Just a couple comments related to my experience with some guests that have come to my house with similar listening tastes as you. One is the quality of the recordings. My 80’s reproduce everything with incredible detail. Garbage in, garbage out, and the 80’s will definitely play garbage very well, painfully so in fact. However, if the recording is good, folks are simply amazed at “how different” songs sound. I have a couple friends who bring CD’s of their own over just to listen to them on what they call a “kick ass sound system”. I guess what I’m trying to get across is that you MAY be disappointed with Axioms with your Pop recordings. I don’t listen to pop, but the cd’s that I’ve heard so far, just don’t seam to be recorded all that great. I tend to listen to Alt Rock more than anything else. So far, I am very happy with everything I’ve played (even satellite). The only exception to this would be Breaking Benjamin. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why, but I can’t play their CD’s loud without feeling discomfort. Everything else sounds great.
As far as bass goes, I agree with previous posts in regards to the subwoofer. If you like to “feel” the bass, you should put a sub on your shopping list. At high volume level levels, my 80’s will most definitely make you “feel” the bass, but when playing at lower sound levels (less than 80 db’s or so), the sub just seems to fill the room in a little better. I’ve tried playing music for my “pop music listening friends” with the sub off and on. They all prefer it on. I went with the Outlaw because it is a down firing sub and they tend to be easier to place in a room that a front firing sub. But I would have bought the 500 or 600 if they would have been available when I bought the Outlaw.
Oh yah, one more thing. I’m one that thinks the 80’s sound like the Studio 100’s. I think they blow away the monitor series, no comparison in my opinion.
