Received my M60s...and now the center?

hi all--

So, I received my M60v2's and I still am getting used to how great they are. Such a natural fit for my space, and just astoundingly warm, open and full sounding speakers. I am very happy!

However, I am beginning to hear/feel the limitations of my old Cambridge Soundworks CenterStage center speaker. It's a solid speaker, very well reviewed (at 25" long, it features 2 5 1/4" mid-range/mid-bass drivers, a single tweet and two covered ports) but I feel that it's just a little "Boomy" in the middle, probably because it's just not the same quality as the M60s.

I was thinking of going with the VP100v2 center speaker, which is significantly smaller than my old speaker, but features basically the same number of drivers, without the ports. I just honestly can't "fit" the 27.5" speaker (VP150) in my setup (already the old speaker is just sitting in front of my plasma display, so I get a reflection of the screen on the top of the speaker--yuk!) and the smaller speaker can fit where my receiver is currently sitting. I just am worried that it might not be a good balance with the M60s...are any of you using the VP100 with the M60? I mean, obviously the VP150 is a "better" choice, but are you giving up a whole lot by going with the smaller speaker?

We watch a lot of digital TV and DVDs and I often use DTS:Neo 6 for listening to music, so I use the center channel all the time.

any help would be really appreciated!!

thanks,
mike

I have both the VP100 and 150 and you give up very little with the 100. The 150 plays a touch(hardly noticeable)lower and is easier to drive to louder volumes, but they both sound great.

I'm using the VP100 with the M80s, and it works out just fine. Of course, I'm not the most critical listener (most of the time), and I also don't listen at very high volumes. But it does the trick nicely. Should be an improvement over the CenterStage. I'm just about to finish converting from CS over to all Axiom (sub is the last to go, and it made that decision itself...), so I know what you are talking about. $;\)$

Ah, thanks for these responses, guys. I really appreciate it. I feel pretty comfortable switching, but now I am just realizing--perhaps the speaker will be placed too LOW if I use the built in shelf in the cabinet. I can place a large book (my copy of the Complete New Yorker Comics collection should do just fine) under the speaker, and I guess I can angle the speaker upwards, but now I am just figuring out how low is too low...you know? $;\)$

ah, the wiley ways of center speaker placement...how are you guys dealing with it?

thanks again!

-mike

One side of the Vp series is angled and the other is flat so the speaker can be placed with a straight forward position or a tilted up setting. If you need more angle I have piece of 2x4 under tha back of mine. It is a rather precarious perch and am going to us a FMB to anchor it better to the 2X4.

Just remember to flip the grill over so the "Axiom" words are not upside down. $\:\)$

I have this exact setup (60s and vp100), and I was worried about the vp100 being undersized too. I think it sounds great, and I have no plans to change.

It's pretty much along the same lines of what you've seen posted, but here's what I heard when I asked if the 100 was too small for the 60s.
http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=198723#Post198723

Also, I checked the trade-up program, and it looks like you're only out about $30 if you decide to switch within a year.

Mike I have a centerstage in my bedroom setup. I've never heard the VP100, but I've owned the VP150 and, based upon what others have said about how the VP100 and VP150 compare, I feel safe in saying I think you'd find the VP100 to be a step up from the centerstage.

Wow, thank you SO MUCH for your help, everyone! I really appreciate it. I passed the idea by the Finance Committee and shockingly, she's all over it! She dislikes the centerstage sitting in front of the TV as much as I do. I am going to take advantage of this momentary lapse of reason (she's forgetting about the new bed she said we had to get after I got the M60s, I guess) and get the vp100 today, I think...awesome!!

thanks again, I will send pics...

take care,
mike

what kind of tv do you have? is it not possible to have the VP150 ABOVE the tv?

Originally Posted By: mike romo

I am going to take advantage of this momentary lapse of reason (she's forgetting about the new bed she said we had to get after I got the M60s, I guess) and get the vp100 today, I think...awesome!!

Yep! go for the vp100 works great with my m60's.. if you're really really good like i am you'll be able to sweep away the need for a new bed like i have and somehow manage to buy speakers, a new receiver and a new TV. oh how wonderfully forget full people can be sometimes $\:\)$

Actually, I am using a 42" plasma and currently the centerstage speaker is sitting in front of the TV. I don't really have a good way to put the speaker on top of the TV; I could mount it, but I have a backlight (http://tinyurl.com/wecgm ) and it might look kind of wonky.

I will get some pics up in a bit, for some reason, my website replaced my pictures...very odd...

Originally Posted By: blackstar79

if you're really really good like i am you'll be able to sweep away the need for a new bed like i have and somehow manage to buy speakers, a new receiver and a new TV. oh how wonderfully forget full people can be sometimes $\:\)$

Oh, I try to be so good.. I DO need that new receiver..."need"...well, eventually. It's all sneak attacks for me right now..one thing at a time (I still can't believe I was able to pull off the M60s, to be honest!!)

ordering speaker now!!
mike

hey guys!!

Just wanted to let you know that my VT100 came in and you were so right--it's awesome! here are two pics of the current set up (the sub is an SVS, I got it before I found Axiom...great sub, though!!)

and

the VT100 fits PERFECTLY in the bottom middle shelf...

thank you so much for your fantastic advice!!

-mike

Looks good, Mike!

Uh, what are you watching?

Since you have a 360, I've been most recently impressed by the sound in Frontlines: Fuels of War and Undertow (the underwater live arcade game.) Frontlines has nice tight explosions that make my EP600 punch me in the gut and one of the sniper rifles quite simply cracks the paint in my room (muahahahaha), and Undertow has a lot of deep surrounding underwater effects that sound really good. (tho not the voice-acting)

Everything looks great. Definitely a high-WAF setup! I bet she's as happy with it as you are (well, ok, probably not as happy, but happier than the average wife is with a speaker purchase) $;\)$

When playing COD4 the best LFE comes from when the bomb explodes nearby on search and destroy... WOW. I wish grenades sounded that loud too...

Teh 50 cal soudns awesome too.

hahaha!

thanks guys, I really appreciate the feedback--this took a looooooooong time to build and I couldn't be happier. This site and this forum really helped me, big time. I am particularly happy to report that the WAF rating was indeed high--she's very happy that the big centerstage speaker is no longer sitting in front of the TV. I am going to some cable clean up and put a backboard along the back of the speaker cabinet area and take more pictures--I have a backlight that looks really cool but it's leaking a bit into the cabinet right now.

I really should have put some more interesting material on--the footage was from a show on MOJO HD -- "Startup" or something like that? Really...stirring visuals, as you can see.

I have Call of Duty-- I need to bring that back out, I never seem to have time...I was playing a lot of Mass Effect...but Bioshock just skeeved me out, great sound design, but just inTENSE!

thanks again...!!

--mike