Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Amplifier

Getting ready to pull the trigger on the ADA-1500 but I wanted to see what others' opinions are regarding the number of channels needed. I was considering amplifying all 5 channels and only running the in-ceiling speakers off of the AVR but is the extra power needed for the rear surrounds or would the AVR be enough power for them if the front stage is on a 3 channel amp?

IMO i wouldn't worry so much about the surrounds. Your mains and centre will pull alot more power and if you take the front three load off the receiver, the AVR will have plenty of overhead for the remaining surrounds.

I'm planning on putting my Anthem MCA30 in the HT room to power the front three while the new Denon will power the 4 surrounds. If i were going to add more surrounds into a 9.2 system, i would probably consider more external ampage.
Unless you expect to have ear bleeding sound in a very large room such that the AVR may be driven too hard. This situation always seems rather rare. I cant' say i've seen anyone's typical HT room be so large that you need a ton of power.

What are you running for in-ceiling? The rears will be the QS10s? And you are still planning to upgrade to actives?

Yes. 5ch 1500.

Yes, eventually I plan to upgrade to actives so if I did a 3 channel now it would still power the center and surrounds down the road or if I go 5 channel it would power one of the actives down the road.

Rears for now are the qs10s. I’ll run the axiom or paradigm in ceiling speakers when I get to that point.

I don't know what to tell you for the in-ceiling because I don't run Atmos. I can tell you I've measured 280W peaks in the QS10s that I use as sides. I have my QS10s crossed at 40Hz.

If you plan on such future additions then yes, fill that ADA1500 with all channels now. No point in doing it retroactively.
Assuming you have the cash of course.

I opted for the 5 channel. If I want it I’ll have it and if I don’t need it I can run 3 channels. Besides I’ll be up one 1500 towards the actives.

I run all my main 7 speakers with my Outlaw amp, and my 4 ceiling speakers are driven with an Emotiva. See signature.

Randy, do you hear any humming from the Outlaw or Emo? At the amps or at the speakers?

Nope, I do no hear any noise/humming emitting from the speakers/amps from any of the seating positions. To be honest I don't think I hear much even with my ears up close to them...

Excellent!!

Does anyone know the THD on the axiom amps?

Power in the specs section on the website is with THD+N at 1% or less from 20Hz to 20KHz.

Officially ordered the 1500-5. Can’t wait for it to arrive. All that’s left is the 6 in-ceiling and the 4 outdoor speakers.

Next step --> active LFRs and M100s to pops.

I think Axiom ought to start making outdoor M5s.

Yeah, outdoor M5s, for all those people who really hate their neighbors, "Oh, this is a good song, let me turn this FU up a notch!"

I’m out on a farm with no neighbors nearby at least within a half mile. So I can crank them as loud as I want without pissing anyone off.

Man, I am so jealous! I threw up some unused M22s outside and they sound great out there. I can only imagine how the M5s sound outside when you can really crank them.

I suggested months ago Canes gets active LFRs for the great outdoors. But M5s are good too. Make sure to get a 1500 'cause they're power hungry!

I'd love to see the M5s in an outdoor speaker. I plan on putting 4 speakers outside on a 4 channel ADA-1000. Thinking I'll run two as left speakers and two as right speakers. I guess it would also be practical to wire each set in parallel and run them off a 2 channel amp.

Likely you will use Algonquins (outdoor M3s). You may want to consider setting them up far in front of your sitting area so that you have some sense of a soundstage. I've tried M3s 12 feet apart with an MLP of 14 feet and the soundstage was excellent. You may be able to place them further apart perhaps - you'd have to experiment. You could also place them further than 14 feet but that may not give you enough slam - if you really care about that outdoors.

An M5 outdoor would require some research from Axiom. The enclosure has to be made stiff enough for the extra weight of the HP driver and the mid. And it can't flex under dynamics.

They will be under a deck on our lower patio that stretches 45 feet across. I can mount them against the house or use the ceiling mounts and move them however far out away from the house up to 15 feet. I would like to keep them somewhat close to the house so we can hear them directionally in the hot tub. I could theoretically run 6 out door speakers and create an "L" shape with them.

Given that they will be installed high above your head, you can't expect them to give you a soundstage. Not sure why you'd want more than two.

More sound to make it out into the yard across the pool.