I am the very happy owner of a new HT system. Based on reviews I read on other web sites, I decided on Axiom speakers. It was many of the threads on this site, though, that refined my choices for a sound system. I just wanted to post to say a very big thank you to all who regularly post here. Your comments helped guide me in several ways:

1. I got M60's, VP100, and QS8's. I might have gone a bit smaller if I hadn't read many of the threads here. (My room is about 15 X 19.)

2. I went with an SVS PB1-ISD. I am very pleased with how clean and tight the bass is. Perhaps the Axiom sub would have been as good, but I can appreciate buying from companies that specialize in doing one thing very well. I never would have considered SVS without having read this forum.

3. I bought a Yamaha RX-V1400 based on many recommendations here. I had been planning on buying something cheaper and more generic, and I'm excited by the sound and features of this unit.

4. All the positive comments on this forum gave me the confidence to order the Axioms and waive the return right, saving 5% (which I would not have known of but for reading about it here).

5. Maybe most importantly, thanks for the strong recommendations here of an SPL meter. I set up my system about a week ago, got the sub and hooked it up a couple days ago, but still wasn't as wowed by the sound as I had expected. In particular, the QS8's just didn't seem to be a big factor in the overall sound. Tonight I got an SPL meter and discovered that the output from the surrounds and the sub was low (despite having used the Yamaha's YPAO). After calibrating the speaker output, I am truly blown away by the sound of this system, including the QS8's. I might never have realized how critical a sound meter is without this board's strong recommendations.

I got the Axioms in Mansfield Beech, and the SVS in Goldenrod. The SVS is more yellow than it appears on their web site and isn't a great match with the speakers, but it all works well with our newly decorated room.

At the same time, I bought a Panasonic 42PWD6UY plasma, and it is also superb. For anyone considering buying a plasma online, I recommend Visual Apex, which seems to get nothing but rave reviews and certainly gave me good service.

Thanks also to the Axiom rep I spoke with when I ordered my system. He assured me the M60's wouldn't be too much for my room, but he also told me I probably didn't need the VP150. I'm very happy with the overall sound of the Axioms, both for HT and audio CD's. I'm having a difficult time tearing myself away from the HT room!

For a good sub and surround experience, chapters 21-23 of Spiderman are great: echoing voice, rainfall, fight scene, falling glass, sirens, explosions, music. It really let the system shine.

So, anyway, that's my story. Kudos again to all of you dedicated posters here!

Brent

Congrats on the new system, and thanks for the great write-up. Axioms are special speakers, and Axiom is definitely a special company. And your choice of sub couldn't be better (I have one myself). You'll get lots more great use out of that system.

Brent- congratulations on a truly outstanding Home Theater. What a terrific write up; thanks for the detail. The only thing better than getting the stuff yourself is sharing vicariously through someone else's experience.

Looks like you got yourself into a MAJOR (and expensive!!!! ) shopping frenzy. Nice touch with the SPL meter - they DO make a difference. I'm guessing you will leave that 15x19 room 3 times over the next 10 days (I'm thinking minimum bathroom breaks here). I can't imagine the assault on your senses those toys are making all at once. Damn - I LOVE you man!!

Now - PICTURES!!!!!! This assumes you still have enough money for a camera.

WOW is right. You did some major shopping. Envious of the M60's. I actually have a bigger room, 18' x 27' and the M22's work pretty well.

I also have a Panny 6uy. Awesome isn't it? BTW, what's your DVD player? I use a Denon 2200. Do you also watch HD? I have the Samsung TS360 and HD is stunning. Flipping between NCAA games right now.

I also looked at SVS but got my VTF2 at a deal from the HSU bstock ($399 shipped), otherwise, I would've gotten the SVS. Still happy though.

Interesting about the YPAO. Seem to have heard your issue on this board a few times. I have the Pio 45TX w/ MCACC and didn't really have to do any manual tuning after running the calibration.

