Room is ready for sound!

After some research I have came up with two options to fit my room.


Option A

Front Mains: ONIX Rocket RS760

Center: ONIX Rocket RSC200

Rears: ONIX Rocket RS550

Sub: ONIX Rocket UFW12


Option B

Axiom Epic 80 - 600 which includes

Front Mains: M80

Rears: QS8

Center: VP150

Sub: EP600


Which of these would be a better fit for my room (see model in initial post)? I haven't been bold enough to mix/match brands. If I do decide to go with Option A or B should I consider substituting a different center for the Axiom (read their center was weak) or rears for Onix or anything else? Are there options in the $3500 price range that I am overlooking? Finally, given the bar/counter location in my model should I mount the rears or will floor stands be ok?


Appreciate the help!

Its kind of a shame that you didn't put at least your rear outlets at listening level. If i was you i would get annoyed fast at always trying to step around speakers on stands that are in the way.


Move the rears up 4-5 feet and go with an on-wall bi-polar or in-wall speaker

The rear channel is not all that important in the bass department. it just needs to be accurate.


here is a system that you might what to have a listen to.


Towers L/R - PSB Speakers - Image T65 Tower loudspeakers $1000

Center - PSB Speaker - Image C60 Center $450

Subwoofer - PSB Speakers - SubSeries 6i Subwoofer $700


and for Surrounds - PSB Speakers - Image S50 Surround Sound Speakers $750-pair

or
PSB Speakers - In-Wall CW180S Speaker $500 each

Quote:
Either system will be awesome, especially for home theater. As for the rears, no, I wouldn't use towers. The rears are the least important speakers when timber matching and for HT in my opinion. However, they do need to be correctly positioned for the best results; this is key. You can't place towers above ear level (unless they are huge). It will cost less to get wall mountable rears and the results will be as good as or better than if you use towers. This is just my opinion of course.


Again, the Axiom or Rocket system would be very nice. However, don't rule out other manufacturers. Check out Paradigm, B&W, Vandersteen, Thiel, Monitor Audio, and Canton. Go out and audition all that you can. Good luck!

Is there any way to move the surround speaker outlets up the wall? You really want your surrounds above ear level. There are lots of effects recorded in movies that are intended to sound like they originate "above" you. For example, in Master and Commander, there are several scenes where footsteps are heard running overhead, on the next deck up. It is a *very* realistic effect if your SS speakers are positioned above ear level. Also, airplanes flying overhead in movies like Top Gun are very realistic with sounds originating up high. Dolby's recommended speaker placement suggests above ear level placement for the surrounds.


Also, since this will be a 5.1 system, I would suggest dipole surrounds. They will have an enhanced surround effect. Also, it appears that several seats will be quite close to the surrounds. In this case dipoles will be harder to localize than direct radiators, (this is a good thing for surrounds). Audioholics has a good article on the subject. The added benefit of dipole surrounds mounted up high is that it gets them out of the traffic pattern. Both av123 and Axiom have dipole surrounds that match the speaker systems you are considering.


Good luck,


Craig