Hey guys, after a long painful wait, I finally received my Axioms yesterday. For those that didn't see my original thread asking for advice from the pros, I ended up with two M22s, a VP150 and two QS8s. I'm running an HSU STF2 sub and a cheap Sony 5.1 receiver for now. All this is in a room 22.5' x 13.5' x 8'

First thing I noticed out of the box... Wow these speakers are solid! I couldn't believe how heavy a single QS8 was. Then when I got to the VP150, I had doubts that the FMB would be able to hold it.

I opened all the boxes to inspect all my new toys. The only issue I had was with one of the Full Metal Brackets. The screw that is on the top of one FMB was cross threaded and stripped the housing. The screw head looked slightly crooked to me, and it fell out after a slight CCW turn. At the point the threads were done and it had nothing to bite into when I tried to screw it back in. I feel if the screw they provided was slightly longer it wouldn't have been an issue.
I thought for a second of calling Axiom and getting it replaced. Then threw that nonsense out the window, because I wanted my speakers up that night! So I ran a tap through my FMB, picked up a slightly longer screw at the HW store and all was right in my world again.

First step was to toss my "theater in a box" Sony's into a new box designated to the attic.
The M22's I was able to mount on my wall high enough to be out of my 13mo Son's reach. This placed the tweeter above my ear level, but nothing could be done about it if I wanted to keep them safe. Besides at my seating distance I was told having the tweeter that high wouldn't be an issue. I was lucky because there were studs, 8" from each side of my TV. I had picked up a bunch of drywall "butterflies" incase I couldn't find a stud, BUT because of the weight of the M22's and VP150 I have doubts of them holding.

Next was the VP150, and this is where I ran into an issue. There was no stud in my wall to mount it just above the TV. I considered using the butterflies, but kept having a vision of them pulling a chunk of drywall out and seeing my beautiful new speaker crash to the floor.
There was a window in that wall at one point, and I found a horizontal stud at roughly 7'. So that's where I felt the safest attaching the FMB. After it was mounted, I aimed the VP150 directly where I would be sitting with fingers crossed It wouldn't sound odd.

QS8's were flush wall mounted with the supplied "T" bracket and some butterflies without an issue.

I let my Receiver run is auto gain and distance cals. Then it was time to test out my new speakers. I chose to watch Scott Pilgrim vs the world on Blu-Ray first. For one, because I'm a videogame dork, two the music is catchy and three, my friend who helped me mount my speakers wanted to see it.

First thing I noticed was voices were clear, loud and very realistic. It instantly made me realize how bad my original setup was.
Once the first song came on, I think I had a grin from ear to ear. I heard sounds that I didn't know existed in that movie (I already watched it twice before). It filled my room like it was all around me. I couldn't pick out any single speaker through out the whole movie. The voices all sounded like they were coming from the screen and not my ceiling.
Now I know to you guys that's what you've experienced for years, but this is a first for me. I now see what you guys mean when you say "seamless".

The second movie I popped in was The Pacific. Shortly after is when I realized how awesome the QS8's were. The first rain scene came up, and I was there with the guys in the middle of the storm. It took me a moment before I realized it, but I didn't notice at all when the QS8's started pumping out the sound effects. With my old setup, you knew exactly which speaker was pushing out its sickly sounds haha.

This morning the wife was watching the second part of the Pacific, and when I got up about 7' away from the TV, I could tell the voices were coming from above. I was a little bummed at first. But because it seems to be the safest spot for the speaker, and at my normal seating position it sounds perfect I deemed it as not that important.

But that does raise a question. Has anyone wall mounted a M22 or VP150 using only butterflies and drywall with no stud to screw into? I'm not going to risk being the first haha.

Tonight I'm going to try the Xbox and maybe watch an old favorite of mine, Fight Club.


Thanks again to everyone who gave me advice! I'm very happy with my setup, and still excited about it. I can be a bit long winded when I'm excited... or drunk. For the record, I'm not drunk.

Dean (the not so scruffy one)

Nice choices on material to try out. I still need to see The Pacific. I'll get it when the Blu-ray gets a little cheaper. But yeah, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Fight Club sound great.

Did you mount the M22s upside-down to get the tweeters lower? Other guys can chime in on how they would mount them without relying on studs. I haven't had to mount any speakers besides my rear QS8s so far.

Congratulations on the new gear!

Hey Twiggz-
Glad you're enjoying the system! The nice thing is that it's very likely you'll keep that feeling for a long time of "discovering" how great the Axioms are!

For the center mount issue, what about spanning a(n attractive) board horizontally across two studs?

I second the idea of spanning 2 studs with a board to mount the VP150 to. My suggestion is just to paint the board the same color as the wall.

Or if the 150 is Boston Cherry you could also stain the board to match the color.

Yay Dean! Enjoy!

Congrats! Pics?

I would mount a shelf supported across 2 studs and lay the 150 on it or at the least use a second FMB so the weight is supported by 2 mounts this would hold it easily, I would forget about the single FMB and no stud mounting.

