Hello aladinsan,

The M22 in blind A/B tests is essentially indistinguishable from Pardigm's Studio 20, with a hair (perhaps 1 dB) more midrange and treble detail audible from the M22. The M2i is extremely close but not quite the equal of the M22 in clarity and detail. Both are more neutral than the B&W 600 Series. I've not heard the Vienna speakers so can't comment on those.

Both the M2i and M22 are more linear than the Energy. The Paradigm Studio 20 has a tiny bass hump like the M3ti, with a little less midrange and treble detail but we are talking nuances here.

Defining "musicality" is vague. If you run the M3 without a sub, then it's more musical because it has more subjective bass output. With a sub, either the M22 or M2 are more "musical" than the M3 because there is more clarity and detail in the mids and upper octaves than the M3 has.

But that term "musical" is kind of dumb. Speakers are not musical instruments, intended to impart their own sets of harmonics and tonal colorations to the incoming recorded signals of musical instruments. Ideally, they should be neutral reproducers, with no colorations added. The farther a speaker deviates from that ideal, the less neutral and the less "musical" it becomes.

A well-designed subwoofer, properly located and adjusted, will be as compelling and thrilling on powerful orchestral, jazz and pop music as it will on movie soundtracks. For your large room, the EP500 would be an excellent addition.

Regards,


Alan Lofft,
Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)