Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Comparison

I'm web dead and tired of surfing. Reading reviews and getting happy and confused but I think I know this--- I like the reviews of the Axiom. I live far away from Ontario where you can listen to them. Would you give me a "quality brand comparison" so I can listen to a few of these brands so to compare the Axioms before I order? Looking at either M60ti or M22 as the mains. Q8 and Vp150 for sure. Room size is 13 x 18 long. I need to get a new receiver as well and do not want to be left behind. I have an older model Yamaha AVC 30 Amp which has served me well 100 watt. I'd like 7:1 and is it possible to utilize an older amp in any way? Have a 42" Samsung Plasma.

B&W 703's are the most compared speaker. I auditioned the B&Ws, Paradigms, Klipsch and others before I ordered my Axioms. I had 60's but upgraded to 80's because I could. I can't tell you enough about the importance of the "home" trial. Order the 60's and try them at home. The cost of return freight is cheaper than driving to several dealers to listen to speakers that you have to imagine how they would sound at home. If you like the sound of the 60's, then order the rest of the speakers you need.

Where are you located? There is a message thread here that lists a lot of people willing to let you come over to their house for a listen. Even outside of that list, others may be willing to help you out, but we just need to know where you are located at.

As for a speaker comparison, you will be hard pressed to get a response of "it sounds like ...." since all speakers are different. Kind of like explaining to someone how your favorite lasagna tastes if they have never tasted the sauce or cheese you are using. You could say it is tomato based (which I hate tomatoes) with white cheese. If I had never had lasagna before, I would not like it based off of that description as I don't like tomatoes and many white cheeses are not my favorite either. Now, if I can get a sample of it, and I can start smelling how good it is, once I take a bite I will know that I like it, or maybe that I don't, but based off of a description of the sauce being like tomato paste and some white cheese, I am turned off without any real understanding of the lasagna as a whole.

Odd analogy, but you get the point. People can tell you what they sound similar too, but that is their personal experience and may differ from your own. Not just on what they like and don't like, but on their assessment of how closely they sound to another brand/model of speaker will be different than yours...

Let us know where you live and someone may be able to give you a demo.

As for 7.1, some people love it, some people don't notice much difference. 7.1 DVDs are few and far between. So before you jump to 7.1, weigh that in as well. If you have the cash to do it, go for it. Make sure that your room allows for proper speaker placement too. I was going to jump to 7.1, but my room didn't work for placement of the additional 2 speakers.

How high are the ceilings? Is the room totally enclosed (with closable doors) or is it open to other parts of the house? You need to look at total air volume, but my initial thought is that the M22 or M60 would work for mains. I almost got the M22 fronts but it was recommended by Alan at Axiom that for the air volume, I move up to something bigger so I went with the M60 fronts. I love them. THe VP150 is good too, and the QS8s are probably the BEST surround speaker out there.

B&W 703's and Energy Veritas 2.2's sound quite similar to the Axiom M60ti. (I know the Veritas are bookshelf speakers, but they do indeed compare well with Axioms M60ti!)

I understand your lasagna story, however all I want to do is go locally to a few places and listem to what they have. I didn 't know if Energy, JBL, Polks would be a good comparison or not. I live in the Greater Vancouver BC area and would love a demo if anyone has Axioms. My games room which I'll be turning into the HT has 8' ceilings and is rectanglar except for the door entry. As far as the Receiver being 7:1 - I'd hate to not be able to add to it down the road when everthing is coming out in 7:1. Is this a fair assumption?

7.1 in my humble opinion is a marketing gimmick for most people. If you have a large room where you need those 2 extra speakers to provide seamless 360 degree soundstage, then maybe it makes sense. But for rooms in the 20x15' range I don't see the need. If I had a long room 15 x 30' for example, maybe I'd think about it. Then it only makes sense if you want to fill the entire room, like you have several rows of seating that you want to cover, with the surround speakers. If everyone is sitting within 15' of the front speakers what's the point?

Welcome to the board.

If you click here and scoll down you'll find there is one person in Richmond listed who will do demo's. I haven't noticed him on the board recently, so don't know if he is still active. PM him and see.

I demo'd the M22's at SeanF's house and it helped me decide I liked them better than the M3's I was most seriously considering.

Good Luck

I guess I don't see Nick's response as being a Lasagna story, you asked a question and he took the time to give you feedback.

later

I have both the Axiom M22's and Energy C-3 speakers. In fact, I used the C-3's as my evaluation speakers for whether I'd like the Axiom sound because the reveiws I read listed them as similar sounding. My feeling is the Energy C-3 is generally similar to the M22.

I am thankful for all opinions. I just meant that I under stood what he was trying to say. I wasn't being "smart".