Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Using 2 Speakers for Center - Revisited

I'm thinkin about taking my two M3's and using them as the center channel, then picking up a pair of M40's for the mains. I'd really rather have M60's but I just can't afford that. And having actual floor standing speakers is EXTREMELY appealing to me.

I know the concensus was if you were gonna use 2 speakers for center that the M2's would be better suited, but I'm trying to save some cash here. Mostly trying to figure out all the downsides to this idea. Or just biting the bullet and getting a VP150.

I also think I'm gonna try to finnaly get some QS's for the side surrounds. Prolly QS8's because of the size of the room (20W x 28L x 7H) and that sometimes I like to get it loud (mulitchannel music). Although if someone could talk me into QS4's that would rule since I could save some money!

The M3ti's would match the M40ti's better than M2i's so don't worry about that.

Sounds like a really good plan. I say go for it, and let us know what you think!

Well, if you've got an H/K or ICBM, I would say that you can safely go with the QS4s and cross them higher than the other speakers. I'm very happy with mine.

The Cherry M40's just sold out.

M2 centers are the way to go with M60s or M22s... M3s are a better match for M40s and M50s.

You have a pretty large room there so your chances of getting away with direct surrounds is better than in a small room. One option to consider would be M50 mains, M3 surrounds, M3 center (1 or 2) if you are looking at a "mostly music" system.

Another option to consider if you are looking at mostly music would be starting without a center channel at all. All the receivers I have seen support "phantom center" operation where the center channel signal is split evenly between left and right mains. Just get some M50 mains and M3 surrounds. Having a separate center channel is important for HT because it anchors the voices to the TV, but in a music system that doesn't matter so much (if at all).

What do you think your music / movie mix is going to be ?

Well I have a *complete* setup going on right now actually. Its 7.1 (HK AVR630), I just have the two M3's as my *mains* and a KLH center, KLH on the side surrounds and some old Advents in the rear.

Its a 50/50 music to movie usage room. I'm 99% sure I want QS something for the side surrounds. Everything else is up in the air. Money is the biggest factor right now, but I don't like to *skimp out* when I buy "important" items. I've been wanting Axioms for what seems like forever now, I was lucky enough to win those M3's and I just want to keep replacing speakers I have with more Axioms. If I could afford it I'd have M60s, VP150, QS8's all around. I guess I'm just trying to find a way to improve my setup for ~800$.

Well,...looks to me that you're "Twice Lucky" Lucky to have won the M3s in the first place, and lucky that you had a chance to seriously listen to them!

I sure gotta agree with you on two points: You don't want to skimp out on the important items, and, if you want M60s, then you want M60s! Nothing else will fit!!

One thought would be to use that $800 on FO M60s and use one of the M3s as a center for the time being, that way you'll have something that sounds like a reasonable match up front until you can manage your VP150. Then use the two available M3s for surrounds until you can get your QS8s. If it takes a few years to get what you want, well, then it takes a few years. I ordered my first Axioms back in the early "SE" days and I'm still working on completing my system.(I measured to see if I could try one of my M50s inverted on top of my 65" Mits, but the TV is too tall, and the ceiling slopes down to where there's about a half inch interference! That's OK, the wife didn't care much for the "Smokestack coming out of the TV" look anyway! So I'll continue to use the inverted M3 as center, where, in my opinion it sounds "Great" reguardless.)

So consider yourself in reality "Thrice Lucky". Lucky that you didn't get the M40s! After all, that's not what you wanted!
Rich.

Having run 2 M3's as a center I would strongly suggest like some others have here already that you look hard at the M50's. They are seamless with the M3's.

The M3's and the M50's sound identical and thus you get great left to right panning and vice versa.

However, I should also point out that I have never heard the M40's but I still say if you can swing it, get the M50's.

When I went with MA, I continued to run dual centers for a fair bit of time. I don't now as I get equal results from my current center but I still like the idea of dual centers.

I really appreitate all the feedback and ideas. Hell its prolly fun for most of ya anyway.

Let me lay my newest idea on ya... Factory Outlet: VP150 and QS4's

(~700$ Thats saving ~80$ over brand new, ~180$ less than getting em with brand new QS8's... FO QS8's are 13 weeks, so too long for me)

M60s would just be an upgrade next year or something. Now the only debate I have with this idea is QS4 vs QS8. Don't they have the same tweeter now? The picture on the products page clearly shows the QS4 with a different tweeter than the QS8. But if thats not accurate basically the only difference between them would be low end freq response and volume. I'm beginning to think that I could *live without* that in exchange for being able to afford the speakers I've been wanting for a very long time. I mean, I've been using very average speakers (minus the M3's) in my HT setup and the overall experience is still enjoyable.

Unless the QS4's are really gimped I'm giving them some serious consideration... and who knows, down the road maybe I could get some QS8's and move these QS4's to the rear surround wall (I just can't get myself to invest any real money on those two speakers in the way back since they aren't utilized all that much, especially right now).

They do have the same tweeter now. The pictures on the website are generally inaccurate. I've found the QS4s to be good matches for the M50s, but I'm not nearly as critical a listenr as others, methinks.