Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners New poster with help question for V150......

I have recently purchase the M22's and have been tremendously
satisfied with the speaker. I been reading these forums daily
to catch up on alot of info about AXIOM and other things.
So, I went in for the V150 next. The problem is when
I sat down and hooked it up last night with my wife, we both
sat in my normal listening area {about 12 feet away} and
she commented how on the switch from stereo to surround
to use the center channel, it sounded like the sound went
in a "tunnel". The sound in stereo was much better. I know
that this speaker is supposed to "create" a better soundstage. But the sound was just awful. I adjusted my
speakers on my ONKYO 502 and have the center channel atop
my HITACHI 46 HDTV. What have I done wrong? Please any help?? Have I hooked it up wrong?

Use the search function. You'll find lots of discussion on optimizing the VP150.

You should probably play with the positioning--move the VP150 to the front edge of whatever it's sitting on (if it's behind the edge, there's a vastly increased potential for reflections, etc. How far apart are the M22s? Are they all in the same depth plane? Do you have surrounds? What mode were you listening to the speakers in (DTS, Dolby Digital, DPLII, 5-stereo, etc...)

Did you set the delay settings? If not, do this first.

Did you set the SPL with the test tones? If not, do this next.

Is it horizontally aligned with the stereo image? Listen in stereo, and pick the point where you think "center stage" is. Put the middle midrange driver of the VP150 in line with that spot.

How's the vertical alignment? The VP150 "shoots" straight out, parallel to the floor if is is sitting on a horizontal surface. If it is below your TV, it might be directing the sound at your knees. Flip it over, and it will direct the sound upwards. If it is on top of the TV, it may be directing the sound over your head. Tilt it down using door stops, the cat, a stack of old Vanilla Ice CDs, etc...

What is it sitting on? I have a 65" Mits. If the VP150 is sitting directly on it, the sound gets "enhanced" by the big empty box resonating under it. Other "boxy" things could have a sound to them as well.

Kcarlile mentioned one of the other most important things. Sound waves bounce, reflect, bend, etc.. (Remember making waves in tubs of water with various obstructions in it in science class?). Check that out also.

Go west and tweak young man...

Keep us up do date on how it's going.

Is it possible that the center channel is wired out of phase? Double check the connections on all the speakers to make sure that the same wire is connected to the positive terminal on both the receiver and the speaker.

The music is playing in Dolby Pro Logic II. I have it tilted
down to my listening area. I have wired and re-wired. It just
doesn't sound very good at all. Is this possibly due to no
surrounds playing?? I have moved and re-moved.I have tested and retested.If this is
the best I can get, I'll have to send it back. I even played
the Peter Frampton track the reviewer mentions on the web
site of his DVD. Awful......any more suggetions

I dislike music that was meant for 2 channel in any DSP mode such as Dolby PL2. Just does not sound right. So I leave it is stereo with a sub.

Todd, I think your disappointment has more to do with DSP modes than speakers.

I whole heartedly agree with Curtis. 2 channel matrixed to a center channel sounds detached and not seamless and seems to suck the life out of the music and bass lacks vitality no matter how good the speakers are. I even prefer SACD and DVD-A in 2 channel. There is something about a drum lick or a piano note coming from behind that I don't find quite palpable and realistic. PLII is ok for crappy TV program sound but not much good for music.

Todd, you might also try repostioning the M22s. First, relative to a stright line across the 3 speakers, just pull them out in front of the VP150 a few inches. Then try to set the M22s a few inches deeper . See if there is a difference.

Hey guys, Ray stopped playing golf long enough to post! Cool!

Todd, wait a darn minute here. You're playing music in Dolby PLII, but don't have any surrounds hooked up, right? You're listening to ONLY the front L/R and the center? I think that is the problem.

Most (all?) DSP surround modes are designed for 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 channels. I don't think you're going to get very good results by trying to listen through 3.1.

You're probably better off adding surround speakers before the center, if you have to choose. (You could "phantom" the center channel). Do you have any other speakers you could use as surrounds, even temporarily?

You can adjust some settings for Pro-Logic 2 in your receiver. If you go back to the manual (thanks John K) you will find that you have a setting for music or movies, and another setting for width of center image.

As I re-read the post, I agree that the choice of sound mode appears to be the culprit. Try playing with those settings and see what happens.

tom - I wish it was golf. I spent the week in Chicago delivering contract/negotiations training to 300 of our sales folks. It's nice to be home. I felt so good about getting home about 4 AM Friday (don't ask), that I slept in and took the day off. Very long story short - turned out to be an expensive choice since I used the time to buy a 2004 Maxima. What a piece of equipment.

We have a 2000 Maxima. 50000 trouble free miles on it. 25 mpg at 80-90 mph in the desert. Too much cabin noise (wind and road), but other than that pretty good.

How's the new one Ray?

Mark, this is my third Maxima. I just gave my 1998 to my daughter (66,000) miles and it was still a puppy. Not a single problem, but as you stated, a bit of road noise. The new one is incredible (as you might expect, I have logged a few miles since yesterday ).

There's a longer story, but I moved up to the SL and it has lotsa toys on it. It is almost completely silent on the road - quite a difference. Almost too much power. My first time with automatic/memory seats, steering wheel and side mirrors. I don't need all of the "stuff" that was in the car, but it sure is nice to have. 17" tires and the "luxury tuned" suspension makes quite a difference in the ride from the sport (SE) I had. As old as I am, I'm still sitting here grinning as I type this. The only downside - BOSE speakers ( including 2 subwoofers) instead of Axioms!!!

I like everything about the 2004 Maxima except the rear end -- but I guess I never was an a$$ man.

I have a 1997 fully-loaded Maxima SE with manual trans that i bought used through iMotors.com. (Yep, I bought a used car online!) It has about 74,000 miles on it. No major trouble yet.

And now back to our regularly scheduled program... (i.e. sorry for prolonging the thread-jack)

my first car was a 1988 nissan maxima. it was a horse.
it had 177,000 miles on it. didn't go much over that because a lady from florida ran a red light and creamed me.

IMHO - the maxima is the best vehicle on the road today

my sister, in dallas, has a 97 or 98 maxima with 170,000 stop and go miles in the overly congested metroplex. she never washes it, the inside is trashed out, but the car still runs like a top. she has put three sets of tires on it, replaced the brakes once, one new battery, new alternator, and she just had new CV joints put on it last month. not bad for 170,000 miles. i would say she has gotten her moneys worth.

my 98 chevy 1 ton/4 door is fixing to roll 100,000. its a great truck, but the gas prices are killing me. it cost me $65 bucks to fill up last time.

bigjohn

$65?! Yowch! Sounds like you're fixin' to go broke!

bigjouhn - it is nice to see a really wealthy guy on the thread . $65 is a bunch for a fillup. Good thing the Axioms will keep you at home

BTW, I really like the back of the new Maxima; those sets of dual exhausts look pretty cool. Also, when you jump on it, there is a nice throaty growl. I'm a pretty happy guy right now.

Tough choice, eh Ray? Stay at home and listen to the Axioms, or jump in the Maxima and head for the open road. Ah decisions, decisions

with current gas prices, i would say stay at home and listen to the AXIOMS!!

bigjohn

I might give Ian a call and see if he can Axiomize the Maxima. If not, I'll settle for a 5,000 watt sub for the trunk and melt the traffic around me.