Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater QS8s at ear level for surround only in ATMOS setup

Just a few more comments...

Yeah, my QS8 are sitting in boxes. They cost more than the M3 on-walls that currently are in my room. The four QS8s sit about 5 feet from my VP150 that is boxed up. I keep thinking about selling them or getting trade-in credit, but I just don't know (yet) how I can install something like on-wall M3s on to my ceiling safely, but almost flush (slighting tilted towards the listening area, but not down so far as what a FMBracket does.) I certainly don't want to punch big holes in my most sound-proofed surface of my theater (the ceiling) to put in-ceiling speakers up there. Until then, and until I can afford a new receiver that does both Atmos and DTS:X with power to all 11 speakers, I have time to figure it out.

Klipsch marketing is clueless. They didn't even have anything Atmos at CEDIA from a demo perspective. They aren't even really "in the game" yet. Heck, even Pioneer was further into the Atmos options that Klipsch, and Pioneer speakers are on the low/cheap end.

People shouldn't discount Atmos (or DTS:X) without ever even hearing it. Keep in mind that the Atmos and DTS:X processors do an incredibly amazing job of "upmixing" regular 5.1 and 7.1 into 5.1.4 and 7.1.4. You don't need to have dedicated mixes to get some really good improvement in playback effects. Also, you do NOT, I repeat, you do NOT have to add ceiling speakers to also benefit from Atmos or DTS:X. Both sound formats use what speakers you have. You might not get the "over your head" effects, but it will definitely make sound objects anywhere in your "speaker-height" listening plane of your current setup.

I am not nocking Atmos or DTS-X. I am sure that they are very capable technology that can do some wonderful things.

I have Dolby Z that can give me wider fronts. With the LFRs they really didn't add much.

Since my wife started to work at one of the banks up here that has some promotion with the only major movie company, I have gone to quite a few more shows than I use to in the past. They have the Atmos and Ultra AVX and to be totally honest, I can't say the movie experience was any better than the cheep theater in town that costs 1/3rd the price.

For home watching, I think that I will get far more bang for my buck getting a more comfortable couch than more speakers. I watch movies for a distraction and entertainment, not a profession. I get just as much enjoyment out of a DVD as I do a blu-ray that is supposed to give better picture and sound. that is just me

howdy Nick, loved what you wrote there! however, Klipsch does have ATMOS ready modules that are either built into some towers (those model numbers are followed by an "A") as well as separate ATMOS modules to sit on top of towers and surrounds; I've seen them at their site and at a couple of places to buy too.

you were spot on about ATMOS mixes being good even without an ATMOS receiver/pre-amp. the core, Dolby TrueHD 7.1 is amazing and I'm not sure how they've done it, but those mixes always sound better on my currently non-ATMOS 7.1 system.

yes, your right, ATMOS will work with just my conventional 7.1 speaker system once I add the new pre-amp, but, I want the full effect and to get that, I have to add ceiling speakers. I don't want to use the ATMOS up-firing speaker modules.

I live in an apt. I plan to purchase 4 in ceiling speakers from monoprice, they also sell round box enclosures for the speakers backs so I can mount them to the surface of the ceiling and I will get what I want while in an apartment.

they are 8" woofers with 3/4" tweeters and I am sure they will be just fine for me especially since the cost of them shipped to me would be $221.00 I can't put a huge amount of money on the Axiom ceiling mounted speakers as that would be like $1k for 4 of the M3 in ceiling speakers.

while they won't be timbre matched to my existing 7 Axioms, I am sure they will do the job.

Matt: I hear you about comfy seating. I would enjoy watching movies more myself if I had spent about another $2000 in the seating.

Solar: I never said that they didn't have Atmos enabled (upfiring) speakers, just that they didn't even touch the subject at CEDIA where you really want to show off your latest and greatest. They are still focusing on the 5.1/7.1 market. Nothing wrong with that, just saying that compared to other vendors that really wanted to show off Atmos and/or DTS:X (lower end like Pioneer, higher end like Triad, high end like JBL/Steinway Lyngdorf) who ALL had either upfiring demos (Pioneer and Triad), or overhead, (JBL and Steinway Lyngdorf) they all used direct radiating (monopole) surrounds. So setups from $2000 (receiver and 5.1.4 with upfiring speakers from Pioneer) to the $165,000 (processor, amps, and 9.1.4 with overhead speakers from Steinway Lyngdorf) all had direct monopole surrounds. Basically, every speaker was monopole.

Klipsch had a cool booth, but they seem to be doing a "us too" kind of approach to it instead of actually getting the quick and easy recommendations from Dolby and DTS themselves like other manufacturers did. Too bad because Klipsch has quite the following with a good % of the market.

I never weighed in, but I had my QS8s on stands (ear-height) for a long time, and I was always happy with the result. My side surrounds are currently raised higher, since they have EP800s under them, but my rear surrounds are still on stands.

I want to move to Atmos, but I'll wait until UHD Blu-ray has been out for a little while, and I'm curious what other offerings Axiom will have at that point. I'm hoping there will be something for people with lower ceilings, since this is the space I'm stuck with. I bought one set of M22s in anticipation, but, like you, I'll still try out the QS8s to see how they perform.

