OK

Hopefully my basement remodel will be complete in a few months and I can finnaly start rebuilding my entire HT setup. I have decided the first thing to get replaced will be the speakers. Right now I am really leaning towards this setup from Axiom:

M60ti's
VP100
QS4's
(going to be using a home built sub config for the time being, possibly getting a SVS setup down the road)

I was considering the M80ti's but saving 300 bucks would really be a good thing for me right now, and I *think* the M60ti's will really be all I need.

The primary focus of this setup will be for movie/tv watching, but I want killer mains for listening to music, loudly and accurately. The room is roughly ~3000cubed feet with a 7 foot open ceiling (going to be leaving the joists open). Obviously the floor is cement, which will be getting a nice pad and carpeting on (donno if the cement is a good or bad thing). Unfortunately the house's support beam runs down the middle along with the duct from the furnace... Below should be a rough image of the room's layout, I know its not perfect but how many are.



I am not limiting myself to Axiom, it's just that right now they really seem to be the best deal for < $1500. And I REALLY want to get a very nice set of speakers for the first time in my life.

It appears the drawing isn't to scale or was distorted during upload, since the 14'2" room width is visually similar to the 8' from entertainment center to listening seat.

If the listed distances are correct, your speakers may be too far apart, or your listening seat is too close. As a gross approximation you want an equalateral triangle between the mains and primary listening seat.

The drawing also has the mains overlapping with the entertainment center. If that means they'd be embedded somehow, that's usually not a good idea, acoustically. Maybe it's just a display artifact.

I think most would suggest getting QS8s over QS4s if your budget allows, likewise VP150 over VP100. However the VP150 is a lot bigger -- it may not fit.

I think M60s are adequate for a room this size and would give great sound.

The drawing is not to scale, but the measurements are close.

I've read here that the QS4's now have the same tweater as the QS8's, with my budget in mind I figured I could save a couple bucks, plus that way all drivers would be 8ohms. And does the 1 additional driver really add that much to the VP150's over the VP100's?

Ah, but it's 2 extra drivers: 1 extra woofer, 1 extra tweeter. That's a whole extra M2!

That said, I've only heard the VP100. Which is quite good.

Also, it's not just the extra drivers, it's the configuration. The 100 has two mids with one tweeter in the middle. The 150 has 3 mids with a tweeter on either side of them, theoretically giving better dispersion.

I use the word "theoretically" because I don't even have my 150 yet. It arrives tomorrow. (So, shut up then, Jack )

OK! I'm starting to lean towards the vP150's =)

But talk me into the QS8's over the QS4's ;-)

It's bigger. This is America. You finish the logic.

Okay, I'm being glib, but... I believe the QS8's will go a bit lower than the QS4's (bigger cabinet, bigger drivers). Which, depending upon the bass management available through your receiver, could make a meaningful difference in how robust the surround channels sound.

But the real reason why I bought them was because I didn't want to wonder "what if...". I think they are the ultimate!

Everyone that buys an axiom setup makes special mention of the QS8's. I'm not saying you wouldn't love the 4's, but the 8's are the one thing that everyone seems to go out of their way to metion. That's all that was needed to sell me.

-Nick

Ditto. this being my first (and if my wife has any say in it, my last..) "audiophile" system. I knew that I didn't what to suffer from buyer's remorse by not getting what a majority on this site recommended. BTW, I too have an open beem ceiling and have mounted the QS8's only about 8" from the ceiling on one of the 4x12 beams using some swivel bracets that allow me to both tilt and rotate the speakers about 30 degrees. This provides a wonderful sound and keeps them out of the way. They sound great especially with DVD-A discs and HT.
Happy hunting...Bob

M60's
VP150
QS8's

You won't even think for a second "what if". It'll blow you away. Save up the extra coin and get what you really want. It's worth the extra time and effort to save up for what you truly want. If you don't, you'll always wonder..."what if".

If you weren't already going to, buy all of this from the factory outlet. That alone will save you a ton of money. You won't be disapointed. The "blemishes" are a joke. There's a good chance you won't even be able to find it.