 Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Okay here's question.
I am the only person listening to my HT and my seating postion is dead center of the tv with my towers towed in towards me.
My surround or back speakers will be about 5 feet off the ground and on the wall right behind me about 3 feet from my head on either side.
Do the "Surrounds" produce a sound that the "Bookshelf" speakers can't?
I was planning on putting a swivel mount on the wall so that I can turn the speakers inward toward my seating position and down to matcht the towers.
I would be either using the QS8 or the M3's.
Thanks for reading and any responses
Rustolem
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Aug 2009
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axiomite
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axiomite
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I don't own any surrounds. But from what I know about the Axiom surrounds, you would want them to be as even with the wall as possible. I say this because the lower and upper speakers would fire straight up and down and should sound off of the wall also. The tweeters just fire into the room at an angle, so I can't really comment on them much, other than you would probably hear the one pointed towards you well. If the center of the speakers were angled to point towards you, you may not get the benefit of the tweeters as much. (Just my thoughts.)
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Mar 2005
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axiomite
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axiomite
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Rustolem, the QS8s will produce a more disperse sound which, in most cases, should be a bit more enveloping. Direct radiating speakers, like the M3s can work as surrounds too, but will be a bit more directional. If you plan on doing mostly multichannel music the M3s may work better for you. If it's mostly HT the QS8s may work better.
Preference and room acoustics may also sway the decision. The QS8s are pretty forgiving in terms of placement.
***********
"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Dec 2006
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connoisseur
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connoisseur
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Do the "Surrounds" produce a sound that the "Bookshelf" speakers can't?
Yes they do, however the improvement you get will depend on speaker and seating placement, more so since you are planning to be the only one listening from the sweet spot. It would be easier to comment on your situation if you could post pictures or a diagram of your room. There may be options you haven’t considered yet.
3M80 2M22 6QS8 2M2 1EP500 Sony BDP-S590 Panny-7000 Onkyo-3007 Carada-134 Xbox Buttkicker AS-EQ1
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
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I will be dead center of the tv, the wall behind is only about 2ft away and the speakers will be on that wall about 5ft up, if I recline all they back I can almost reach out and touch the bottom of each speaker.
And also I am the only person here, there will be nodboy to the left or right to hear the sound the surrounds may produce.
That's why I was thinking about bookshelf speakers so the sound is directed at only me.
Thanks
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,841 Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Do you have side walls, if your room is that small, I would not worry about rear speakers and just go 5.1. Is ceiling mounted a posiblity? If you don't have side walls, then I would widen the rear speakers as far as possible on the back wall and raise them up higher. A drawing or better description might help us. if you go 5.1 and still use the back wall, you still want to hook them up as side surroungs. Q's are better for surroung purposes.
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 310
devotee
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devotee
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i went from using polk tsi200 for sides and tsi100 for backs and went to 4 QS8v3; i have never been happier. at one point i had a pair of Q's for sides and a pair of M2v3's for backs but ultimately decided that the Q's were better for the back and went with another pair. the surround field from all of the speakers is many times larger than the direct speakers as they really couldn't produce a large field they just forced sound directly at you and you never had to wonder where the sound was coming from because of their directness. it's like someone just out of sight yelling your name, you look around for a second or so because you can't see them.
my vote is for QS8v3's all around or get 3 of them and go 6.1
Last edited by solarrdadd; 04/07/12 11:29 PM.
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
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No the back wall is the only place, no side walls and no on the ceiling, they will have to be in the same spot all my other surrounds have been/
The others I have had all sounded great, I just wanted to know if I needed to be using those "surrounds" considering where they are located or can I get by with just bookshelf's instead and also maybe save a few dollars.
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
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I would strongly recomment the QS speakers. You want a diffuse soundfield for your surrounds.
Just for fun hook up the mains to your surround channels and unhook everything else. What you get is 'reflected' sound and assorted effects to put you in the middle of the sound field.
The lord of the rings, special eddition set has a really good section on how they built the layers of sound for the movie. It's very enightening.
Fred
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Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Rust, I would recommend the QS-Series as well. Universally loved, they produce a wide soundfield that's important / helpful when the speakers can't be positioned perfectly or far enough away!
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jan 2004
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shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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how far apart will the rear speakers be, need more information.
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350
AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 349
devotee
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devotee
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Rust, I was in the same boat as you and went with QS8's and couldn't be happier. Got mine off the auction and they are perfect & blemish free. Mine are even mounted on the back wall due to limitations on my side walls! 