The mid-air collision in Flight Club always turns my knuckles white. I watched Scott Pilgrim right after I got my new sub. I didn't have everything dialed in yet, and it was about 4 dB hot. After the movie was over I felt like I was one of the Evil Exes who just got pummeled.

Thanks everyone! No good pics yet, but will take some soon. Just a warning, the room has been redone and I told my wife not to choose shelving or decorate till AFTER I install my speakers. So the walls are bare except for my Axioms and hanging wires waiting to be hidden.

I mentioned today that I plan to lower the center, and "she that must be obeyed" was very happy with that news. To her its an eyesore being that high up, and to me I want the sound closer to my TV. Different priorities and all

I haven't decided on shelving or a support board that goes across from stud to stud. If I go for a board, it will give me an excuse to buy that router I've always wanted haha. Ill see where the wife wants the shelves later. Any wood workers out there have a suggestion on the type of wood? Pine is soft and easy to work with, maybe I'll go for that and counter sink a nut, bolt and lock washer to attach the FMB. Hmm to paint or to stain??? I'm horrible at decorating. I can't seem to picture it in my head like some people can. If you met me before I ended up with my wife you would understand. I'm the type of guy that had a craftsman rolling tool chest in my living room.

I'm at work tonight, Ill see if the wife can snap a pic and get your suggestions.

I highly suggest picking up the Pacific. It wasn't cheap, but it was a great series. I think I liked it more then Bad of brothers.

I mounted the M22's the normal way. I didn't notice any difference in sound from sitting on the floor to standing up. Either my ear isn't that sensitive, or people were right when they said at my distance it wouldn't matter.

If you go with pine and decide to stain it keep in mind that pine being a softwood will really soak up the pigment in stain quick. I suggest first applying a coat of conditioner, available where stains are sold like Home Depot, etc. It will block the stain a little so it doesn't turn out too dark. You might want to experiment with the side that will go up against the wall. If you are going to paint I would suggest poplar wood. It takes paint well and is harder that pine but still easy to work with.

After working with white oak on the only woodworking project I've ever completed, I'll probably never use pine again. Hard woods are sooo much nicer to work with, and your project won't end up with little teeny dents all over it from when you looked at it too hard.

Yeah, I would go for something harder than Pine also. I'd probably second Poplar...just find a piece that isn't tinged green if you're going to stain and color-match something.

I'll leave the color-matching part to BobKay!

The reason I thought of the "board across the studs" thing was because this was what I had done for my QS8s in that I didn't trust wall anchors to hold the T-Bracket directly in my horsehair plaster walls:

Very nice, Mark!

Well guys, here are the pics. As I said the room isn't done and is pretty bare. Those walmart DVD racks will be gone soon and might not be replaced. My son thinks its a great game to pull each DVD and Xbox game out and hand it to us one by one. The other night, I left him alone for a few moments to use the restroom, and he had a nice pile of DVDs around him when I got back. They say its going to be worse when he's two. Can't wait....

I need to double check where the nearest studs are for the center. I think they are with in 4" on each side. So the board I use will stick out a bit on each side of the speaker.



I didn't notice till I saw the pic, but it looks like left is a little further away from the TV. I'll fix that when I remount the VP150 and hide the wires.



So guys, what do you suggest? Paint the board to match the wall (the wall is darker then in the pic), or stain it to match the Boston Cherry?
I like the way Marks QS8 back board turned out. It looks great, so I might just go that route and stain.

You appear to blocking the rear port of the m22's by having them against the wall?

They are mounted on the FMB, so its a few inches away from the wall. I asked in my other thread if it would be enough room, everyone seems to think so.

Just move the TV over.lol

^ the center is off as well lol Ill just move hte TV and recenter the VP150 once I lower it.

I'd make the board symmetrical with the TV and paint it to match the wall.

Looks great!

One more for paint to match the wall and it does look very good. Interesting to see the bookshelf speakers wall mounted for a change.

Thanks guys. I think I'll go the painted route.

Then again, I just talked to the wife, she just said she thinks it would look better with the center speaker on a shelf a couple of inches above the TV. With a shelf off to each side mounted above the center one.
*sigh* So we will see.

Jason, I think you were one of the people that told me the FMB worked great with the M22 LOL
I think it looks good wall mounted. They might stick out too far if I had a flat panel mounted to the wall. But for my setup I'm very happy.

I was the one but I have never used the FMB on my M22's other than to see how well it worked in case I ever decided to go that route

I think it was Alan from Axiom Audio that said that wall mounting the M22's produced more bass than mounting them on the stands. (Possible because they are closer to the wall?).

Yes, placing any speaker near a wall will emphasize the lower frequencies. It's known as boundary gain. The same thing happens when sitting near a wall.

Alan has commented on hearing a set of M22's wall munted and noting the extra bass output. I used to have my M22's about 2-3" away from a wall and they worked very well. The boundary reinforcement works great with them.