While there have been teething issues with the EP500 (it's a pretty new product), they seem to have smoothed out, and Axiom is known for its excellent customer service in this sort of matter (and pretty much all other sorts of matters!).
The VP150 is a favorite whipping boy of reviewers, for some reason, most likely because of its unorthodox design. The brain has a lot to do with what you hear...while I don't have a VP150, I have heard them and been duly impressed.
A high end receiver shouldn't have any problem handling the M80s. If it does, you can do one of 3 things:
1) return the M80s for M60s
2) return the receiver
3) add an amplifier to the mix to handle the M80s.
Just fyi, I have an older Harman/Kardon which is not top of the line, and it has no problem with the M80s.
