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Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
#414863 10/08/15 07:39 PM
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I'm looking to upgrade my centre channel. I'm currently using an old Mirage one, and it's the only part of my system that isn't timbre matched - the rest are M60 V1's in the front and QS4 V1's for the surrounds. Am looking to get either the VP150 V4 or VP180 V4, and am leaving more towards the latter, but I worry that it might be overkill when the fronts are M60's. Has anyone had a chance to hear how they perform in this kind of setup? Do they sound overpowering compared to the M60's? And should I be concerned about a V4 speaker not being well-matched to a system of V1's?

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414864 10/08/15 08:11 PM
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I have heard the VP160 and it was simply amazing! It blew my VP150 away. I haven't heard the VP180 but after owning the VP150, I would stay away from that type of tweeter configuration.


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Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414866 10/08/15 11:49 PM
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Having done some blind tests with the VP180 and VP150 with both M100's and M50's, the VP180 is a more powerful performer.

Based on the results of the blind tests, I would recommend using a 100 Hz crossover with the VP150, while 60 Hz is fine with the VP180.

Both the 150 and 180 sounded great (the tweeter arrangement in the 150 works just fine in real rooms), but the probable best choice to go with your M60's would be the VP160. The difference in timbre matching won't be as much of an issue as you might think. For the $$$, a good choice.

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414867 10/08/15 11:57 PM
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Thanks, Mojo. What was it about the tweeter configuration that you didn't like on the VP150?

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414868 10/09/15 12:20 AM
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Craig, I don't know what your definition of a "real room" is. It's certainly NOT your ginormous man-cave...LOL!

I sit exactly 8 feet away from the 150 and on centre. It sounds alright...certainly nothing like the VP160. If I sit anywhere to the left or the right, all bets are off.

Mdavis, the 150 and the 180 have an unconventional tweeter location. The 160 is a D'Appolito configuration which is proven in the industry.

Andrew from Axiom did a beautiful job on the 160. I'd love to hear the opinion from someone who has heard the 160 and 180 in the same environment.

Honestly, just buy the 160. You'll love it. And I'll envy you smile.

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
craigsub #414869 10/09/15 12:36 AM
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Originally Posted By craigsub
Having done some blind tests with the VP180 and VP150 with both M100's and M50's, the VP180 is a more powerful performer.

Based on the results of the blind tests, I would recommend using a 100 Hz crossover with the VP150, while 60 Hz is fine with the VP180.

Both the 150 and 180 sounded great (the tweeter arrangement in the 150 works just fine in real rooms), but the probable best choice to go with your M60's would be the VP160. The difference in timbre matching won't be as much of an issue as you might think. For the $$$, a good choice.


Thanks for that, Craig. I'm tempted to spend a bit extra and go for the VP180 as it seems like such a great speaker. Why do you feel the VP160 is more likely to be a better match with the M60s?

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414870 10/09/15 12:50 AM
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The 160 is quite a bit less expensive than the 180, and is essentially an M60 in center channel format. IT's objectively the best choice to match your mains.

Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414871 10/09/15 01:15 AM
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Originally Posted By mdavis
...but I worry that it might be overkill when the fronts are M60's. Has anyone had a chance to hear how they perform in this kind of setup?

I run a VP180v4 center with M60ti mains (older than your v1's) and am very happy with the combination. Guessing you're looking at 180 rather than 160 because of height ?

Originally Posted By mdavis
Do they sound overpowering compared to the M60's?

No risk of this -- just make sure levels are set correctly and everything will be fine. IIRC the VP180 was a couple of dB more efficient than the VP100 it replaced, but what that meant was that rather than having to boost the center channel a few dB like I did with the VP100 I could set everything to the same level and get matched SPLs.

Originally Posted By mdavis
And should I be concerned about a V4 speaker not being well-matched to a system of V1's?

I found the matching was very close with pink noise testing (which really exaggerates even tiny differences), and no distinguishable difference with normal content.

I went from VP100 to VP180 and the difference was huge (duh ! :)). IMO it really helps having a full-range center channel even if you are crossing over at 80 Hz like me.

I purchased my VP180 before the VP160 was introduced. I probably would have gone with a 180 anyways (I lean towards the view that if anything the center channel should be even more capable than the mains) but AFAICS I would have been really happy with either.

For what it's worth, the VP160 is actually the center channel that I (and a bunch of other people) were bugging Axiom to produce. And they did !!

Last edited by bridgman; 10/09/15 01:21 AM.

M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
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Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414874 10/09/15 02:49 AM
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Bridgman, how does the 180 sound off-axis?


House of the Rising Sone
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Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Would the VP180 V4 match well with the M60 V1?
mdavis #414875 10/09/15 02:58 AM
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Can't comment on Vp180 but the drivers on the VP160 and an M60 are identical.
I have the 160 with M80s and the 160 is phenomenal, No trouble at all with my M80s. Even of axis at low volume dialogue is crystal clear.
Have read in other forums the driver configuration of the VP160 has best of axis response.
But with the size and beauty of the VP180 I would think the off axis sound would be pretty close.

How does the off axis on the VP180 perform???

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