Hi everyone,
I know this topic was beaten to death and I read a few posts, but I am still on the fence which one to pick. I spoke with Axiom tech support and for my room (13X17X9) he said QS8 will only be better for serious listening of DVD-A or SACD due to better bass extension. QS4 are quite a bit more enticing to me due to smaller size, 100$ less money and much less waiting if I were to get it from factory outlet (4 weeks for beech versus 10 weeks). However, I have couple of questions. Do you think for this size room in real life situations I would ever need anything larger than QS4? I am total newbie with DVD-Audio, but I read there are issues with bass managment. I am using Marantz SR8300, which is a great machine, but its bass managment is really quite rudimentary. I have Hsu STF-2 sub, can I re-direct all bass from surrounds to it negating advantages of QS8 or it does not work that way? I know I can get Outlaw ICBM, but I am not going to go this route for now, at least. Finally, maybe its not appropriate, but if anyone is considering selling beech color VP-150 and QS4/QS8 or either, PM me.

QS8's are kinda funny.. they mesh so well with the rest of the system, that you sometimes forget they are there.. its kinda weird.. and thats really their job.. they arent meant to blow you away with their sheer amount of volume.. they are designed to create a seamless soundstage that totally envelopes the listening area.. in that sense, they do an awesome job. i have never heard the QS4's, but if the sound guys at axiom are telling you they will do the job, i would believe them. your room space is medium to small, so i would guess their suggestion to be right on.

if you think you are gonna get 'upgradeits' at a later date, then go ahead and get the QS8's.. if not, then get the QS4's, and i would be willing to bet they will be better than expected.

bigjohn

Bigjohn,
Thanks for the response. As far as I understand QS4 will be every bit as good as QS8 for HT. The only area of difference will be DVD-Audio/SACD. If I were to play bass from surround channels through QS4's they'll be lacking due to the less bass response. In that case, though, couldn't I just re-direct bass to the sub just like for video DVDs? I read there are some shortcoming with that (in case DVD player cannot do it). Is that true?

One of the many things that SACD and DVD-A enthusiasts (those who do not have $1000.00 to spend on a universal player at least) complain of is the poor bass management that many of the players have. Also, the digital out from the player to the receiver cannot handle the amount of data being sent through it so the receiver cannot be used to set the bass response (if I have read everything right).
Like BigJohn, I did not try the QS4s first. I started my upgrade with M22s and a VP100. I wanted the VP150 almost instantly so I upgraded. To avoid that a 2nd time, I went with the QS8s instead of the QS4s when I got the surrounds later.
I have just started my own incursion into SACD and DVD-A and all I can say is that the QS8s do an amazing job on the discs I have listened to so far.
If there is even a small chance you will: 1. set up in a medium large room, 2. Get upgrade-itis, 3. Listen to multi-channel music, 4. Any or all of the above, then I would recommend the QS8s.
Plus, if the Axiom rep recommends them, you can be pretty safe in assuming they are trying to help you. There are many posts here where people were advised to get the next speaker down instead of the top of the line by the Axiom folks. They want you happy, not just your money.

have fun!

jr

I see. Unfortunately looks like I'll have to dish out some more money for QS8s.

Not really unfortunate. it's worth the extra $$ to avoid the dreaed "what ifs". You will love the QS8s.

V, I'll comment that if you really are going to be doing much DVD-A/SACD with discrete instruments located in the surround channels, even the QS8s won't give you very deep bass by themselves. If this is going to be important to you the use of the ICBM or a player with good bass management to send the bass to your sub is advisable. Otherwise, the QS4s should be fine for your room.

JohnK,
I think that's very true as well, but what level of player would have good bass managment? Would Denon 2200 fit the bill? ICBM is a nice solution, but I am afraid my better half would simply not accept another box.

Yes, the 2200 would be one. Many players have inadequate bass management for DVD-A/SACD.

Greetings,
I have to agree with Ray. Upgradeitis is an incidious disease, and struck me after I had received my VP100 and QS4's. They quickly became VP150 and QS8 and I have never looked back. I think part of the problem is that when you buy from an on line only company, it is very difficult to compare models. If you are the type that would wonder "what if"...go for the best the first time around. It's cheaper in the long run. BTW, my room is 15x22x8, and the QS8's are outstanding...
b.

Question for guys who quickly upgraded from QS4 to QS8, looking back what is it about QS8 which really made it worth an upgrade from QS4? Its very of course very enticing for me to get the best there is (dreaded Upgradeitis), but the little of the common sense (QS4 is cheaper and smaller, so much less trouble from WAF) that's left is resisting it? Do you really get fuller sound from playing DVDs or CDs? Thinking about DVD-Audio, neither speaker would produce really good bass as mentioned above, so why not invest into better DVD player with good bass managment and let a sub handle bass load?

