Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater QS8's or M22Ti for surrounds?

About a month ago I decided to start upgrading my 5.1 speaker set up which consisted of some older Yamaha book shelf mains and surrounds, an AIWA 150w sub and a JBL S-CenterII. I decided to try the M22Ti's for the mains, and I have been completely blown away with how great they sound.What an unbelieveable little speaker!


Eventually I will be replacing the center with a VP150 and my old sub with an SVS 20-39Pci. I'm not using the system for DVD-A or SACD. Just HT.

My next purchase is going to be the surrounds, and I'm having a hard time deciding between the QS8's and the M22Ti's. I built some wooden speaker stands for the surrounds a while back that hold my surrounds about 6' up, and I have them about 1' foot behind my listening area, aimed across the room facing each other with about '6 distance between them and the back wall. Even with my old crummy Yamaha bookshelves the surrounds are fairly immersive and do a fair job of creating an ambient surround effect with not too much localization.

I've read so many great things about the QS8's, but I must admit that I have never heard anything other than monopole direct fireing speakers. One one hand, I am thinking I should give the QS8's a try, and that I might get a much more immersive surround effect with them. I've figured out a way that I could modify my stands and use the bracket to hold the Qs8's freely without any obstruction to the woofers.

On the other hand, the placement of my current direct fireing surrounds give me a pretty good sound already, and I can't help but wonder how much better it might sound with M22Ti's, which would also be an exact match to my mains. I've read that having the same spreakers for mains and surrounds is a good way to go. I've also noticed that the M22Ti's go a bit lower in frequency than the Qs8's, but I don't know if that would make much difference. I know this question has probably been asked hundreds of times, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions?

Call up Axiom an talk to them an see what they say i do know that there are a few people that use the MI22's for Rears an like them myself i am going to go qs4's when i get the Cash so good lick

If this is for HT and not multi-channel audio as you've said, I whole heartedly suggest the QS8's. You won't be dissapointed.

Welcome Ed (I'm assuming that is your name). I'm always reluctant to "recommend" any specific speaker setup, because others tastes may differ from mine. All I can do is tell you my experience.

I had some Cambridge Soundworks surround speakers which were selectable to dipolar or bipolar. So they were not monopolar (direct radiating). I replaced them with QS8s. With apologies to all the regulars who have heard this before, I have to say the thing that I notice about the QS8s is that I DON'T notice them. During a movie, several to many times, my old surrounds would call attention to themselves. I mean I would find myself NOTICING a sound effect coming from them. Before the Cambridge Soundworks surrounds I had small JBL direct radiators and they did the same thing. With the QS8s, I'll watch an entire movie without noticing the surround speakers even once. I just get immersed in the movie. I am knocked out by my QS8s.

I have recently changed from M22s to M60s as my mains. and I think the QS8s blended perfectly with both speakers. If you are indeed using your system primarily for HT, I don't think you would ever regret getting the QS8s.

Edsynth,

I am one of the few who are using the M22's as rear surrounds. I am in a unique situation with currently living in a rent house with an unusual room config so the use of QS8's were not an option for me (at this time ). I do plan on getting some QS8's when we move into our new house down the road (as well as a new 7.1 receiver and a universal DVD player...then the M22's will perform double duty as rear surrounds for both movies and DVD-A / SACD.)

So, currently the M22's are acting as my rear surrounds on 31" stands in the back of my room. They work very well in the current set up (but would sound even better with some distance behind my current situation...sweet spot on back wall, M22's at 90 degrees to either side). They immerse you extremely well with the rainstorm and thunder in "Open Range"...in fact, you feel you are outside in the storm.

I have also only had monopole direct firing rears and am very impressed with the M22's handling of the surround channels.

The choice is yours...

Just my .02,

WhatFurrer

I have QS8's and cannot recommend them highly enough.

I particularly like the ability to flush-mount them on the wall. The QS speakers are very flexible relative to placement; the M22's could require a bit of tinkering due to not only their directionality but also the port.

My opinion is that the only real compelling reason to get M22's instead is if you plan to do a very significant amount of discrete 5.1 channel audio (DVD-A / SACD).

All that being said, I'd love to hear WhatFurrer's setup!

I know, why don't you buy BOTH in preparation for 7.1, test them out, and let us know what you think!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I've made up my mind to get the QS8's. And if I really don't like them, i'll pay the shipping and send them back and get the M22ti's. From hearing all the praise about them though, I doubt if that's going to happen.

I'll be ordering them on Wednesday, and I can't wait to get them!
Hey, maybe i'll have them in time for the 2 disc version of Return of the King on the 25th. That should be a good test for the new QS8's I would imagine!

Thanks again to everyone for your comments.

Ed

Well my QS8's are on the way. I've got my tracking numbers. Man I can't wait to hear them! I've never heard a bipole, dipole or quadpole speaker before, so this will really be a new experience for me. Woohoo! They should complement my M22's nicely. Next will be the VP150 in a few weeks, then a month or so after that, the SVS sub, and I'll be all done! Well, at least with my 5.1 set up. Then I guess it will be time for a 7.1 receiver. Oh yea, and I guess i'll need another pair of M22's for the rears. Hmmm.But after that, I'll be done! Well, with the audio anyway. Then it's time for a bigger display. But after that, I'll be done! Except for the...arrrg when will it end! somebody please make it stop! lol

Ed

OK, don't get M22s for rears if you're using M22s for fronts. Talk about overkill! Get M2s for the rears. Other than that, haven't a clue when it'll stop. Try being broke. It helps slow the acquisition process...

Well I got my QS8's today. I experimented with a few different positions and got them situated where they sound best to me. I then watched Gladiator to test them out. Holy **** do they sound amazing!

I had really high expectations after getting a pair of M22's a short while ago, and I must say I am even more impressed with the QS8's. I've never heard immersive surround sound like this before. And the timber match between the M22's and QS8's is very impressive. I'm totally blown away. VP150 and SVS sub are not far off.

Thanks to everyone who helped me decide. And not just in this thread, but the whole message board. I've learned a lot from reading tons of posts here over the past few months.

Tomorrow after work i'll stop by the local media shop, pick up Return Of The King, and give the QS8's another workout.

Ed