Swapped out the M2s in the family room for M5s. They sounded very true and clear although I didn't compare them to anything (I know from previous testing that they are close in signature to other axiom speakers) ... seems almost waste to use them as surrounds. The M2's smaller aesthetic still wins for family room. If I have time I will try and compare them ... the M2 is no slouch.

I agree about setting them up 5° to 10° below ear level. Compared to on axis with the tweeter they sound clearer and the image became more defined. When below the tweeter the mids get muddy, the image becomes less define horizontally and the depth seems more compressed.

If I invert them, they get pretty high ... so I wonder if there are any other issues to think about.

I went with the m5 for surrounds because I wanted to added lower frequency response for explosions and other sounds when watching movies. I know it's not a perfect comparison since the qs8s were v2 and the qs10s are v4s but there is a massive improvement in clarity of the lower frequencies with having the dedicated hp woofer on the qs10s for surrounds. Looks like my one M5 caught up to the other this morning and both are supposed to be delivered later today. I'll get to test drive them this weekend.

Pic of the size difference. Please ignore the furniture in the family room. It's there temporarily till we find the right replacements. Still haven't made stands for the M2's ... man I love the natural walnut on them. A very clean look.

I like the War of the Worlds tripod stands.

Pretty speakers. I hope you get the thrilling home theater system you hope for!

Yup, Did it because Mojo was talking about how much the lows added surround wise.

They weren't intended as speaker stands. They are a set of three, each a different size. The speaker on the other side is on the next smaller stand on top of a box of chess pieces.

When I went to move the M2 I found that the wood in the left corner was starting to separate from the MDF ... Guess I'll try glueing it down with a bit of contact cement.

Isn't it interesting how we're all discovering the same thing about 5 to 10 degrees below ear level? I'd sure like to know why this topology leads to greater holography. I'd say that perhaps the response from the tweeter and the other drivers are interfering with each other when the ears are aligned with the tweeters but that's just a theory.

When I talked about the lows from surrounds it was with reference to the QS10s. I can't imaging the M5s being different in that regard. This is why I keep harping on QS10s with two more drivers and even better if they are 8" each.

Interesting observations and easily done with bookshelves. Not so easy to try with floor standers. Maybe raise the seating position relative to the floor standers to achieve the 5-10 deg position. ? I find I get the smoothest treble (relatively speaking with my ti) with little no toe in but then I sacrifice a bit of soundstaging or disappearing act with anything but the best recordings.

That natural walnut is sweet looking. I may have to go that route if I add anything upstairs in the great room.

Think I once suggested (maybe I only thought I suggested it) that Mojo cut a hole in his floor so he could try just that ... I'm always trying to be helpful especially when it comes to modifying Mojo's house ... like how to stack more speakers or fit the "Back to the Future" sub in his basement

Indeed you did. When I told Ian the M100s sound better with ears 6" above the tweeter, he told me to park my ass on a bar stool. Engineers are so very practical.

The interesting thing is that the active LFRs don't care where your ears are relative to the tweeters. So maybe Ian took my comment to heart and worked those curves until they bent to his will.