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Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
#423302 02/12/17 09:03 PM
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I bought my Axiom 7.1 speaker set about 10 or 11 years ago, and we were blown away at the quality of the sound and how good our home theater sounds.

We're moving the home theater out of the basement and into a new great room we've built. It's a much larger room 23' by 16' with vaulted ceiling that goes 14' high at the center peak.

I have about $7000 put aside to upgrade the theater system, but that includes buying a new receiver and new 75" TV.

Our current speaker setup is:
Subwoofer EP350 v2
Center: VP100 v2
Towers: M50 v2
Surrounds: QS4 v2 (4)

Yes, it's mostly the base level Axiom speakers, but really does still sound absolutely great even after 10 years.

So, for this upgrade I was thinking an additional:

4 Ceiling Speakers: M3 $996
Subwoofer: EP350 $890
Receiver: Denon AVRX6300H 11.2 Channel: $2200
TV: Samsung UN75JU6500 75-Inch: $2300

Total of that is around $6400.

That leaves me around $600.. so a new center maybe?

I"m curious what advice or thoughts all of you might have on pulling off this 7.1 to 11.2 upgrade for a budget of around $7000. Are these the decisions you'd make on this budget?

I've read some reviews on Amazon that the Denon 11.2 receiver might have feedback on more sensitive speakers. Our old Denon 7.1 worked great for 11+ years, so I like Denon, but I'd also consider a different brand if that's truly the case.

Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423304 02/12/17 10:49 PM
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If you do upgrade the center, go with a VP160. Depending on how listeners are seated, it's a tough decision though between a new center or a bigger sub.


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423308 02/13/17 12:58 AM
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Not bigger sub MoJo thinking just upgrade from v2 to a v4.

If were me Don I'd go all in on a EP500 instead of the EP350.

But, I def would be upgrading to a VP160. It would be higher on the list than upgrading from a EP350v2 to a EP350v4


Anthem MRX520
M5HPv4
VP160HPv4
QS10v4

Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423309 02/13/17 01:02 AM
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Keep your existing sub and add another EP350. Add a VP 160 and your good to go. If you can stretch the budget go for some QS10s you will be glad u did.


DOG is GOD spelled backwards.
What others think of me is none of my business.
M80 V3 MY GLOSS Cherry
Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423310 02/13/17 03:36 AM
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I'd keep the M50's and upgrade the rest.
I would totaly stay with atmos m3's and get a big sub.
Even if the M50's don't go into this system.
I'd like a pair for the family room.



Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
TroyD #423312 02/13/17 03:57 AM
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Hi TroyD,

Interesting idea. Would an EP500 v4 be balanced with my older EP350 in a 7.2.4 setup? Wouldn't I need two EP500s?

Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
Gr8_White_North #423315 02/13/17 06:51 AM
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I'm strongly considering the VP160 center, but for a couple hundred more I could get the VP180. Would my M50 towers be totally outclassed by the VP180 center? Most of movie and TV action and dialog is on the center anyway, so it makes sense to me that it should be the highest priority for an upgrade.

I agree, upgrading the QS4 surrounds to QS10's is really tempting. As it is, I need to run the QS4's with +12 dB amplification to be somewhat matched with the rest of the system so they can be heard properly. Though my feeling the QS4's are undersized could be my 10 year old Denon receiver on my current system. The new receiver might resolve this.

I have a feeling I'm going to break into savings a bit more and head toward adding:

4 M3's in the ceiling $996
Subwoofer (EP350), $890
Center: VP180
4 surrounds: QS10HP - $1698

That's $4550 in speakers for this 7.1 to 11.2 upgrade. That will blow past my budget point a bit, though I'm leaning toward thinking it's not worth getting a 75" TV right now. The price/area of TV's takes a huge leap past 65" or 70" right now. I'm struggling to see where it's worth spending twice as much on a 75" TV versus 65".

Good speakers can easily last a lifetime. TV's are good for at best 5 to 10 years.

Last edited by DonClancy; 02/13/17 06:53 AM.
Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423316 02/13/17 07:04 AM
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Go with the 160.
Watch the refurb store. There have been some amazing deals in there. A pair of EP500's slid through last year.
Murphys law, I'm always broke when I see a deal I've been waiting for.
Trade up.
Thats a big room. Need woofage.
My $0.02 CAD. Lol.

Last edited by brwsaw; 02/13/17 07:07 AM.


Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423319 02/13/17 09:45 AM
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I would just be repeating a lot of what was said already, but I went from a VP150 to a VP180 and absolutely love its performance with my M60 fronts.

That being said, the VP160 wasn't even announced when I pre-ordered the VP180, and while my current theater was still under construction, I didn't want to miss out on the deal price. Had I know that the VP160 was coming out, I would have jumped on that and saved a few bucks, plus had a (arguably) better center channel design in the VP160.

I would get the better center first before any other speakers. More subs in multiple locations in the room is going to yield better subwoofer performance throughout the room vs. one newer or a bigger sub and having peaks and nulls throughout.

Plus what everyone else said....


Farewell - June 4, 2020
Re: Upgrade a 7.1 base level Axiom Set to 11.2
DonClancy #423328 02/13/17 06:17 PM
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I went from 50" to 60" and now a 70" and am now paying down the visa so i can get a PJ. AH dreams they keep me goin to work smile


DOG is GOD spelled backwards.
What others think of me is none of my business.
M80 V3 MY GLOSS Cherry
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