Hello all! I'm new around here, although I've been reading quite a bit.
I was considering purchasing the M80's, but I live in a small apartment. I will not be living here forever, but I don't want to be disappointed with my purchase either. My room is about 12x12x9. Like I said, I will not be living here forever. I have an HK 7200 and my main use will be for Home Theater, but I'm sure with new speakers comes a rebirth of my passion for music. So basically, should I buy the M80's or consider the m60's instead.
And finally are the QS8's really that awesome or should I consider direct raidators? I would much rather have that diffused sound for the surrounds as long as it is enveloping.
Forgive my long post. Thanks a lot!
From what I understand, The M80s and the M60s "sound" very much alike. The difference is that the M80s will play "louder," i.e. do a better job of filling a larger space.
Your room is considered a "small" room (144 sq. feet,1296 cubic feet). My room is 207 sq. feet, 1656 cubic feet), and I have the 22tis for mains. They do the job just fine for me, so I assume they would "fill" your room as well. That doesn't mean that the M60s or M80s would be too much for your room. The only argument on that side of the ledger seems to be that M60 and M80 owners feel you need a certain amount of distance from your seating area to the speakers to get the most out of them. Since I don't own either speaker (but am SERIOUSLY considering upgrading to the M60s for frequency response reasons, not volume), I'm unable to tell you what, exactly, that distance is. But, keep in mind that those speakers are 15" to 17" deep, and you'd want to keep them a Little distance from a wall so the ports can "breathe," so you're looking at the front of the speakers being, at least, a couple of feet from the wall. You won't be sitting with your head touching the back wall of the room so that means another foot or two off the distance. So, you're down to 8 or 9 feet distance between you and the speakers. Hopefully, some M60 and M80 owners will chime in here and let you know what they think, and if that distance will suffice.
You make a good point about "not living here forever." If you anticipate a larger space in the future, that is a valid argument for buying the larger speakers.
Yes! The QS8s are REALLY that awesome
. I love mine. That being said, in a room the size of yours, the QS4s would also be awesome.
Good luck. Let us know what you decide.
I'd definitely go with M60s over the M80s. Even M60s are probably too big for your room, but if you're moving out sometime soon, that's OK. QS8s are great for HT, but multichannel music sounds fine also. For such a small room you could consider QS4s, which would also work in a larger room.
You definitely need a sub, esp for HT. You might consider M22/VP100/QS4 + a good sub like Axiom's EP175 or Hsu STF-2. That's a smaller configuration but would still sound very good. They'd also sound good in a larger room.
I second what Ajax is saying here.
My M60s are sitting at 8 feet from the couch and about 5.5-6 feet apart and the soundstage is a bit narrow. I've tried them in other rooms with more distance available and the sound difference was remarkable. They need room to breathe and 8 feet or less from the sitting position is too close. I would give them at least 10 feet.
Beyond that, Ajax has said it all.
Although i now have a question for Ajax.
Care to elaborate?
In reply to:
(but am SERIOUSLY considering EDIT DELETE WORD "upgrading" ADD WORD "changing" to the M60s for frequency response reasons, not volume)
Sorry Chess. After I posted the above, I became aware of your problem with the word "upgrade," when used in certain contexts. While I believe you to be correct that "changing" might be a better word than "upgrading" in those contexts, I think it would be prudent to be understanding about the common, if not exactly correct, usage of the word. I have a real problem with the misuse of the the word "of" these days (as in "It's not too bad OF a day, today") But, I have discovered that I can't (and shouldn't) go around correcting everybody. And, rather than editing my text, I'd prefer that you just go ahead and criticize it. Thank you.
I will answer your question by starting another thread so I don't hijack this one.
Thanks for the responses! My room is a tad shallow, but the one saving grace (I think) is that I can place the fronts fairly far apart - hopfully eliminating a narrow sound field. My couch as you all assumed is against my back wall, but I can move it up 1.5 - 2 feet max if need be.
Like I said before, I won't be here forever. I'm in college at the moment and if what I buy now can sound good, but later when it gets in a better environment, then they can really shine (hopefully).
Ajax, my nitpicking with the word 'upgrade' is just my own.
It carries the connotation that the more expensive models are inherently better in quality than the others which essentially would equate the same to any speakers outside of Axiom. In keeping with the general concept that more expensive is not always "better", i would think that most long time forum posters have other words than 'upgrade' to refer to the differences b/w the speaker models esp. when describing things to the newer forum readers. As i said in the old post with Spiff, no one ever says to people they should consider 'downgrading' from towers to M22s/M2s if they have a small room.
Again, i just nitpick at it.
