Folks, I am planning on adding surround backs to my system (M-60, VP150, QS8 and Paradigm ultracube12), but do not have the funds to go with QS8s. I am thinking I can go with smaller speakers no problem without a huge difference in sound level and quality (afterall how much content comes from the surround back speakers anyway). What are people's thoughts and recommendations.

Thanks
p.s. I am driving everything with a Yamaha RV-V863.

If you have a fair bit of distance, 4ft or more, between the listening position and the rear channels you should be able to use M2s for the rear channels, otherwise I would hold out for another pair of QS8's. The direct firing of the M2s won't be much of an issue the farther away you are as the sound has time to disperse, but if you are closer the the speakers the already diffuse sound from the QS8's will/should sound better.

How about 6.1 with a single QS8 then when funds permit, get another Q.

Unless you have a larger room, you may not notice too much difference by adding rears. A larger room may give you a slightly more enveloping sound environment with the rears properly placed.

Same thought I had Adrian, one Qs8 or Qs4 might be very nice centered on the back wall. Otherwise, I would save up and/or buy from the Factory Outlet to save money.

Question:

Are modern day receivers able to convert a 7.1 track into 6.1? Seems easy enough to join the rear channels together.

Answer:

It depends on the receiver, but yes, most can. Most can also expanded audio mixed in mono between the surrounds and send it to a single rear, in Prologic IIx 6.1 mode.

Good thinking guys, I ran a 6.1 set up for a number of years and really liked what it did for the surround sound, then again the setup was corner mounted with a huge gap in the middle of the side surrounds so the single rear channel really helped fill in the gap.