I am currently in the process of constructing my new theater. Dimenssions are 20x18x8. I will be using a 110 inch Stewart Screen with projector and 5.1 surround. Ideally, I would like all of the speakers to be in wall. I have decided to use the in-cabinet/wall M60's and VP150. The Q8S's are not option since they are not in-wall. Would the M3 or M22 be a good option for the surrounds? If not any other suggestions?

QS8 aren't in wall yes but they do not take many space.

I would agree, and I do believe they are the best surround speakers available, but I would not like to see the speakers at all. So would the other options provide a good alternative?

I don't think you will get the same amazing surround effects if you choose a forward firing speaker only like the m3 or m22 over something designed for surround duty like the QS8. Being that it is a theater room I would think that QS8's would be the way to go hands down.

Check out the 3rd photo in this gallery post:
http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showgallery&Number=206049

As you can see the Q's really blend in and don't stand out much at all.

If you must go with another inwall speaker maybe others can provide some advice as I only have the Q's and have never tried to use m3's or m22's for surrounds.

Good luck!

You can also get the QS8's in the paintable cabinet and paint them to match the walls.

But when it comes to choosing between M2 or M22, I believe that bigger is always better.

Edit: Concerning the M3, If you already have enough bass I think the M22 would be the better choice. Any of the tower M50-M60-M80 should provide enough bass that the M3 wouldn't be needed.

Ortho, welcome. As David and Philippe have mentioned, the QS8's are designed with surround duties in mind. They are, for the most part, quite inconspicuous, on top of which you can get a paintable option to match your wall decor. It's not that direct firing speakers like the the M3/M22 wouldn't work...in a longish HT with 7 channels they may even be preferred for *rear channels...it's just that the QS8's are so good at what they were designed for, good enveloping surround effects, that they would be the preferable choice if you can use them.

For your WAF restrictions of using in-wall, the M2, M3, M22 in-wall would be your only choices. Yes, they would be more than suitable for surround speakers.

This is always a challenge between aesthetics, sound quality and flexibility.

I agree the look of built in speakers is modern and cool looking. But you give up some sound quality and a lot of flexibility.

For my dedicated HT room, 95 percent of the time I am in it, it is dark and I am only looking at the screen and listening to the sound track.

When I was building my HT room, I thought hard about the in-wall solution, but realized that it wasn't a compromise I wanted to make; on sound quality or flexibility (speaker placement and possible upgrading down the road).

I am glad I made the choice I did, just a few weeks ago I upgraded to a VP180. Had I gone with in-walls, I wouldn't have been able to do that as easily, if at all.

I think the QS8's are the way to go!

http://s643.photobucket.com/albums/uu153/worfzara1/HT%20room%20Sept%202010/

If the Q's are not in the plans, I would suggest looking at going with dual side channels to mimic the Q's surround abilities. This would be more like a true theater system where they have multiple side surrounds. Many recent AVR's have at dual side surround channel abilities. I would mount them slightly in front of and slightly behind the listening position.

Ortho, welcome. Yes, the QSs are quite unobtrusive and would be the superior choice. If absolutely opposed, the M2s or M22s would be a better match for your M60s than the M3s would be.

How do you like the VP150 for the center. Any off axis listening / sound issues?

Thx
tony