And that's not mentioning excruciatingly long time it would take to get QS8 from factory outlet (10 weeks).

Off topic - but to save yourself a little time with the delivery of the QS8 (and maybe even to smooth over the WAF), consider doing what I did...Chery up front (M60 mains and a VP100, a maple rears, with added white grills, which were minimally extra). I got the sample of teh maple, and it is very light, nearly an off-white, with hints of white, grey, tan and khaki. While they haven't arrived yet - I think that they may blend in better with an off-white wall than the cherry ones, and make them less noticeably big.

BACK ON TOPIC - Home theater is always getting better and better - technology wise.

The one constant in the whoel thing, really, are your speakers. You can always get a better cd player, for half the price, with more features, bass management, etc. in a few years. However, you're not going to be able to get a better surround speaker for less in the future. You will pay more for the better technology. While I woudl advise against getting the best cd player, the best receiver, etc., especially if this is the first HT system you're investing in, I would not say the same about your speakers. They are the last and most critical link in the chain. Without good ones, the whole thing falls apart. And to boot, you can get the best, right now, without dropping a tremendous amount of cash, only to have them become obsolete in two years. Consider the receiver that I just bought. It has all the bells and whistles that I coudl ever want - and it only cost my $500. However, two years ago, the same receiver wasn't even available for any price (technoogy not invented yet), and even if I could get it, I would have paid $2500 - $3000 for it.

Go with the QS8s - think about getting them in a maple (or even painting them - if having huge speakers stand out on the walls is an issue), and know that you got the best, and that they will satsify you for years to come. If you go with the QS4s, you'll be very happy, but you'll always wonder - what if?

Good luck deciding, and have fun listening.

Capn_Pickard,
Thanks for your suggestion. I guess you are right. However, I was told that all speakers have to be the same color and I just hate the thought of either spending extra 50$ on QS8 instead of getting them from outlet or waiting for 10 weeks.

I'm not sure what you mean by all of them have to be the same speaker. If you're talking about a system (epic, etc.), then that might be the case. I think that the discount is the same anyway (I could be wrong, but the systems are just compilations - minus 5%). If you buy more than 5 pieces, then you get 5% off...

So, if you were to delve into the outlet, get some fronts, center and surrounds and a sub, no one would be stopping you from mix-matching colors - and you'd get the 5% package discount and the 10% outlet discount. That's what I did.

No, I mean my wife, not Axiom.

OIC -- well try to convince her that the front speakers will all match, and that the surrounds will be far enough away, and blend into the surrounding wall space so well that matching them is not only unneccesary, but woudl defeat the purpose in this case.

Show her some pics of setups with mismatched fronts/surrounds (like mine ). Intuitively, she thinks they need to match, but in practice it may be best if they don't.
Cap'n where's the pics of your M60s? I'd like to see those.

I'd like to see mine too. They should be coming anyday now.... Don't worry - I'll be taking plenty of pics when they come in.

Hi guys,
Thank you for all the suggestions. I am almost sold on getting a pair of new QS8s and VP150. I just have couple of small questions. For wall mounted QS8s what connectors do you use: bare wire, pins, banana plugs, spades? Basically, it does not look on the picture like pins, banana plugs will simply fit when hanging on the walls. Secondly, How long does delivery of non-outlet QS8s take in Eastern US? Thirdly, does anyone has any experience with http://www.accessories4less.com/Amazing/itemdesc.asp?CartId=EVEREST-14535755DKVBO488&ic=PR%2D360&cc=&tpc= wire? How flat is it really or should I just go with http://www.accessories4less.com/Amazing/itemdesc.asp?CartId=EVEREST-14535755DKVBO488&ic=HT%2D360&cc=&tpc= if I want something unobtrusive despite much thinner wire?
Thanks again!

Greetings,
I can answer the first two questions...bare wire is the way I went on wall mounting for my QS8's, and delivery of regular stock to Phildaelphia was 2 days...I ordered on a Monday morning and received via Fed Ex on Wednesday afternoon.
b.

I have the QS8s and also use bare wire. If you use the included bracket to mount them, bare wire is the only real choice. Bananas (which I use for convenience on the other speakers) stick out too far and the speaker will not mount to the bracket.

jr

Hi guys,
Thanks for all your input. Now I have to scratch my head for a while to figure out what to do.