Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Sub-sat vs Floorstanders

I'm helping a novice friend pick out a modest, but nice system for an app. 14-15' by app 25-30' with app 8' ceiling. Panelled walls and carpeted basement (concrete) floor. The speakers would be placed on the short wall. The amp will be a 45 wpc AMC integrated. (Gonna play a lot of vinyl, so we're kind of getting the AMC for the phono stage.)
The choice we're contemplating would be either the M50 or M3/EP125 combo. I guess the key deciding factors would be midrange clarity and overall cohesiveness, especially re: bass control, definition andpitch. Dynamics, too. He wants at least a decent amount of muscle. (He has some other friends who all have Bose AM-5s and he doesn't want to be mocked as one who settled for an "off" brand. I told him he'd get Bose over my dead body!)
Would the 45 watts (30 amps current) likely have the juice to control the bass of the M50s and provide good "crankability". Roughly how much space behind the 50s is generally adequate?
While I have your ear, what is the minimum breathing space behind the M3Tis on their own in a smaller room? I would have only about a foot. Thanks!

I have been driving a pair of similar size Axioms with an NAD 40w amp, and have no complaints. The amp wil provide very good volume levels, and solid bass. I leave my tone controls in the neutral, or off position, and can readily admit solid bass. This would be emphasised if you were to put the bass controls into the situation.

You mention current of the amp. Be aware that this is the maximum output of current for the amp. By stating it, they are describing a solid amplifier design, that is CAPABLE of delivering this. It will not deliver it at all times, into all loads, at all frequencies.

Your room is similar in size to mine as well, and room tuning may be required. You will need to adjust the speaker placement and listen. I am sure Ian has some general thoughts and distances, but you may need to start with them and tweak.

With decent purchases on the horizon, I hope the turntable is of equal, or better quality! The source is often the most neglected, and most important piece of a properly designed system.

Regards,

BBIBH

Unfortunately, his is junk. I haven't had the nerve to tell him that yet. Don't want to scare him off totally yet. I figure we get him hooked, he hears how decent CDs sound with a nice speaker and amp and he then says, "I gotta upgrade my turntable, too!" He can afford it. