Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater M5HP as Center Channel

Due to an odd placement of my TV on two separate stands, I've been running my system with a vertical bookshelf center channel. I originally was using one of my old M22s but it couldn't keep up with my M80v3 mains. Bought an M5HP and WOW. It keeps up and is an amazing center channel. I highly recommend this setup for the ultimate LCR front stage. Forget horizontal centers, even my waaaay off axis bedtime listening has incredible clarity and imaging. Abandon the large center tv stand/equipment console and get two separate racks with a vertical center channel in between!

We did a room with M80 towers and an in wall M5HP in wall center behinnd an acoustic screen. The M5 is a fantastic speaker for the reasons you say.

Trevor, For a large projector screen (mine) would you recommend the M5ow over say the VP180ow? Have you tried both?

Rich, M80OW. I'd bet you will enjoy a larger, more natural center image similar to the active LFR but off-axis as well.

I tried the M5 bookshelf as a center between the 12' spread of my actives at 14' MLP and it was excellent on and off axis but the image was too localized relative to the actives. Other set-ups of course may offer a different experience or perhaps some prefer more of a "vocal point" experience.

Once you hear the pseudo center image of the actives, it's tough to go back to a traditional center.

I tested an m5ow as a center last weekend between my 2 passive 1100s. I really didn't notice that much difference overall between the m3 and my 180 as far as off axis response. The 180HP puts out more sound but I felt like the m5 sounded more natural on dialogue on movies. I'm splitting hairs but it just seemed a little cleaner vs the 180. Honestly I think if I decided to run a AT screen I would go the m5 route. I've even considered going m5s as LCR and moving my passives to my dedicated stereo room.

On another note about the m5s, in stereo, I moved the tweeters from above ear, level, and below ear. The biggest difference to me was as I moved them lower the soundstage shrunk just a little each time but the imagining improved. I really enjoyed them more at ear level or slightly below.

Shrunk how? Height, width, depth?

I havent tried an VP180OW yet for a job.

I Would go big and let the AVR do its job when you tune the room. Lots you can do after the fact during calibration.

The reason we went with M5IW was the owner wasnt into a built out screen and we had a studded wall to work in.

The other install with 150” AT screen and M5OW LCRs behind was entirely fine with an outboard amp. Impressive even.

My own room has huge matched towers back there and the dynamics from a true center are leaps above a phantom. But I go loud. Similar to M100s I would say. Definitely more than M80s from my experience with them.

Width shrunk

What’s the width of your screen? In the pictures I seem to remember your TV looking something like 50-70”.

With a 12’ spread I would suspect that you’d get a unnaturally wide stage with a mid size TV. Sounds coming from a image on the right or left edge would be way outside the screen boundary’s.

You must have upgraded …. to something in the 150-165 inch range



P.S. as I’ve said before I agree with you on the virtual center. It is the most natural sounding solution for one to maybe three seats. Once beyond that you need a real center to anchor sounds to the center for all seats.

I still have the 55" which I view from 14' away. As I said in another post, I notice no ill effect from the wide spacing. It sounds natch.