Hey Snippy -- You keep talking about how you love your M2s as rears...

Any other Axiomites who subcribe to this theory? Or is a set of QS8s the way to go?

I listen to HT/Music about 70%/30%. The rear wall behind the main listening position would be about 3-5 feet behind the couch.

Welcome, counsellor. My view is that you have enough of a widely dispersed sound field for ambient effects with QSs on the side. By using the more direct pattern of M2s in back you can get more precise positioning of sounds meant to be heard as such, and to some extent the combo can give you the best of both worlds.

Doesn't snippy use a single QS8 for a rear in his 6.1 system?

I use 1 QS8 as my rear center in a 6.1 setup and I think it helps spread the sound out better across the back. I would think that in a 7.1 it would be wise to use M2's or the like as rear centers as they are spaced apart like the front mains and dispersion is not a problem. I would use QS8's or 4's as side surrounds again for the dispersial factor. I believe these are the more common ways of 6.1 and 7.1 setups.

Thanks for the welcome....(long time reader, first time caller...)

Never having enjoyed a 7.1/6.1 surround setup (my current system is a lowly 5.1 home theater in a box that I bought way back in the day), I wonder how much the drama/realism/involvement will increase with the addition of the rear speakers.

I was thinking that if I sprung for the M2s, and didn't find the rear channel to add very much to my system, that I could always move them to another room and have a direct speaker in there (whereas I imagine the QSs woudln't be as good for this application).

Jake - I probably wont' have the room to place my two M2s very far behind the main seating position, and I am considering pointing them straight up behind the couch (not horizontally on the back wall). Do you think that I will get the desired effect? Do you think the rear speaker should be rear wall mounted, or not included int he system at all? (i.e. would it be a waste, or somehow sound funny?)

I'd also just like you, Jake, (or anybody with 6.1/7.1) to comment on how much more it draws you in? I'll be running the system through the Yammy RX-V1400.

Welcome Julien. You will absolutely enjoy your Axiom experience.

You have thrown quite a few variables into the mix here. Let me see if I can add some critical mass for you.

1) With an alternative room for using the M2s, they make sense.

2) Since you have some breating room behind the sofa, the m2s could work. Not sure about upward firing. If you are going to take that approach, it aooears that you are attempting to have the M2s be less directional/more QS8 like. Here The QS8s make much more sense since they have 2x the drivers of the M2s and already disperse sound better.

3) The QS8s will absolutely envelope you in sound. I love these things.

I have a 7 channel receiver (Denon 3803), but haven't made the trip to adding speakers for channels 6 & 7, so take that into account as you read my input. Before I take that additional step, I will try and audition 6 and 7 channel setups. Not sure that the current offerings that make use of the channels justify the extra speakers yet.

The startling thing I've noticed about my new QS8s is that I don't notice them. With my former surround speakers (selectable bipole/dipole), at least once during a movie, they'd draw attention to themselves. With the QS8s, I'll watch an entire movie without once having my attention drawn to the speakers.

There are several factors which could be involved. One, I could have my system balanced better now. Two, all my speakers are now axiom and are achieving a better tonal balance. Three, The QS8's are doing a superior job of dispersing the sound than my former speakers. I suspect a combination of 2 and 3 is what makes the difference.

Well articulated Jack. I was explaining to a friend the other day that I don't hear speakers anymore. What I hear is the audio coming form all around me.