Hi All:
As promised, here is my update on the M80 v3 that I got on July 2nd.
My first impression was that they gave me the wrong speakers because it came in the V2 boxes but upon more detailed inspection, I saw a small sticker that states M80 v3. I guess these speakers are so new that that they didn't get the proper stamped boxes yet. I followed the instructions and set up was easy. I powered up my amp, put in the testing CD that I've been using during the past 6 months in shopping for new speakers, so I know every note like the back of my hand AND NOW THE MOMENT OF TRUE:
OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!
The sound are exceptionally crisp and detailed. In all of the songs I`d played, I heard notes and sounds that I never heard on the tracks before. For example, one of the tracks is a chello in which the musician starts off slow and at one point the tempo picks up dramatically. I actually heard the musician take a deep breath just before he strikes the strings at that time. At first, I thought I was hearing things, but later realized it was not the case because it was there everytime the tempo increased.
I was also blown away by how wide the sound stage was. In every song, you felt you were virtually there in a concert. Every strike of the cymbal or the ping of a bell way in the back was heard!!
The bass was penetrating and full, but not overwhelming as was the case in my previous speakers. For my taste level this is more that adaquate!
OVERALL:
This is the first time in my life that I have bought something online without ever sampling the product. I had sampled many speakers in the past 6 months before taking the leap of faith primarily due to the reviews and talking to the reps at Axiom and I`M GLAD I DID!!! I find that the sound quality in these speakers are comparable or better to some really expensive ones that I`d listened in the past. As well, I`m running these speakers with a 45 watt Melody EL34 tube amp and I find them more than adaquate for my listening needs. At this point I am confident that if I present my speakers and system to my true audiophile friends in a blind test, they will be stumped and amazed.
Good Job Axiom!!!
PS
My only true complaint is that I ordered different lengths of bulk wires for this and my other AV system. I was instructed to put the different lengths that I wanted during the purchasing process by the Axiom rep, JP. This was to avoid me wasting time to go to Home Depot to buy a wire cutter. As you probably guessed, it came in 1 large roll instead of the multiples that I want. This waste of time took away my experience a bit.
