Thanks, everyone, for the great feedback and advice.

It's something of a leap of faith to order speakers over the web, sight unseen/unheard. But I guess I'm counting on two things:

1) Terrific Axiom feedback here and elsewhere.
2) Value: I just hate the retail model, where I'm compensating a salesperson who knows less than I do for shuffling paper. It seems like the buy-direct model could/should deliver greater value.

I appreciate the community here: Axiom is smart to encourage it.

- Rob