Ok guys here are a few shots with my Axioms in place.
I ended up having to pickup a new Onkyo 601 so I am short one QS8 and am using a temp center back for the time being..

65" Hitachi / M60's, VP150

http://www.stampcometal.com/files/tvwithaxioms.jpg

Back Left QS8 Surround and SVS 20-39 PC+

http://www.stampcometal.com/files/backleft.jpg

Closeup of SVS and QS8

http://www.stampcometal.com/files/cornersub.jpg

Back Right QS8

http://www.stampcometal.com/files/backright.jpg

Well that's about it guys. I really like having the SVS in the corner behind the sectional. It worked out better than I had thought it would.

Thanks to all for the suggestions and help...

Rick

Looking good, Rick. I'm really glad the SVS worked out in the corner. Thanks for sharing.

great pics rick. we always love to see those. i knew the 'water heater' behind the couch would work fine.

i swear, everytime i see those BIG screens like that, it reminds me of a drive-in theater!! i wanna hang the silver box off the edge of the window, get some extra buttery popcorn, and end up not really watching much of the movie..

thanks again. i hope the axioms end up being everything you had hoped for.

bigjohn

Holy crap that TV is HUGE!! It makes the VP150 look miniscule.

You might want some cordmates for those QS8 wires...

oldskoolboarder,

Where do I get info about the cordmates that you mentioned?
I didn't get anything with a Yahoo search..

Thanks..
Rick

You can pick them up at any home depot. They come in white and ivory colors, but are paintable.

I typed "cordmate" into Google and this is the first thing that came up:

http://www.wiremold.com/www/consumer/products/cordmate/index.asp

Very nice Rick.
Great pics.

how often do you need to replace bulbs in the light hanging over that "water heater"? sweet set-up.
dan

cheeseroo,

We very seldom ever use the corner lights and it still has the original bulbs in it and we have had it for about 9 years now..

Rick

You might want to rethink your placement of the Motorola cable box. I have the same box and it puts out a considerable amount of heat. I have it on its own shelf.

You can also get the cordmate wire channel as well as a bunch of other wire management accessories here.

That looks great, Rick! But how does it *sound*? Are you happy?

Tom,

I am VERY pleased with my investment so far. Pairing up the Axioms with the new Onkyo 601 really makes them shine. Now that I have the 601 with the 6.1 I must have another QS8 to fill that last speaker output!!

Thanks to all the support here. It has been outstanding!!

Rick

Many have recommended not using a QS8 for the rear, but the M2 or another direct firing speaker instead. Stick to the QS8 on the sides.

I could be mistaken, but I think the poop is, if you're going 6.1, you should use a QS series speaker as your back surround. If you use a single direct radiating speaker, like the M2, as a rear surround, it's output seems to be coming from in front of the listening area rather than from behind. If you're going 7.1, then using M2s as your rear surrounds, particularly if you're going to be listening to SACDs and DVD-As, is recommended. Guys, have I got this correct?

So what exactly is wrong with using the QS for the surround back L/R speakers? IPeople say they suggest using direct firing for these, but isn't the point to have a more fluid surround envelopment? Wouldn't the QS and any bipole or dipole achieve just that?

These are actual questions, not statements. I would like to know if that is right or not.

Anyhow, I have no choice but to put the surround back speakers on the back wall where the couch is right up against. So I opted for QS for my surrounds just because I thought I thought it would be more enveloping and spread the surround stage out a bit more. I don't know if direct firing would work better for this, I haven't really had a chance to figure it out (or the money). Let me know what you guys think?

I think if your rears are going on a wall immediately behind the couch, the QSs are the better choice. I would have some concern that the downward firing woofer was the primary thing heard though. You might want to tilt them downward so that woofer isn't aimed directly at your head. If you used direct radiating speakers in that configuration, they would essentially be playing "over your head" and you'd mostly hear the reflection from the front wall.

