactly what the QS is designed for. I’ve tried both M22 and QS8s as height speakers and the QS8s were noticeably better and allowed for more flexible placement on the side wall rather than the front where the direct radiators would have to have been.

The M2 is a perfect wide speaker for either the M80s or the M22s since the wide speakers share so much sonic information with their corresponding main they should be as close a sonic match as possible. I’ve found that because the wide speakers come into play more often they are the ones I use the majority of the time. I actually hardly ever use the height speakers any more unless I’m doing a demo of a specific scene with lots of ambient sound. Again this is room dependent and my room is much longer than my last one leaving a sonic gap between the mains and surrounds which the wide speakers fill in nicely. In my previous room I doubt they would have made a difference since the room wasn’t as narrow.

Another thing about a long narrow room is that I’ve found the rear or back speakers are actually more important than the height speakers in creating a 360 degree sound stage. So there is really no simple answers as to which is the best choice since it’s going to be very room dependent.

Before I purchased my 3008, I did alot of research of XT32, although this was my first audyssey avr, after reading all the positive things about XT32, I'm sure glad I went with the 3008.

Yes, audyssey does recommend wides before heights. My room is only 13 ft wide. So my mains centered in the room 6 ft apart and the wides are 3ft from each main and about 2 feet in front of the mains, angled in slightly. Wides are a total of 12ft apart up against each side wall. Excellent results even thou I wish my room was wider. Sometimes the wife and I will be watching a movie just on cable TV and during one movie a little kid was running across a room on screen from left to right. The sound from the kids footsteps also panned from left to right. We had to rewind the scene because we thought someone was in the Kitchen! The dogs started barking and went running into the kitchen as well. Totally freaked us out!

As far as why QS8's for heights, I was wondering the same thing. I was going to go with M2's on wall speakers for my Heights, But after what JC said about QS8's for heights, it got me thinking...

Dana

Ahh...my question is answered. Once again Grunt, thanks for your experience and explanation.

Dana

I would think if you were mounting your heights on the SIDE walls, I'd go with QS8 or something similar.

Still not sold on these if you are putting them on the screen wall for heights.....anyone else have QS8 or dipole/bipole on the screen wall for heights?

I'd like to do wides as well, but with a 118" screen on a 13.5ft wide wall, no room!

Rear surrounds I left out as well, but maybe I will have to revisit that...wouldn't be too hard for me to snake some wires into a soffit.

I have a 134” 1.78:1 screen in a 13.5 wide room and wouldn't do w/o my wide speakers. They are place at the “correct” angle per DSX recommendations which placed them about half way between the mains and surrounds on the side wall. Works perfect.


Order both QS8s and M2 trying out both and for about $30 ship back the losers. Best way to know if you are getting what’s right for you.


Side or front wall didn’t matter QS8s worked better. Also in a 13.5 wide room with seating 15 feet from the screen there is no way to place the height speakers at the recommended angle w/o putting them on the side wall. Having them at the recommend angle also sounds better in my room than putting them directly above the mains on the front wall. The sound fills the room more than front wall limited angle placement. YMMV.

Since I already own two pairs of QS8's, it'll be easy enough for me to compare the effects of QS8's VS M2's for heights. While the QS8's very well may be the best choice(as heights) in any situation, it could also be somewhat room dependent. I can't wait to check it out!

Of course I'll have to wait until my home is built though

Do you have a picture of your setup? I'd like to see it!

I've settled on either Emotiva ERD-1 or Axiom QS8s as surrounds...but I was probably doing a smaller version of my LCR for heights...maybe not if you are liking your results and have a similar room!