I've settled on the QS8s for my surround speakers to finish upgrading my 5.1 system (will buy hopefully soon), and my next proposed purchase will be 2 speakers to complete a 7.1 system!

I've heard recommendations that the rear speakers should be monopoles not bipoles (or quadpoles). But it seems like the rear surround field could be really awesome with a second set of QS8s back there!

Any thoughts? Would QS8s be better than M3s or others for rear surrounds in a 7.1?

I wish i had your decision to make.
My budget dies at the 6.1 level.
Maybe next year...and if right now were next year i still wouldn't know how to answer this one.
Go with the diffuse sound or the more direct surround sound?
What a choice.

Well, good luck.

Chris R

here's what I would do:

center: VP150
front mains: whatever you want, at least M22,
rear speakers: depends.. either QS something, or even regular bookshelf or tower speakers. M40's are on sale.

the 6 and 7th speakers, i'd get QS8's and mount them on the SIDES of the room, not to the back, or to the front. This, I believe, would create the best sound dispersion. I hate having 4 speakers behind me and 3 in front.. 3 in front, 2 on the side, and 2 in back is the best, as long as your room has the proper size for this to work! a rectangle works best in this setup, assuming you sit relatively in the middle.

ChrisR,

You might want to read the artical over at the Home Theater Magazine site where there they had a surround configuration face-off. The address is below.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/showarchives.cgi?25

Bestboy4

Hi Chris,

Ravi is correct about locating two QS8 surrounds to the sides of the listening area, as Dolby Labs intended, and I'd opt for two additional QS8s for the legit "back" speakers for 7.1. Despite what you read, it's my experience with multipole surrounds that there is no loss whatsover of directional cues with either home theater or multichannel music. Besides, you'll get better timbral envelopment using four identical surrounds rather than mixing two multipolar surrounds with two direct-radiating speakers.

Regards,

Thanks, everyone.

I've got M60s and a VP150 in the front. All F.O. maple finish! I've been waiting for maple finished QS8s to appear in F.O., but having despaired of that, am putting in an order today for 2 QS8s and stands. (can't wall mount on the side of the room, yet.)

Since my pre/pro has 7.1, once I get the 5.1 working right, not to mention the budget, I will be getting the remaining two speakers. After this thread, I'll start budgeting for 2 additional QS8s. Hopefully, the FULL METAL BRACKET (or whatever!) will be out by that time, and I can experiment mounting to some funky wall configurations.

BTW, I'm upgrading from an old prologic system and my two current surrounds are cheap Bose ones that can only handle the 20W they get from this receiver. I just finished setting up my new Anthem AVM20 and PV-7, and OH MY GOD! The sound out of the M60s is incredible. I thought it was great from my old JVC receiver, but there is no comparison. And that's without any break-in! Looks like it's gonna be a good week!

(And even better if the QS8s arrive soon!)

ChrisR