I know squirrelyz is from Decatur, GA don't know if that is close or not. He hasn't posted since January. Axioms are very neutral in my opinion. I don't buy into the bright/laid back/harsh comments. For comparison purposes, I would say the M60's are very similar if not better than B&W 703's, my opinion of course. I would also place them above the Klipsch and Paradigms you mention, again my opinion. There are many members on here that should be able to comment on comparing to those brands as well. I was in your same situation 6-8 months ago, and I can tell you for me, purchasing my Axioms was the best purchase I've ever made.
Good Luck
Randy
M60's VP150 EP350 4-Qs8's
Denon 2805
Sanyo Z2 projector
Toshiba DVD
Samsung HD receiver