CV, thank you for your post, it's exactly the type of post i'm looking for. my move to ATMOS comes from me getting ready to change out my old failing 5507 pre-amp. i'm going with the marantz 7702 mkII and that should keep me going for years to come. i do not have high ceilings, mine are at 7' which is kinda standard and i expect the ceiling mounted speakers to work just fine.

i suspect it's going to be a nice sonic change for me when i do move the surrounds down to seated ear level. i plan on doing that before i get the pre-amp to get my brain use to having the surrounds at that level. the pre-amp is still a couple of months out, but will be in place by or before the end of the first quarter 2016. i'll probably burn my tax refund on that purchase.

again, CV, thanks for posting. i'm also glad you have enjoyed your QS8's at ear level.

Don't have time to read entire thread but ....

I upgraded to Atmos this time last year. I use M3 in ceilings for the Atmos speakers. Because my room never made sense for a 7.1 setup I have always ran a 5.1 with the QS8's up high. Some where around 7'. I have two rows of seating, and my back riser is only about 8" high. In 5.1 this setup worked fine in one house, but for some reason in my second house I was never happy with the qs8's up high and since both rooms were very close in size I was puzzled.

With the upgrade to Atmos, I originally just installed the ceiling speakers in top rear/top front positions and left the qs8's high. This was a HUGE mistake and I knew it would be but I tried it anyways because who likes running more in wall wires? Well, with the qs8's up high there was no way to tell when sound was coming from the top rear's or just the qs8's. It all sounded the same.

So, down they came. More wires ran in wall, and now they sit at ear level when sitting down in my front row. Right off the bat, huge difference be it with atmos or not. Glad I did it. Atmos now sounds great.

Now as for the direct radiating speakers vs qs8 issue. Atmos is very hard to configure for two row seating. The ceilings speakers being the most difficult to place especially in my ceiling where I had few choices to mount. Side surrounds like the QS8's actually help my second row since they fire at both rows when positioned between them. Remember I only have 5.1.4 or technically 5.2.4. I feel I am missing something without the surround backs....which I will remedy once DTS dsx gets popular.

With a new setup from scratch, I'd go with direct firing bookshelves all around in a 7.2.4 setup at min. Dual subs are a must. The old model of big old towers in front and bi poles or whatever in rear doesn't seem optimal for atmos. You want all speakers to be similar.

Now, as for the top firing modules on the front speakers - do not waste youe time.

Lots of Atmos titles out there now, really enjoy my setup. But I'd caution waiting for the DTS solution to finalize, and make sure to go with a 7.2.4 setup at least.

The other last tidbit concerns the M3 in ceilings. They need aimable tweeters. I'm not saying they do not work well in Atmos...because they do, but if you could aim them towards the mlp they would be much better.

Thanks for chiming in newf. I totally agree with what you are saying about why you have QS8s in a 5.1.4 setup with two rows of seats, but you would go monopole if starting over, dropping to ear height was a huge improvement for Atmos, don't wait for DTS:X (Atmos "upmixer" is supposed to be really good), and that the M3 in-ceilings need an aimable tweeter. I said that back on the day that they were announced as they seemed like a great fit for Atmos otherwise.

Had I not needed a new amp last year suddenly, I would not have jumped on Atmos so soon. That and the wonderful coupon Axiom had for black friday last year is how I ended up with my ceiling speakers. I only bought a Denon x4100 though so it wasn't a huge investment but it is the main reason why I'm stuck at 5.2.4 since it can't do 7.2.4

Now, with DTS:X so close, I'd just wait. But yes, the up mixer is really good for Atmos.

I've always been curious what all on wall speakers would sound like. They are so neat and compact it would be great for small room setups / atmos. I still favor a couple of bigger speakers up front for music myself, but for HT as long as you had two really good subs it might be ok. I have on wall setup in another small room, not the main HT, but it is only 5.1. M2 and M22's and 150 but in a larger room I wonder how they would do. My small room is only 12x14 with svs subs.

I have a coworker that I got him hooked up with Axiom speakers for his new house. He is a total cheapskate though, so he went with the smallest in walls and surrounds that he could get (M2 fronts, and a VP100, and 4 QS4s for surround duty). His space is a quite large, open basement with a LOT more CuFt of air than my 14x24x8 space. His directly opens up to a large wet bar area in the back and there is this big open stairway area that goes upstairs.

Everything sounds really good except he is trying to still use an old, small, underpowered sub. I think that it has an 8" woofer is all. Can't even get Audessey to calibrate to it correctly because in order to get enough dB in the room to start the calibration without it being all "flabby" sounding and distorted.

I agree though that the front sound stage should have the largest speakers you can get or afford since they do a bulk of the work, and then go with something smaller for surrounds, like usual. I really like the on-wall M3s. They can't handle the watts of the QS8s, but can go a bit deeper with their larger driver. Not saying that the QS8s aren't amazing, we all know that they are.