As for editing your post, my apologies. There was no disrespect intended. I was being lazy in retyping everything you had said, since i pretty much agreed with it all and could not have written it any better, so i just added my thoughts to it. I had not realized you would see this action as putting words into your mouth.
Next time i will just quote and write a whole, new, long, redundant paragraph to follow later i guess, but that removes all the pretty colour interspersed with the black text. I thought it had a very artsy look about it.
But what the hell do i know about arts?
I'm a scientist, and one who is writing a journal paper as we speak. Perhaps my editorial thoughts were influenced by my present paper revision style (you know, using MS Word 'track changes' feature, very handy, but i guess also kind of insulting too).
No offense taken, and I assure you no offense meant. I have profound respect for all the regulars here at the Axiom forum (why do they call it "message boards"? Not objecting , just curious. Is that Canadianese?
) who have been so kind to me, and many others. I AM new to the "boards" and am still learning the etiquette.
I completely agree that it is silly to think that buying a more expensive speaker is necessarily an "upgrade" in quality. (However, it sometimes CAN be) And, I also agree that, all too often, that is how the word "upgrade" is missused. But as you are now aware, I wasn't considering buying the M60s because they were more expensive, and therefore better, but because I have hopes they will solve a perceived problem with my 22s. My wallet and I profoundly wish they cost the same as the 22s.
In reply to:
I have a real problem with the misuse of the the word "of" these days (as in "It's not too bad OF a day, today")
How nice of you to point out that lots of people misuse 'of'.
how did my questions deviate to this?
It was kind of you to say "deviate" instead of "degenerate".
What kind of beer goes best with editing scientific journals?
Sigma,
now that the style, syntax and grammar lessons are winding down, joema's advice is sage. M60s are not going to function well in that smaller room. The M22/VP100/QS4 combo he suggests is probably your best bet a this point, provided you get a sub.
If you are just leaving college soon, it is unlikely you will be moving into an 8000 Sq.ft home with a dedicated HT room, so this combo will likely serve you well for a few years. When you become incredibly successful and wealthy, the M60s (or something equivalent) will be available and you can relegate the M22s to the stereo listening room.
so, getting m80's is out of the question?
Well having M80s in that room would be a lot like owning a Ferrari and living in downtown Toronto. A nice car but totally unsuited to the local driving environment.
You could go with M2/VP150/QS8s and then when you move upwards in the world switch to a 7.1 system, place the M2s in the rear and then get the M80s.
I just think it's a shame to buy them now when you will never ever be able to appreciate them in that small a room.
Then again you are hearing advice from a guy who once quit work and on the same day bought a new car.
As for the grammar, on it I'm not having any comments of.
I wish I had UPGRADED the carpet in my house, The little guy is starting to crawl and his knees are getting red from the roughness of the free stuff.
12x12x9 might be a little tight for the M60s. I'd go with the M3s.
where are you all getting 60's.... i'm talking about 80's, besides I found out today that I'm moving to a bigger apartment. My home theater room will be longer but about a foot or two narrower so.... 15 or 16 x 10.... or i can use the other room 18 x 18 roughly.....
In reply to:
I wish I had UPGRADED the carpet in my house, The little guy is starting to crawl and his knees are getting red from the roughness of the free stuff.
I'm sure that he'll appreciate that much more when he's old enough to have a girlfriend...
Haven't we had enough train wrecks in every regard in the past week?...
sigma, i am new, but have seen this on many posts..
i think they keep mentioning the M60's because they have pretty much considered the M80's way to big for your current room size. and i think some feel as if the M60's will still be too much, so they are suggesting bookshelves. i like the idea of getting smaller for the front to meet your current application, then later, upgrade to a 7.1 receiver and use them as rears and get new fronts to meet your needs at that time.
dont get discouraged by the side tracking, they eventually come back around..
John, very perceptive. Thank God SOMEBODY is able to break the code here.
Consistent consensus ;
M80s = too much speaker for the room. Get M60s.
Yes John, I think everyone else thought that was clear. M80s too, too much. M60s probably too much. M40s, M22s, M3s, M2s all possibilities.
My apologies for the smart alec remark in the middle of your thread, sigma.
I just couldn't resist.
I agree that the M22 and a sub MAY be the better bet. When I went through the confusion of " which one to get??", I called Axiom and talked to them about my room and music/HT needs and was surprised that they advised me to get the M22's over the floorstanding M40-M80 series. Room size of 18x25x8. Took their advice, purchased the M22's, and have not looked back with what if's. For sure a sub with any of the speakers though. Mine sound awesome and was able to use the $ difference that I had left for other needs. ( more new cd's and dvd's , etc. )
Call Axiom and see what they say. In my experience, they for sure will not just try and sell you to the expensive speakers in their line. They REALLY want you to be happy with your choice.
Hope this helps .