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Posted By: danielrg Axiom Surrounds with a Bowers and Wilkins - 05/10/14 06:34 PM

I have Bowers and Wilkins fronts (683 and HTM61).

I've been looking into surrounds, but I don't really like their offerings for surrounds, and they cost too much in my opinion too.

I have a long narrow room (10.5' x 25') I've been thinking of getting QS4s for the sides, and M2s for the back. They have titanium tweeters and aluminum woofers. The B&W have aluminum woofers and aluminum tweeters. Sounds like they might match well enough for fronts/surrounds. But I really am only guessing.

Anyone have comments or advice or have heard them together?

Thanks!
Oh, one other question - Is QS4s and M2s a good timbre match? I'd assume they'd blend well.

Not as concerned with perfect timbre matching with B&W fronts, but I don't want the transition to be obvious either.
Before I recently upgraded to QS8V4s, I used QS4V3s with a pair of M22s as L & R. Except for an extra 5.25 incher, the M22s have the same drivers as the M2s.

Timbre match seemed fine to me; however, the sporadic, rapid-fire content from the surround mix in most movies really makes it hard to ascertain timbre matching, at least for me.

IMO, timbre matching is most important for the front 3 channels - surround not so much...

TAM
Originally Posted By: exlabdriver
Before I recently upgraded to QS8V4s, I used QS4V3s with a pair of M22s as L & R. Except for an extra 5.25 incher, the M22s have the same drivers as the M2s.

Timbre match seemed fine to me; however, the sporadic, rapid-fire content from the surround mix in most movies really makes it hard to ascertain timbre matching, at least for me.

IMO, timbre matching is most important for the front 3 channels - surround not so much...


Absolutely - I care a lot about the fronts matching. Not so sure about rears.

I was watching some "demo" content on some blu-rays today in someone else's theater. I noticed that there wasn't much that really panned between the speakers.

There was a scene in "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Jackie Chan/Jet Li - the duel with the monkey king at the beginning - where there was some panning. In my friend's theater the rears are a different brand. I have to admit I couldn't really tell any problems. He bought a 5.1 package sometime back, then added some speakers he had lying around for rears.

I guess when you're going to lay down the money, you want to cover all your bases!

Sounds like the QS4 and M2s will work just fine for me. No one begs to differ, right?
Further to my last, I would recommend M22s for HT due to their higher power handling capabilities with dynamic movie soundtracks. They can reach lower as well.

When paired with a couple of EP400 Subs, my M2s work splendidly at sane listening levels in my audio only system...

TAM
QS4's for sides AND backs will probably give you a better surround experience due to being less "directional" than a M2. IMHO

Dave
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