Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater M2 horizontally aligned as a center channel?

Okay, despite everybody's advice, I couldn't resist trying the M2 horizontally as a center channel. Ordered it today, and should receive by Tuesday. If the results are suprisingly good, or bad, in regards to timbre match to the M22's, dispersion, or output, I'll ring in to let everyone know. Once again, thanks to all for the help.

I am also thinking about using the M2 horizontally as a center speaker. How did it work out for you? Would you recommend it? Thanks!

I would absolutely recommend it. For movie usage, dialogue is superb no matter where in the room I or my guests sit. The speaker plays plenty loud for movie soundtracks.

Musically, I now use my Pro Logic II. Before, I could only listen in stereo. Now, the L-C-R balance and tonality are seemless, at least to my ears.

I have not heard the VP-100 or VP 150 in detail, so it would be unfair to compare them with the M2. However, I don't believe I'm missing anything. In fact, in my VERY limited audition of the VP-100, I found a "cupping" of voices which I don't experience with my M2.

Whether this is imagined or not, I don't know. Needless to say, I am very happy with my purchase. Hope this has been of some help to you.

Did you place something behind the m2 to prop the back up so that it points downward at the listener?

I'm not an EE so take this with a grain of salt but I just don't see how a speaker designed to be used in the vertical position will do anything but suffer when it's placed on it's side.

Perhaps someone at Axiom can address this.

Perhaps they will, but we can hardly expect even a customer-centric company like Axiom to willingly explain why a $130 speaker would perform equally as well or better than its $220 custom-counterpart!!!! If I were their CFO I'd tell everyone on staff not to touch the discussion with a ten-foot premium speaker cable.

Birdman

We built a small shelf with a 2 inch rise so that the speaker would point towards the listening area. We radiused a slight lip in the front so the speaker wouldn't slide off the TV, although it doesn't appear to be necessary.

When I first bought the speaker, I took off the grill and placed it under the rear half of the M2i. Although I'm sure Axiom would hate the idea of me using their grill like that, it leveled the speaker perfectly.

As to Ford Prefect's assertation, I would agree that M2 on its side probably is not in its ideal position in terms of dispersion. However, after speaking to Axiom's consultants, whom said that it would make essentially NO difference, I decided to take the chance.

In any case, I preferred the M2i over the VP-100 a friend brought over, despite the Vp-100's "designed" horizontal array opposing the M2's "designed" vertical orientation. Whether due to the M2's porting, placement issues, or my own bias, I don't know.

I too am using the M2 as my center. My system consists of M22 mains and qS4 surrounds. We are really pleased with the MS2 as the center. The only problem is the shielding-when I placed the speaker on top of the TV I got some distortion in the picture. I have now mounted it with a FMB on the wall behind the TV pointed slightly down, it looks great and sounds wonderful. The soundstage with the M22's is exceptional. Don't hesitate to use the M2 as a center.

I use an M2i as my center channel as well, but I do it horizontally. It works wonders for me!