After many A/B comparisons I have decided that I like the m22s better overall. The ascends are very nice speakers, but their midrange clarity is less than the axioms, and that does not suprise me as the ascends have one 6.5" woofer vs. the axiom's dual smaller woofers. I still prefer the smooth treble of the ascends however. The axioms also seem to have a raspy/metallic character to vocals, although this is relatively minor. I'm going to give some Energy's a listen as well as my friend's m3s and m80s. Thanks for everyone's advice. I will update here when I have made my decision.