Congrats and enjoy. Don't hole yourself too long! It's spring (close to it in the SF Bay Area), enjoy the sun!

skool - how is the Sammy 360 working for you. I took advantage of the DirecTv deal ($99 special) to get one for my den TV. I've had it for 3 weeks and it seems to be working OK, but there is a monster thread on the AVS forum where people are having incredible problems. From their travails, the 360 looks like the Anti-Christ of SAT receivers.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It means a lot that we can provide information that helps someone end up with a system that really pleases. Ray said it just right. Next to getting the stuff yourself, sharing another's happy experience is the best reward we can get.

ray
No real problems w/ my Sammy. The channels do get out of sync on DVI once in a while. I have to change the channel back and forth to get it back but nothing worse than that. I consider this a temp solution anyways. Waiting for HD DirecTivo to be released next month, then my TS360 will be on ebay!

Oldskoolboarder, I bought a Panasonic DVD player (S55S, nothing fancy) a few months ago to replace one that died. That was before I knew I'd be getting all the rest of this stuff. It does have component video and optical audio output, and it seems to do pretty well. We mainly watch DVD's and don't even have cable TV, so I went with an ED plasma. I hear HD signals look good on this unit, but I may never know.

Ray3, already had a camera, thank goodness. I'll take some pics in a week or two, after we've finished putting the room back together. The HT setup has taken priority over getting the decor back in order.

Have to say one other thing, in light of all the WAF posts I've read here. My wife was skeptical of the plasma, and also the sound system, but she too is now blown away by it. Maybe someone should start a thread here, "What The Wife Thinks" and have them post their own opinions, in their own words. That might be the best way for other guys lusting after some Axioms to convince their wives - let 'em read a bunch of posts by women who were initially skeptical, but won over by the new HT experience.

So how's that second mortgage going? j/k

Thanks for sharing your impressions and gratitude with us. We give out advice for free, but it's always great to hear that it actually helps.

I finally took some pics of my new system.

Here they are.

Still need to play around some with placement of the M60's.

Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about. Great looking room. Looks like you even have the opportunity to move the VP100 to the top of the table and put the components under if you want. Is the Panny ED or HD? I understand that having ED is not much of a concession in PQ. Nice!!!!

Thats looks awesome!

beautiful, absolutely beautiful.. well designed room, and the speakers look fantastic in it. i dont know who has the decorating flair, you or your wife, but keep it up. that is a great space.. did i already say beautiful??

most advice i see says to have the mains about an equal distance apart, as the distance from the tv to the sitting area.. you had already mentioned moving them a bit, so see if that helps..

well done denver.. you have a HT to be extremely proud of..

bigjohn

VERY NICE! Very trick, clean install. Good color matching in the room too. I like the match w/ the sub.

Thanks. We're VERY happy with it.

The Panny is ED. I couldn't see an extra $1500 for HD, when we don't have cable TV and mainly watch DVDs, which aren't HD anyway.

A friend who is a color consultant and painter helped us redo the room. We thought the Mansfield Beech Axioms would fit in nicely, and I think they do.

The furniture piece holding the components on top isn't deep enough to put them on the shelf (they extend off the back side a bit), so the center speaker has to go on the shelf. I've angled it up, and it sounds fine.

Very nice, Brent, and yes, considering the distance to the couch, it would probably be better to have each M60 at least a foot wider.

denver, looks like you need the shelf stretcher. they're in the aisle with the wire stretchers and sky hooks.
dan

Nice room, your room looks the same color as mine and I was plannig on the beech as well.

I had already bought my speaker wire before I read about the wire stretcher, darn it! I do have about ten feet left, though, which I'd be willing to sell - that could probably be stretched enough to wire one or two systems, right?

Watched Saving Private Ryan last night - intense! Amazing what the sound system does for a movie like that.

The room looks great, I just have one question. Is your DVD player set to output in 16:9?

If so, is that the 4:3 pan and scan version of Spiderman?

I ask because the image looks stretched. But that could also be the camera's fault. Just in case, your DVD player should be set to output 16:9 and your TV should be in the Full mode to watch widescreen DVDs. Hopefully this helps. You would not be the first person I have met that does not have their new 16:9 TV set up properly.

Yeah, my copy of Spiderman is the full-screen version, not the wide-screen version, unfortunately. We're being more attentive to that now when we buy DVD's, now that we have the wide screen monitor. There is some distortion watching a 4:3 movie in zoom or full mode, but it's tolerable, at least to me.

Very nice set-up!! Nice space as well. Your room looks very welcoming and comfy.