M80's, QS8's, M22's, CHT SHO-10, Dual CHT SS-18.1's, Onkyo NR3008, Mitsubishi WD-73740
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 349
devotee
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devotee
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Btw Rusty, your homepage link is killer, very nice...
M80's, QS8's, M22's, CHT SHO-10, Dual CHT SS-18.1's, Onkyo NR3008, Mitsubishi WD-73740
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,841 Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Just a note, since my recent remodel and enclosing in my theater, my rear Qs8's are on the back wall, and the 2nd row seating couch is right up against it, so they are very close. All sounds great.
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350
AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
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Rusty, welcome. The QS surrounds in particular have a much wider pattern of sound dispersion than standard bookshelf speakers and this is an advantage for most of the material which is played in the surround channels. This is especially important when the surrounds are relatively close to the listener(as will be your setup)and there's not much room for the sound from regular direct radiating bookshelf speakers to spread out.
As you describe your room, five feet up on the back wall about two feet behind you should be about ideal. If you can spread them wider than three feet from you do so, because even when they're mounted on the back wall, surround speakers in a 5.1 setup are still side surrounds and play the material from those channels, not the back surround channels. They should be spread as widely as possible. They should point directly forward, not at the listening position.
-----------------------------------
Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Btw Rusty, your homepage link is killer, very nice... Thanks, didn't really have anything to put in there and thought why not a link to the list of my DVD/Bluray movies that I own. And DVD Profier is a great software for keeping track of what you have. Rustolem
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22
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OP
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Rusty, welcome. The QS surrounds in particular have a much wider pattern of sound dispersion than standard bookshelf speakers and this is an advantage for most of the material which is played in the surround channels. This is especially important when the surrounds are relatively close to the listener(as will be your setup)and there's not much room for the sound from regular direct radiating bookshelf speakers to spread out.
As you describe your room, five feet up on the back wall about two feet behind you should be about ideal. If you can spread them wider than three feet from you do so, because even when they're mounted on the back wall, surround speakers in a 5.1 setup are still side surrounds and play the material from those channels, not the back surround channels. They should be spread as widely as possible. They should point directly forward, not at the listening position.
Well the reason I was thinking about the bookshelf speakers was that I thought the sounds from the standard surrounds would be lost on the far and left and right sides, I didn't think about the sound reflecting on the walls. Thanks
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
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Here's another stupid question since these will be on the wall directly behind me do I choose the Surround or the Surround Back connections on my Yamaha RX-A3000?
Like I said stupid.
Thanks
Rustolem
PS: You have sold me on the QS8's after reading a few reviews as well.
Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Mar 2005
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axiomite
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axiomite
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Here's another stupid question since these will be on the wall directly behind me do I choose the Surround or the Surround Back connections on my Yamaha RX-A3000?
Like I said stupid.
Thanks
Rustolem
PS: You have sold me on the QS8's after reading a few reviews as well.
Rust, I'd guess that the regular surround connections would work best. The surround back seems like an addition once you get the regular surrounds set up. Oh, dude, don't worry about asking even the most basic questions--we've got a lot of helpful people here. This HT hobby can be maddening with all the technical stuff.
***********
"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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we've got a lot of helpful people here. Also, there's Mark. Fixed that for 'ya, Sean!
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Mar 2005
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axiomite
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axiomite
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***********
"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Jul 2006
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Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
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Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
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we've got a lot of helpful people here. Also, there's Mark. Fixed that for 'ya, Sean! Wow, you think a lot of yourself if you think you even deserve a mention. Kidding!
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,458
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Posts: 11,458 |
::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 22
hobbyist
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OP
hobbyist
Joined: Apr 2012
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Mits WD-92840
Sony BDP-CX960
Yamaha RX-A3000
Axiomv3 M80's,VP180,QS8s
HSU VTF-3MK4 Sub
PanamaxM5400
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Rusty, as I pointed out in my previous reply, the surrounds in a 5.1 setup(no back surround speakers)are side surrounds and play material from those("Surround")channels. Surround Back can only be played if side surround and back surround speakers are both in use.
-----------------------------------
Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
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Re: Bookshelf vs Surrounds
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 283
local
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local
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I use a combination of QS8's for the sides and M2's for the rears in my 7.1 set-up. I find they sound just fine together and couldn't tell you which speaker I prefer as a sourround, although when I do finally upgrade my entire system in--hopefully--5 years, I'll probably go with all QS8's. But with luck Axiom will have something bigger by then like QS10's to match my M80's and VP160.
"Not throwing my hands up or my dress above my ears don't mean I ain't awestruck." Al Swearengen
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