I did hookup with an Axiom owner, jakewash, in Calgary to hear the M22's, VP100, QS8's and a sub (didn't see maker's logo). Though jakewash wasn't available to demo the system Mrs Jakewash graciously allowed me a listen. Together we fumbled through listening to music and a couple movie excerpts.
My impressions concerning the M22's for music is they are a beautiful sounding speaker. Very impressive when mated with a sub for the low end. Crisp, clean and vibrant! These are an excellent choice for music, easily on par with the Totems I reviewed in an earlier post and at half the price!
The HT portion I played Phantom Menace and Saving Private Ryan. The sound clarity was precise but I felt a little sibilant...which could probably be tamed with a little tweaking. I wasn't familiar enough with the Denon AVR to correct this so my conclusion must be taken with this in mind! Even at high volume I heard no breakup in the sound, this setup remained very clean and clear throughout the playback. Compared with the Klipsch, reviewed earlier, the Axiom's dynamics weren't in the same league, even my current setup does a better job here...again the AV-R's available "headroom" may not be sufficient for an accurate comparison. Don't get me wrong, they weren't bad, far from it, they have a good range just not as large compared to others I've heard!
The real charmers in this setup were the QS8's! Background effects had me looking over my shoulder several times! The VP100 and the M22's blended perfectly as the dialog and effects were seamless. The QS8's brought up the "rear" and matched beautifully! All in all a very nice setup!
If I were looking for a music setup the M22's would be 1st on my list. The sound and price are unmatched to anything I've listened to so far. But...you knew there was a but...I'm looking for a HT setup and right now I'll continue my search. Not that I'll eliminate Axiom from my choices, the QS8's are as impressive as the Klipsch RS52's I heard and similar in cost. Both remain as equal contenders! Also, I need speakers for my living room. Though the wife probably won't approve of the M22's, due to their size, the smaller M2's or even the M3's would be a nice addition. After hearing "Axiom's" I'm sure the smaller speaker's sound quality wouldn't differ greatly!
A big thank you to Mrs Jakewash, real name's are omitted! And remember if I do make a purchase of the Axiom's, the commission goes to the wife! Having to put up with a total stranger, "she", was the one who earned it!
