Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Room advice (speaker type and placement) W / pics

My room works great w/ 2 x QS8s. I know other prefer direct radiating speakers. You can always wire the room for 7.1 and start off w/ 5.1. Buy speakers to add later on, w/ the wires already in place.

I contemplated 6.1 because I'm rotating my room 45 degrees and thought about leaving wire already in place. But I don' t see enough DVDs in 7.1 to justify it.

What are the room furnishings and drapes etc... going to be like ? I'm wondering (a) how live the room is going to be at the end, and (b) whether there will be drapes over the windows when listening.

I'm guessing (a) pretty live, and (b) no drapes, so one of the layout goals should be to avoid bouncing sound off the windows back to your ears.

I don't think I would even try 7.1 at first, just go with a nice 5.1 system. Running 7.1 with a 45 degree angle means at least one of your rear speakers is going to have to float in the middle of the floor or you're going to have to live with some pretty funky speaker distances.

I'm thinking M50 mains on the floor tucked at the sides of the fireplace (will they be out of the heat there ?), QS8s as surrounds mounted high -- one at the left end of what you call the front wall, and another about 8 feet in from the right end of the side wall with all the windows and doors. VP100 on top of the TV, angled down to point straight at the couch -- anything else is going to have the voices coming from the fireplace rather than the TV, and may barbequeue the center speaker as well.

For a sub I'm thinking one of the 10" Hsu or SVS, whatever you can get the best price on, taking advantage of the HK63x bass management to cross it over real low for the mains and let the 50s carry some of the load.

Going with M3 surrounds instead of QS8s would give you some more sub budget. You have a big listening area there so if you're going to have lots of places to sit then definitely go with QS8s -- if just a single couch then M3s would probably do very well.

One other comment -- definitely give the Axiom folks a call directly and get their recommendations. Number should be at the top of the page.

OK, I think we decided on the M50s for the fronts, VP100 for the center, M3ts for the rear, and QS4's for the sides. We haven't decided on a woofer just yet. Do you think I should use QS4's for the sides or should we stick with M3's like the rear? We are still gonna try for the 7.1. Is there anything that you would change? Will the center VP100 be enough for this room? Thanks again for everyones help!

What are the seating arrangements (furniture) going to be ?

EDIT -- if you're going 7.1 then I think M3 surrounds would probably be fine, with the caveat that I have essentially no 7.1 experience

You're going to be essentially mounting the surrounds in corners at a 45 degree angle, and the ceiling is going to bounce the sound away from the listener, so this is probably one of the few environments where QS's may not be preferable as surrounds.

Do talk to Axiom before you order though... they see more "interesting rooms" than we do.

There is going to be a long couch along the wall with windows. A love seat will be at the end (where the box is in the picture). Set up in a backwards L shape, if you will. This love seat will be the main viewing point. This is a friend’s house, so that is all I know for the moment. I am sure there will be side tables and coffee tables. Etc… But this Love seat is the main focal point.

Another suggestion:

Is that a spool of coax cable coming out of the wall to the left of the single window? Why not put the TV to the left of the single window near the cable (or drape [or blackout] the window and put the TV in front of it)? Then you have more of a dead on angle to the TV...speakers can be to the left and right of the TV (or one to the right of the fireplace) with center above or below the TV...QS8's on the side walls about two thirds of the way back...start with 5.1 and then add the two rears later if you desire.

This would still accomodate the seating arrangement with the love seat as primary seating area and the long couch in front of the three windows.

This would eliminate the unusual angle for the TV as well as help to eliminate the reflections from the ceiling. Not to mention if you actually use the fireplace, heat still rises...Not sure if I would want to risk a 60" TV above a fireplace...

Just another idea...

WhatFurrer

Yes. Yes !!!

That would also be a much better setup for 7.1. You want some distance between the listening position and the rear speakers. I don't suppose flipping the couch so that it faces the windows (on the "other side of the love seat" is a possibility ? That way it would have a good view of windows, fireplace AND tv.

In reply to:

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Yes. Yes !!!

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I'll have what he's having.

and that is probably the only reference to Rob Reiner's mom that has ever been posted on this board...as well it should be.