 Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 173
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OP
veteran
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 173 |
RIght now my speakers include a VP-150, Two M22-Ti's, an Atlantic Technology 262PBM subwoofer and Atlantic Technology Surround Speakers. My surrounds are probably the weakest link but we all know how little they really come into play. The subwoofer is also over 10 years old but appears to be thumping away quite nicely. The M22Ti's sound as awesome as always but I really want to go to M-60 V3's.
So the question is should I upgrade to the M60 V3's like I want to do or am I better off upgrading my surrounds and/or sub? Also, what crossover would I want to set my front speakers to if I go with M-60 V3's?
Greg
Edit: I see there is a VP180 center speaker. I love my VP-150 and since I sit about 12 feet from that speaker in a room only ten feet wide, I don't know what I'll gain here.
Last edited by GregM; 06/26/11 11:55 PM.
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654 |
Greg, as to surrounds, I certainly don't "know how little they really come into play". They make a major contribution to musical enjoyment of 2-channel source material with processing such as DPLII applied, and of course are necessary with movies and other material containing discrete surround information.
From the information you've given, I'd suggest that QSs as surrounds would be a fine addition.
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Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 769
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 769 |
we all know how little they really come into play. I think you've been missing out as there is quite a lot of sound coming from my QS8s, specially in movies That's until you hear the VP180  If you want to upgrade, I would suggest first the QS8s. Then M60s if it's mostly for music or sub if it's mostly for movies. As for the crossover, there is no correct answer, you'll need to play with it and set it at what you like most. People like to start with 80Hz and go from there. On my M80s, I usually have it at 40Hz for music and 60 Hz for movies.
Bruno
M80s/VP180/QS8s/EP600/AVR-890
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"The problem is choice..."
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,928 |
To further the points mentioned on the QS8's and surround mat'l in general....as I have my house up for sale at present, I have taken down my QS8's from the walls temporarily to show the house over the last couple of weeks. I can verify that there is a lot of mat'l missing from movies and most TV programs now. It's watchable, but nothing like when the surrounds are up...just lacks the ambiance. With the surrounds, you feel more a part of what you are watching as if you are there in the scene. Try a movie like Master and Commander or Valkyrie with/without surrounds and I'm sure you'll agree.
Half of communication is listening. You can't listen with your mouth.
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,863
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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Posts: 1,863 |
i would say go with the vp-180 and M60's all the way. as far as what you will gain..  side  this is only a physical comparison.. I had a VP-150 for many years, however when i recieved my 180.. it was a night and day difference... I sit 13 feet from the center channel. The intigration between my M60's and the 180 is almost perfect. The 150, is simply unable to keep up with the M60's.. I would say that the 150 would be a good match for the M22's.. However if you set up to towers then a 180 would be worth the money... I would actually wait on surrounds... keep in mind 70% or so of the sound in a movie come from the center channel... depending on how much TV you watch, few shows today are in true surround.. some are, and of those that i have experienced are not mixed that well... If i was in your position, i would go for the 180/ M22's over the M60's and the VP-150. if your budget will support the M60's and the 180, you can always move the M22's to perform surround duty. Right now i have my M60's and VP-180 crossed over at 40hz, and set to large... This is partly due to my EP-600 amp being dead, and at Axiom, until i decide to buy a new amp.... however, even after the 600 is working again, i will probably stick with the 40hz cross over point. Kind of long, but i tried to cover everything for you. I hope this helps.
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 173
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OP
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 173 |
Thanks for the replies. You said it better than I when you referenced 70% of the sound originating in the center channel. That is what I meant to say when I said surrounds don't contribute much. Of course surrounds contribute if not complete the HT experience. Don't we all remember the first time we had 5.1 and played Dolby Digital trailers just to hear the surround effect? Having said that I think I may wait until the fall and order the M60 V3's, VP-180 and QS-8's all at once. Greg i would say go with the vp-180 and M60's all the way. as far as what you will gain.. side this is only a physical comparison.. I had a VP-150 for many years, however when i recieved my 180.. it was a night and day difference... I sit 13 feet from the center channel. The intigration between my M60's and the 180 is almost perfect. The 150, is simply unable to keep up with the M60's.. I would say that the 150 would be a good match for the M22's.. However if you set up to towers then a 180 would be worth the money... I would actually wait on surrounds... keep in mind 70% or so of the sound in a movie come from the center channel... depending on how much TV you watch, few shows today are in true surround.. some are, and of those that i have experienced are not mixed that well... If i was in your position, i would go for the 180/ M22's over the M60's and the VP-150. if your budget will support the M60's and the 180, you can always move the M22's to perform surround duty. Right now i have my M60's and VP-180 crossed over at 40hz, and set to large... This is partly due to my EP-600 amp being dead, and at Axiom, until i decide to buy a new amp.... however, even after the 600 is working again, i will probably stick with the 40hz cross over point. Kind of long, but i tried to cover everything for you. I hope this helps.
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420 |
Sounds like you are going to really have a great fall ahead of you 
Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
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Re: Time to upgrade . . .
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 504
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 504 |
GregM,
You have to ask yourself what kind of movies and TV you watch. If you watch a lot of action movies and TV shows with quite a bit of audio in the surround channels, then you will notice the biggest improvement going with the QS8's first.
On the other hand, if you just watch a lot of movies and TV where there isn't a lot of use in the surround channels, then you will see a bigger improvement going with the VP180 first.
Since I sit in the sweet spot and my wife could care not care less if I have Axiom speakers or use the ones that came with the TV, I find the center channel to be the least important speaker in the surround speaker setup. In fact, you can use a phantom center channel and not lose much at all sitting in the sweet spot. It is only when you want to sit a little off axis that it becomes more important. I too, want to replace my VP150 with a VP180 since it is definitely the weak link in my speaker setup, just like yours. But, it will probably be the last thing that I would upgrade. I would like to upgrade my Outlaw sub to something more serious first. Then replace my M22's with some tower speakers. Then replace the VP150 with the VP180. Then go to heights and widths, if they are still around a few years down the line.
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