Hi fellas, haven't been around for a while. The system is fully dialed in and sounds great. But now I just HAVE to go from 5.1 to 7.1. Because I need to. Or something. Anyway, I have seen 3 conflicting theories on the surround/back speakers for a 7.1 system. One is that you use bi/quad-pole speakers for the side-fills and directs for the back. Another is the reverse, directs on the sides and di/quads in the back. I have also seen some people using the same speakers for all 4. What's the dealio?

Since you already love your 5.1, I wouldn't move the QS8s to the rear and get direct radiators for the side. The reason QS8s work so well as side surrounds is that they are the only speakers on the sides of the room, and their quad-polar design fills out the entire sides with great sound.

It's not as essential for a speaker to fill the rear of the room with a 7.1 system since there will be two speakers there. So it really comes down to a matter of personal taste. Perhaps you should wait for the new in/on-wall hybrid speakers to be released and buy a pair of those?

On-wall/In-wall? No sir! I need a reason to order some M3Ti's! So the back R/L's are better off being direct? Hmmm...yes...M3Ti's are direct-radiating...hmmm...how interesting...then when I need to upgrade my '22s to say M60's the M3's can move to my office and the '22s to the rear position. Or vice-versa. Ssshhhh! Be very quiet...she may be listening...

I don't like direct radiating or di/bi pole speakers for that matter for surround or rear channels. That is why I have 4 Qs8's all the way around...

Don't most folks typically use direct radiating speakers in the 7.1 system primarily for music and the di/bi pole speakers for movies?

Your right BrotherBob , I do believe more music only setups direct would be the way to go. I have found that the Q's do very good for both music and HT...

I think room size is a factor in the direct/reflecting debate. If you have a relatively small room then QS's all round are probably the best. If you have some space behind your listening position but not a lot of space on the sides then QS surrounds and direct rears are probably the way to go.

If you have a huge honkin' room it hardly matters what you use as long as it's BIG

Here's a little tidbit of information from Axiom's own Alan Lofft...

Subs and Surrounds.