Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo my audio system is running, but...

Always, your equipment is excellent and if set up correctly should give substantially better sound than your mini system. Since you didn't specifically reply to Ken's(kcarlile)suggestions, I'll emphasize that you should check that there isn't a loose speaker connection and some drivers actually aren't working. For example, on at least three occasions here the straps on the M60 binding posts weren't tightly connected and either the woofers or the mid/tweeter weren't operating.

Yes, it is the first serious audio system that I have. Sorry if my last message is confusing. Actually the system sounds much, much better than the JVC mini bookself system, expecially when playing some audiophile CDs. In one song, I can feel the vocal sound of the lady jumping ahead in front of me. The accompanying piano is behind her. Is this the good "imaging" people talking about? Only for some of my very old CDs, the vocal and instruments sound flat, same as the JVC system. I tend to think it is due to the software, not the hardware. I do not ahve a subwoofer, but the M60 does have good low frequency response as I play a music piece of drum.

As I mentioned I am a pure beginner, I have no idea how good a system could be. I may possiblly over expect the audiophile effect of the audio system. Here may be the reason. When I was a college student in Shanghai of China, I stepped by a high-end audiophile equipment store one day. I was really hit by the sound from a pair of bookself speaker playing some acoustic guitar solo. the volume was low, but I felt the sound was melting my ears. That is the first time I felt the temperature of sound. I believe that was an European system with seperate amps. The price of the system was out of my imagination at the time.

I will check the drivers on the speakers tonight. I have moved the system to my studio, a 14 ft by 16 ft room. I put the speakers 11 ft away and I sit 11 ft away. I will try more CDs on the system this evening. Putting stuff on the wall is a little difficult, but I will try too. Thank you guys for all the suggestion.

Bridgeman, I won't use your #1 or #2, but I may still have a couple of beer when enjoying the music.

I have been in your position before, I had several mini/bookshelf cd players, the latest being from Sharper Image. When I first bought my real audio system - Rotel stereo receiver, JBL Northridge E60 floorstanders, and a simple universal Sony DVD/CD/SACD player, I immediately felt a great improvement from any bookshelf system. However, once you get into this hobby, then you learn to appreciate different levels of quality. To make a long story short, check my sig for my current stereo setup, which sounds really awesome.

Another thing: Sometimes expectations differ from the actual experiences. I would strongly suggest you go to some "higher end" audio stores and listen to some speakers there. Compare different speakers (bookshelves vs. floorstanders) with different receivers or separates (amp plus pre amp) and sources (cd players, universal players etc.) to compare them with your own. Beware those dealers often have listening rooms acoustically treated for higher level of sound quality, that are often far more superiour than your living room.

And, again, take a few minutes of your time to check all the connections (cables, receiver, interconnects, etc), even through the instruction manual they come with. You would not believe silly mistakes that people do!! Good luck with your system, and please keep us updated with new developments.

Also consider your source material - if you listen to a lot of older analog recordings, the remastering for CD may not have been done well and a lot of new/current pop stuff is just cookie cutter pressed out (and is very highly compressed).

Smaller budget and older analog recordings may have been done on lesser quality recording medium as well (not everyone could afford/had access to 2" 30ips tape/hardware). And there is sometimes (often?) printthrough on analog masters if not stored correctly (tail out tape before storage and use leaders at least twice the circumference of the takeup between calibration tones and program material so when wound, there is two layers of magnetically "neutral" material between tone and pgm)

Some labels (EMI everywhere in the world outside of the US, for instance) intentionally create errors on their CDs and don't conform to RedBook audio standards in an effort to slow copying of the discs.

Lastly, a friend of the family was complaining that his CD burner must have been broken because the copies of his discs he made to take in the car didn't sound as good as the originals - turns out he was using Windows Media Player to rip the tracks to compressed WMA files, then burning the CDs from those. *slaps my head*

Seems the jazz, blues and classical guys get the biggest wow out of their investment, since the engineering of those discs seem to be a labour of love and not as profit-motivated as commercial radio-type music.

Bren R.

I have to second this. My experience has been that jazz recordings and some 70s progressive rock recordings really show off good systems at their best, and with most other recordings the software becomes the limit.

There is one recent Diana Krall studio recording which really shows the speakers off well... Look of Love, I think...

Please keep us informed with new developments. I would love to hear them.

After I double checked everything, I think the speakers are functioning well and there is no connection mistakes. I also tried diffrernt locations and orientation of the speakers. I didn't find any big difference either. Overall, frankly saying, I am a little disappointed with the system.

My direct feeling is that the receiver does not deliver high-quality sound. I have seen so many good reviews and happy users of Axiom speakers, so I don't even think of that the speakers may not deliver amazing sound. The CDs and Mp3's that I have may not have high quality. I am going to purchase some well recorded CDs and SACDs. I'd appreciate it if someone here can give me the names of some well recorded CDs and SACDs that can take the most advantages of the Axiom speakers. My favor is in Jazz vocal, classical, acoustic music, and some new age. I like Diana Krall and I will buy some of her CDs.

Another thing I can try is to use the digital signal instead of agalog signal from the CD-player and utilize the DAC on the receiver to see if there is some difference.

I think you are in the right track with your next steps. Again, I would suggest you have a second visit to some higher end retailers to hear their systems, so that you have a good comparative base. Speakers such as B&W or Paradigm would do.

In another note, a multi-channel receiver is not as good as a two channel separate power amp + pre amp (my setup) for two channel music reproduction. If music takes the most of the usage time of your system, I would suggest purchasing a 2 channel power amp to pair it with your receiver, powering the fronts only. See if you can hire one from a dealer near you.

You had commented on "Imaging" earlier. When I had my M3s as mains in the old house with a smaller listening room, I could, on a few of my favorite CDs, point "exactly" where between, and outside of the speakers, the instruments were located. I would even kid that I could tell what color dresses the back-up singers were wearing! And this on M3s, which are not noted as being as accurate as M22s or M60s.

In my new house with a larger, not as well accoustically laid out configuration, I don't have the luxury of such good imaging. My M3s played well here, but not like in the old house. My M50s sound just like the M3s; only bigger and a bit better defined, but still not up to the standards of the old house. I can get the performance back if I rearange the room and add temporary sound conditioning materials, but it's currently inconvenient to do so on a normal day to day existence. (But I'm getting closer all the time)

Bottom line?

The Axioms will do the trick in the right room. If I haden't had the opportunity to hear my M3s in a good room right away, I may have been dissapointed had I heard them first in this house.

I'm slowly(too slowly)getting this room up to a reasonable acoustic level, so that I'm able to enjoy my system immensly. I've still got a ways to go, but my M50s and M3s are giving a great performance with just a little bit of effort.

Anyway; the M50s are "My kind of sound" but the room is not, and that's not the fault of the speakers.

We're workin' on it though

No, always, your equipment, including the receiver(and don't be worrying about DACs)is fine if set up correctly and should give you a very satisfying result(unless your expectations were unreasonably high and you thought that you'd be "blown away")when set up right and when playing good material. As far as the "good material", I'd suggest starting with The Planets , Swan Lake , Ma Vlast , and this Rimsky-Korsakov collection .