I was looking at QS8 stands since I don't have side walls to mount my QS8s and rear wall is only option due to room being L shaped and open floor plan. After researching it is better to place qs8s at the sides rather than rear if possible for 5.1 setup. After looking at the qs8 stands I see they are 38 inches height meaning it will bring tweeters few inches higher than ear level. What about if I wanted it 2 feet higher than ear level like most people? What are point of the surround stands if they are not tall enough? What are my options other than stacking books under the stand? I wished axiom made higher stand or that was adjustable. Or am I over thinking this and just order the stands and mount it 90 degrees from MLP and 6 feet away from both sides of MLP.....or is it best to have it 2 feet above my ears on rear wall which is 135 degrees from MLP? My ears are 2 feet behind the wall. So side surrounds at ear level or rear wall 2 feet higher or 5.1? Which is better option out of the two?
Friend of mine told me Sanus or some other brand makes metal adjustable stands without base for bottom speaker support where the rear of speaker can mount to the stand itself. Anyone know of other alternatives over than FMS QS stands that can be be 46 inches height at least? Something I can mount the QS8s to directly or use my full metal wall bracket to the stand if needed? I realized its harder with bottom driver and need to be careful while selecting stands. I really think I'm leaning towards side surrounds instead of rear wall mounting it. Just need tall stands that are adjustable at least that will work. At least I can put it anywhere and it can be side or behind couch til I find best sound rather than just making holes in rear wall.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sanus-adjust...p;skuId=4966754These are what my friend was saying to use. Would something like this allow mounting of QS8 directly or using the full metal wall bracket to be mounted to the stand? Any other suggestions?
I'll jump in here just with some thoughts and maybe some questions just to try to get a better feel for what you are trying to do.
I understand the desire for side placement, and fully agree with that. The QS speakers are very forgiving, but I had them on a rear wall for a 5.1 setup many years ago and they did OK, but when I was able to put them to the sides, they did a lot better.
Don't be totally sucked into the height placement "black hole." There were points in time where people put them at ear level, then people would say 1-2 feet above ear level, then back to ear level again. Heck, I had mine about 18" above ear level when I had my QS8s. Then I started planning for Atmos and DTS:X and replaced the QS8s with on-wall M3s and used them that way for over a year. It wasn't until just a couple of months ago that I finally lowered my surround speakers to be ear level again as long as they weren't block by something else. In my case, since I have a 2nd row of seats and those seats are about 13" higher than my front row, my rear surrounds (7.2.4 setup) are higher than front row ear height.
I watch movies all of the time that don't have Dolby Atmos sound, but a regular 7.1 soundtrack, and it still sound VERY good with the speakers at ear level.
With the QS8s, you have a lot of forgiveness in their placement. Heck, after my first use of QS8s that I mentioned near the beginning of my post (where I didn't have side walls), I moved everything into a very odd shaped room where I *could* place them on side walls, but one of those walls was at an angle, and the speakers were actually in front of my couch as the room was only 15' deep and I had the couch up against the rear wall (104" screen, so I didn't want to be any closer at the time). Things sounded great, even with the inability to place the side surrounds anywhere near evenly on each side.
So I would say that if you are really worried about it, then just experiment a bit before going out and buying something. Heck, there is a picture around here somewhere in which someone set their QS speakers on soup cans or something so that they weren't blocking the bottom firing woofer. You could set up a table with a box or two on it and some cans (two per QS) to put them into different height locations and see if you can tell the difference. This won't be 100% accurate as you will be putting a surface only a few inches under the QS speaker (the box or table), where a stand would be unblocked, but it might prove that you are OK with the Axiom QS stands, or that you really need something else.
Another option if you really want the speakers above ear level is using ceiling mounts. Axiom even sells a bracket that works with the QS speakers to mount them from the ceiling. A number of people here have done that with good results as well.
If you ever plan to go to Atmos/DTS:X audio, you will be putting these at ear level anyway, but it sounds like if that were to happen, it probably wouldn't be for a while.