All that said, I am not so sure it's worth going to 7.1 unless there is ample room behind the seating position to place the rear speakers (basically for the reason you mention). For 6.1, you have one speaker to fill all of the rear area, something that a direct radiating speaker can't really accomplish. But with 7.1 you are essentially creating a rear soundstage with the 2 rear speakers, and that requires some distance between you and them in order to fully develop.

There is nothing wrong with using QS series speakers as rear surrounds. In fact, if your system's primary use is HT, I'd prefer the QS series speakers in the rear. In your situation, I would have gone with QS series speakers for rear surrounds too. Ringmir said it. The direct radiators, would only be superior if you have some distance between the speakers and the listening area, AND if you do a lot of listening to SACDs, and DVD-As

No experience here w/ 7.1, but I believe I heard one of the old wise men suggest that there is not a lot of sound that comes out of the rears in a 7.1 set up. Using direct radiating spkrs at the rear would emphasize their presence while the QS's would tend to "disappear" and not give you anymore bang for the buck. I believe something like that is what was said.

Well, now I'm TOTALLY confused.

I think what BillWill is saying is that in a 7.1 setup, most people prefer to use the QS series as surrounds (to the sides) and direct radiating speakers, such as the M2i's in the rear positions.

well, in my experience, the 7.1 set up that I have right now, works quite well, and if I can improve upon that with a more dispersed sound, as the QS series is described, then that would just be supreme! Currently running 4x Polk FXi30s for the side surround and rear surrounds. Granted, the drivers are not actually pointed down towards the listener as the QS would be, they definitely produce a very distinct "coming from behind" feeling, when called upon of course! Now if I could get that same effect with more dispersion when called upon, that's what I am looking for. I am aiming for that with the QS4s I purchased. I have the FXi30s about 4 1/2 feet apart and assume that I am going keep the QS about the same distance. I naturally assume I will be testing the speakers out in different positions and different lengths apart to see what works best. I will post what my opinion and findings are when I get the QS4. I am hoping they get here tomorrow!

So, to recap, if possible?

In situations such as Aetherhole's:

In reply to:

---

I have no choice but to put the surround back speakers on the back wall where the couch is right up against. So I opted for QS for my surrounds just because I thought I thought it would be more enveloping and spread the surround stage out a bit more.

---

people have not had problems with localization of sound out of the center rear speaker when using QS's? Even when the rear center is pretty much directly above the main listening spot? I understand that Aetherhole actually has a 7.1 setup; I'm contemplating a 6.1 setup. I came across the following interesting info. From a 12/01 hometheatersound article on 6.1 format:

"THX and Dolby both recommend placing the left and right surround speakers to the sides of the listening position (not behind) and also recommend the use of two center-surround speakers mounted in the rear. This is presumably to provide a more diffuse rear soundfield rather than having the sound come from a single point directly behind the listener.

Ideally, all speakers used should be of the same design and placed the same height and distance from the listener. In reality, many of these conditions will not be met and it may be especially difficult to place the center-surround speaker(s) a sufficient distance from the listening position since many people have their sofas or seats placed right up against or just slightly away from the rear wall. However, all Dolby Digital EX and THX Surround EX processors and receivers will allow for the setting of delays for the surround channels to compensate for differing distances to the speakers. Probably the worst situation, and something to try to avoid, is having only one center-surround speaker placed very close to the listening position."

From a 2/04 comparative review of AV receivers in Home Cinema Choice:

"The RS-8032VSX receiver caters for Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES extended surround formats. Unlike some, it will drive two centre rear speakers, albeit in mono from the rear surround pair. If your front room is such that you need to sit close to the centre of the back wall, a pair of rear surround speakers in the corners provides much less unwanted localisation than a single centre rear speaker."

Thoughts, comments? Do many engage in the "setting of delays for the surround channels to compensate for differing distances to the speakers"? If so, how difficult of a task is it.

Thanks

Actually, it's pretty easy to set the delays for the speakers. There's a menu where you input how far each speaker is from the listening position, and the receiver figures out the delays.

Mark