Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Advice

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The center channel is the most critical speaker for HT use, so coupling M3's with a VP150 is fine. I don't think you'll ever regret going with a "better" center channel speaker.

You could also go with a 3rd M3 (or even another pair of M3's) as center. If you've never head a HT system with identical speaker all around, you'd be in for a treat. I've done this with my Titans, and a friend and I thought it sounded better in some ways than his Studio 100's with Titans in the rear, just due to the better blending of all the channels.

M3's vs VP150 - really your choice. If you have a direct view display, then the VP150 may be a better choice due to the better magnetic shielding in the VP line. I'm planning on going VP150 with my M50's since "Santa" just gave me a voucher for an Axiom center channel!

Regarding the M50's - I love mine. BUT, for HT use, they do not put out the lowest frequency "impact" bass you may want. they go low, but they don't pressurize the room like a true sub will. For music, I feel they offer very good bass. Also, though the M50's sound fine at lower volume levels, they really come alive once that knob is rotated clockwise a bit...

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Hi BigRed,

Not to further complicate your choices, but there is a tiny issue that hasn't been fully addressed here. There is a slight tonal difference in the midrange between the M3 and the M2 (and M22s). It's nicely described by another Axiom regular who owns M50s and just got new M80s. Kcarlile called the M80s a bit "crisper" than his M50s, which is exactly how I'd describe the subtle--but audible--difference between the M2 and the M3. The M2 (and M22) have just a touch more detail or crispness in the upper midrange over the M3. Put another way, the M3's mids are a bit "laid back" compared to the M2's and M22s (and M80s). So are the M50's mids. To echo JohnK, the M2 is really an amazing speaker for a small room, and coupled with a sub, they hold their own in medium-sized rooms.

I'd rephrase the line about the center channel being the "most important" for home theater. You certainly want clarity for dialog, and neutrality, but the main left and right speakers still reproduce the bulk of musical content and effects that are not dead center, and thus assume a more important weight than the center. You can tolerate a lousy colored-sounding center so long as the main left and right are neutral and musical. I'd find it impossible to live with crappy main channels and a fine center.

Regards,

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Hey Peter i appreciate your input. And i see you live in jacksonville Il, i live in springfield and im guessing thats where you went to the visit the magnolia. I dont mean to sound weird, but do you think i could possibly audition your axioms sometime, to get a good idea what im getting? if not thats fine, but it would help me out alot!

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