Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Got this great deal on MK750's

I was going to buy a set of M22's ,but then came across this ebay listing. M&K THX750's. Now MK 750 went for $1499 a pair here in Nova Scotia a few years back. Something I could probably not afford to buy, specially when needing a centre channel and rears and side rears. How ever he had them listed at $405 BIN. so anyways to make it short, M22 or M&K ....sorry, but these are one wicked speaker so I ended up getting them for $375 plus $150 shipping. better yet, I mentioneed shipping was $75 according to the FED Ex site. Well I get this call from Albany, it is him he is at Fed Ex and they want $150 shipping. I mentioned it is up to him, but I can't send anymore money for another two weeks. He said no problem he doesn't need it send it later when I get his centre channel

.hese are in Maple another rare item here. I know MK went bankrupt in 2007, however they are back and new products, there are the new versions 6 months old. HIs wife doesn't like Maple and said for him to sell them and get Black. So, anyways I get all three for $800 shipping incl.

Still going to get M80's for music. But, I guess what I want to know is, for the rear backs speakers ,in 7.2 do you use di-poles or direct ( basically QS8 or M22 ). I am asking because these are rated THX Select and I was told or read that you are better off with DI(tri)-pole for surround sides and possibly a matching 750 for the rears ?

Hi Axiom man,

Back in the early days of Dolby Surround (before Dolby Digital), when the surround channel was a mono feed, THX was really big on using dipole surrounds to create a diffuse "null" (cancellation) in the listening area, to increase surround envelopment and prevent the mono surround info from in-head imaging. I always found the dipole surrounds very "phasey", as if the speakers were out of phase and never liked them. It puzzles me why THX continues to hype dipole designs.

My preference has always been for bipolar surrounds such as Axiom's QS8s, where all the drivers operate in phase. With Dolby Digital, where the surround information is in stereo, there is no need for dipole surrounds.

You'll get a greater sense of envelopment using the QS8s in the surround back channels rather than direct-radiating designs.

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan ..
So even though I have MK 750 THX up for my front three by using QS8 it would be OK.
I guess what I am saying is, mix and matching MK fronts with QS8's for the rears. Or even THX speakers in the front and non-THX for sides and rears ?
I guess, really I will find out the difference someday as I still want my M80's for my front music channel.

It is best to have matching speakers all around, but this is more important up front.

Hi again,

As Sir Quack mentioned, tonally matched speakers all-round is most desirable, however, the surround speakers are much less critical in that regard. In my experience, M&K speakers are pretty neutral and good, so the QS8s should nicely blend with your front M&Ks.

By the way, in many respects, THX--at least for home aud
audio and home theater speakers -- is just a royalty-generating scheme for its founders. Some of the THX-endorsed brands of speakers I found quite colored and not neutral. (That is not true of M&K).

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan and yes I know SirQ.

I understand the THX is mostly Royalty scheme, but it is still a standard to which speaker performance has to abtain.
I heard the older model 750's a few years ago and absoluetly loved them. It was either these or M22's and IMHO I like the MK750' s quite a bit better. That does not mean I like them Better than the M80, but I paid less than half and right now I can better afford them.
Actually, for movies I love them but, I am not sure I like those surround sides.
Which is why I was wondering if, the QS8's would sound great there or if it was be too much a difference in tonal match. I quite don't see how they are any different than having a M80 and QS8's.
I don't really like a floorstanding for home theatre and a bookshelf for a centre. There's a tonal difference !!!! I like all three up front to be identical and whereas, Home theatre needs a sub, I really don't care if the speakers go below 80 hz or not as that's where my sub is set to take over. However that said I don't like a sub with music. And with the floorstanding M80's sposably they go below 35hz , I don't listen to opera mostly rock and not sure of a instrument that goes below 30hz anyways, so the sub is usless

Then why did you ask the question if you knew the answer about matchine speakers, usually a ? means your asking a question, sorry.

Not sure what this rant is about, do you or do you not have the VP150 with M80Ti's (a guess as to the MT80 in the sig)? If you think a bookshelf sounds different than the M80's then you should already be hearing that same tonal difference with the VP150 or is that the point?

I'm also somewhat uncertain about what your question is. I'm not trying to argue you out of getting the M&K speakers at the front. I was just telling you that the THX endorsement is no assurance of getting smooth, linear and transparent sound quality. I have no argument with the THX requirement of three identical speakers across the front; it's just that it's impractical in many homes and installations. It's also why Axiom developed the no-compromise VP180 center for those who can accomodate its size.

To reiterate, yes, the Axiom QS8 surrounds at the sides or rear will blend beautifully with the M&K speakers at the front.