Lastly, don't get those stands from Best Buy. They have the bracket right under the bottom woofer area of the QS speakers. Even if you could somehow rig them up to work, that would be potentially compromising to the sound that the QS can create.
Thanks Nickbuol, you are right I am over thinking this! Even though I don't have atmos and probably wont for a while since this is open plan living room I will do the stands and have it 90 degrees rather than rear wall mount it for better sound. I just ordered the FMB few days ago but I can always keep it and works on other speakers as well. My room is 18 feet long and 14 feet wide from side wall to kitchen short wall. Rear wall behind couch is 10 feet wide and 9 feet ceilings. I'm currently sitting 14 feet from the front speakers and my ears are 24 inches from rear wall. Do I have room for 7.1 to add rears? I can move the couch 1 more foot to be 3 feet from rear wall. I'm gonna add some pics. You will see I can have the stands on both ends of couch even though one side will be in middle of hallway or up against short wall during movies and then slide the stand to rear wall when not in use.
http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/ereed28214/library/Home%20Theater
Another thing....the new fms qs stands has center bracket and older model didn't (had bottom side brackets). My QS8s are V2 meaning the binding post is centered instead of on the side like new V4 series. Will this be an issue? I can just bare wire it and then screw the middle bracket to the speaker right? It will cover the binding post, hopefully not touch it.
I am pretty sure that Axiom can make a stand to whatever height you want them to be. they make them on site
I thought all stands came the same height and didn't know if it could be customized?
Funny you answered this question much faster than axiom has. I have emailed them 5 different questions in the past week about stands and brackets and not one response about stand dimensions from them. I remembered Amie used to answer the same day, not sure who it is now but they take forever to answer a simple question these days. I don't think the email link is even working now.
Heck, there is a picture around here somewhere in which someone set their QS speakers on soup cans or something so that they weren't blocking the bottom firing woofer.
This worked well because of the plastic bosses sticking out of the bottom of the speaker which held the grill in place. Not sure if Axiom has switched over to magnetic fasteners for the latest QS8's, but if so you'll probably be better off mounting the rear bracket onto some kind of L-shaped stand instead.
Hey, I just noticed that Campbell's owned Habitant these days... and Prego as well. Are there any soup brands they don't own ?
Not sure what you mean by L shape stand? I wonder if there are any metal stands that do not have any base to hold the speaker and you can just mount full metal bracket to the stand and have the speaker on the full metal bracket. Something like stand that acts like a stud that can be moved without anything in the way of the bottom woofer. I have asked axiom a week now about middle bracket possibly touching binding post of older qs speakers and still no response. Not sure what is up with them these days but they used to answer emails and all few times a day. Now its been a week! Aside from their products their customer service needs major work!
Not sure if my wife will allow me to use the soup can method. LOL
Sorry, thought this was the thread where I already put a diagram... hold on... here we go, about 6 posts down.
https://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthr...nds_#Post418936Obviously the higher the stand the heavier the base has to be... as soon as I get a bit of free time I'm going to try making something like this for the projector, it'll give me somewhere to store the bags of lead shot I never have time to reload with.
EDIT - hey wait, you're on that thread too
Now I see the diagram....looks like I may have to build a stand. Or find someone who will. Since this is temporary setup I didn't want to spend $300 for stands. Basically any table top stand will work as long has I have a hole the size of the woofer correct? Something like a 10 inch by 10 inch top base and about 40 inches tall flower pedestal stand with hole in middle as long as the speaker doesn't fall in the hole.
Let us know how your projector stand turns out!
Hey E , pretty much anything you paint black after building will look decent. If you have a skill saw or a neighbor with one you should be able to fab something up fairly easily. Something like a hangman style stand should get it done. I built some wall stands out of fence boards and some wood screws,put on some stain and bobs your uncle.
Nice! I have an idea in mind! Hopefully it will be done by today. Only tool I have to buy at hope depot is 6 inch router to make the hole with my drill for the down firing woofer. Stay tuned!
