We're finishing up some construction and, while I've got guys around who channel wires and patch drywall a lot faster than I can, I want to take the opportunity to upgrade my system from 5.1 to 7.1 or 7.2.

But my current surrounds are old QS2s. I'm reasonably happy with them. I would like to avoid something really large hanging on the side or back walls of the room.

I'm wondering about either keeping the existing QS2s for rear channels, and using something like the M2 or M0 in-wall units for the side surrounds. I would actually prefer to use the quadripoles for side surrounds but I can't put in-wall speakers in the back wall; it's plaster on wire lath on brick.

The other option I guess would be to try to find something small and inconspicuous from another manufacturer that's a good match for the QS2s and just pick up a pair of those.

Fronts are M3ti, center channel is a VP100, sub is a Hsu. I'm reasonably happy with the system now but this seems like the right time for an upgrade.

Suggestions?

Tis, welcome back; we've all been waiting eight years for your second post! The QS4s are just slightly bigger than your QS2s. For newer members, here's the old QS2 ad. Although they were described as "The sweetest little rears..."(wonder if the guy who wrote that is still with Axiom), and Dianne R. of Oakville said that they were "...sooo cute. I had to have them!", they were discontinued.

The QS4s should be your side surrounds, directly to the sides of your listening position and about 2-3' above ear level. The QS2s can be the back surrounds, at the same height and separated about as far as your sitting distance from them(but at least wide enough to be to the outsides of the listening positions).

I second Johnk's suggestions, in that I would also use QS4s as side surrounds and move the QS2's to the rear channels.

I third it. My QS4s are not very obvious at all, and if you went with a custom finish that matched your walls in some way (white with white grills??), I don't think they'd stand out too much. As I recall, the QS2s are 5.25" x 5.25", correct?

Ken, pretty good(5.25"x5.25"x5"), but no need to recall if you read that great ad. Aaarrrggghh, this typing!

I couldn't find that in the ad, but I didn't read it all that closely.

No problems with typing in Safari 5.