In passing, the M80 floorstanders have useful output in a room to about 25 Hz. For the record, the only instruments with significant content below 30 Hz are the concert grand piano (28 Hz for all but one Austrian model with extra keys at 16 Hz); large pipe organ, 16 Hz, but the latter is very low level and the 2nd harmonic at 32 Hz is much stronger; and orchestral bass drum, depending on the diameter of the drum.

Ok,

I agree with Alan on the THX and royalty scheme. I however think that it has it's merits in that certain requirements have to be achived.
I only put "THX" in the name becasue thats the full name of the speaker.

All I am saying is I have heard the MK750's a few years ago and loved the sound. They blend together really nice as they are identical. What I wasn't sure of is "if" I should go with a set of 750's for the rear back channels or would a QS8 be better for movies.
I have owned the M80's and VP150 before, however there was a difference between the three speakers. Yes, I understand the VP180 is now out and probably is very close to the same tonal quality as the M80 given they run the same drivers and same size cabinets.
I am not disagreeing with anyone here.
What I am saying is I know if I had 7 Axiom's things would be great. Actually if I had enough money now for M80's all around life be excellent.
I understand what you said about the MK Surr55's and di-pole.
However I have not heard the Surr55's and I do not have $1500 laying around to waste to try them out. SO, yes my next choice is QS8.
All I wanted to know is if I ran the 750's up front, what would be my best option. the MK surr 55 for the side rear and another MK750 for the back rears. However, taking your reply on the second quote I will not go forward with this. So, now I am at either re-selling the MK's because,as sirquack says only all Axioms would match like 7 M22's.

Sorry, but if I have my choice of three fronts being MK 750's or three Axiom M22, I think the MK's are better. For Movies, not musically.
Now if you ask which I perfer the MK's or Axiom M80, well depending on if they're used for movie or music. The MK's with a good Sub ...I am not sure what I would like for movies better. as both are cutoff at 80 hz. However I do not like a sub for music, so therefore the M80's hands down.
I believe that good bookshelf speakers with a good matching sub, are better sounding for movies and I mean two subs, than a floorstanding. I really think after 60hz all is wasted with the floorstanding .... " with movies "

I listen to rock/POp music and from what I know Bass drums, bass guitars and the low notes on a piano do not get down much lower than 35hz. SO ,why the need of a sub .... then again maybe a 35hz kick drum note on the M80's would come out as a whisper, hence a sub to bring up the 35hz volumn level.

Alan, I have read a great deal of your posts and you are always honest and unbias in your opinions whether your talking about Axiom, MK, or Paradigm. I respect that and well I guess the Surr55 and 750 I will put to rest.

Maybe I will throw those mk's in the car why I go to Ontario this summer and see which is better in Movies the MK's or a VP180 and Two M80's. If so, I will have a series of MK750 for sale. maybe a trade for a VP180 ? lol

Yup, this is what I tried to say so really I only listen to pop/rock having a sub is useless if the M80's can do this. Which is why I want the M80's for music video or cd's.

As long as you are happy with what ever speakers you have that is what counts. I think we were just trying to figure out some of the things you had said, such as above, the M22 are better for music but not for movies? Not sure how this can be, from my experience if a speaker is good with music it easily handles HT, but I have never heard MK's. I think that center is odd with the tweeter off to one side, like a normal speaker set on edge, I would think dispersion would be an issue with this design.

I will reiterate my first point, no matter what any of us say, enjoy your system as it is yours and you are the one listening to it and for that price a nice sounding system is hard to find.

well, sorry guess I was looking for a more professional opinion

I believe the tweeter is off set only with the Left and right speakers not the centre.
what I mean by better musically is that the M22 frequency resp goes from 50hz up. Whereas, the MK's only drop to 80hz. Reason is for a bookshelf this is where a sub would take over. Therefore if the speaker doesn't have to reproduce below 80 then there would be less distortion and a cleaner sound. Why produce it if the sub will much easier and cleaner.
I think as Alan said they should blend nice with the QS8's and will try them out.

M&K might have very well designed a center like that. I've seen similar center designs with the offset tweeter from former M&K sound engineers.

The pics I saw from the sales panphlet I downloaded showed the center channel with the tweeter off to one side just like the main was laid on its side.

They are left, right specific speakers I would upload a picture but, cannot see how to do it. But the tweeter is dead centre on the Left right and centre

I know what your talking about now ..... T/W/W but the tweeter is angled slightly

Correct, just seems odd, but I am sure it sounds fine due to that angling of the tweeter, otherwise they never would have made them.

Here is some important information on placement for the MK 750THX.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=18253416&postcount=2238

oh so sweet each tweeter is angled 4.7 deg. Left and right .....
But, they do not go below 80hz, but for a bookshelf no need because of the sub.

But, I will say this .......the finish has alot to be desired
not even close to Axiom's finish