Based on everyone's recommendations I demoed some speakers (not Axioms) near my home to get an idea of the "type" of sound that my ears would like. I had the opportunity to demo the Paradigm Studio 100s which had a very warm, almost soothing sound. I was very easy on my ears and the clarity at lower levels was amazing. Mind you I am upgrading from BOSE and I am a complete neophyte, so forgive me if my assessment is flawed. I then asked if there was something in this price range that I sould listen to and he directed me to these other speakers call Cobalt (don't remember the manufacturer). He said that these sounded "different" and boy did they ever. They were "harsh" and "tinny", a stark contrast from the the Paradigms.
Now my question to the resident gurus... how do the Paradigms compare to the Axiom speaker as this is the type of sound that seems agreeable to me? Thanks for you help, as always!
