Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7
regular
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OP
regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7 |
I'm working with a small (10x12) brick room for my HT. Because I don't have a lot of extra floor space and mounting into the walls will be difficult, I'm looking at Axiom for their extensive range of on-wall speaker options.
It looks like the M22 is the choice for on-wall installs. I'm also thinking of the M2s for front highs and surround speakers (using a dipole in the room is going to be a non-starter due to the shape of the room). This will be driven by an Onkyo TX-NR807 which will likely be replaced with an NR1008 fairly soon. This environment will be exclusively used for HT so music performance isn't a concern.
What I'm wondering is which center channel to look at. The VP100 utilizes the same drivers as the M22s in an MTM configuration, while the VP150 uses 3 of the same mids along with a pair of tweets. I'm looking to maximize timbre matching across the front stage between L/C/R. I'm not really looking for SPL and the room is small enough that whatever I select will be loud enough.
My thinking is that the VP100 will be a better match for the M22s, and I don't have a large enough room to require the output of a VP150.
Is this true? Is there any advantage of going with the VP150 in my case?
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,181 Likes: 1
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,181 Likes: 1 |
Welcome Luma, If you can make it work I'd recommend you use the same 3 speakers across the front instead of going with the VP series for center. You can go either all M22's or all M2's or as a 3rd choice L&R M22's with M2 center. I don't know your space and budget limitations, but also consider the full book shelf size on a mounting bracket instead of the on-walls if it's an option for you. The on-walls are great (I have the in/on walls) but the full size is better.
For surrounds I highly recommend you look at the QS series instead of M2's for surrounds. I have no experience with height channel speakers so no comment there.
Cheers,
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466 |
The best match for the M22 is the M22. If you don't have enough room then an M2 would be next. If vertical space is still an issue I'd still take the VP150 over the VP100, just because the extra driver and cabinet size does increase bass output over the VP100.
Pioneer PDP-5020FD, Marantz SR6011 Axiom M5HP, VP160HP, QS8 Sony PS4, surround backs -Chris
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7
regular
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OP
regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7 |
The best match for the M22 is the M22. If you don't have enough room then an M2 would be next. If vertical space is still an issue I'd still take the VP150 over the VP100, just because the extra driver and cabinet size does increase bass output over the VP100. Would this be horizontally mounted? I really don't have room on the wall to vertically mount an M22 above or below the screen. If horizontal, does the tweeter being offset to one side matter? I would think that it would. Bass output is less of an issue as I'll be building a cabinet for a 15" sub which should have plenty of output for a room of this size.
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,466 |
No, a vertical speaker needs to be mounted vertically. If there is no way to use a vertical center, then a speaker designed for horizontal placement will yield better results than a vertical on its side.
I'm not even talking about sub range, the VP100 starts rolling off at 95 Hz, were as the VP150 can reach a bit lower to 85 Hz. That's still within the range of male voices.
Pioneer PDP-5020FD, Marantz SR6011 Axiom M5HP, VP160HP, QS8 Sony PS4, surround backs -Chris
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,015
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,015 |
Always mount a speaker in the orientation it was designed for.
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420 |
I started out with the bookshelf versions of the M22/Vp100 and thoguht think they match quite nicely.
Having said that and as Chris(ClubNeon) mentioned the best match is another speaker exactly like the main L/R. If that is not an option then I would move to the next smallest vertical speaker, in your case the M2 and if that still won't fit, I would recommend the VP150,(in my testing of the freestanding versions(v2's) the VP150 played male voices a tad better than the VP100 but it was only really noticable with A/B testing) and finally the VP100 represents a very good budget horizontally designed center channel.
The resoning behind the suggestions for a vertical center is that this vertical alignment of drivers offers better horizontal dispersion of the sound than horizontally designed speakers like the VP series for an improved off axis listening experience.
Jason M80 v2 VP160 v3 QS8 v2 PB13 Ultra Denon 3808 Samsung 85" Q70
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,488 |
I will just say I agree with Dan and Jason. You're going to have a hard time convincing Axiom forum members that the QS8's are not the right choice for surround speakers.
I have a VP100 with M60's in a very large room and I like it quite well.
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 769
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 769 |
I agree with all comments regarding the speaker choices mentioned above
Bruno M80s/VP180/QS8s/EP600/AVR-890 ------------------------------------ "The problem is choice..."
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Re: Best match center channel for M22?
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7
regular
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OP
regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 7 |
You're going to have a hard time convincing Axiom forum members that the QS8's are not the right choice for surround speakers. I'm with you, but my problem is with the small size of the room and the layout. Let me illustrate with a crappy mspaint: The walls are all brick. The tetris piece in the middle is a carefully selected sofa that actually fit along with a chaise along the left wall. The left surround dipole would then be mounted almost directly against the bumpout brick wall, which I don't think is going to be optimal. The rears are terribly situated but will be at least useable for somebody sitting on the right side of the sofa (guess who's seat that is ). It's a small room in a downtown condo, so I need to make do with what I have. If a dipole firing directly at a wall perpendicular to the wall it is mounted on is OK, then I'm certainly open to the QS8 option.
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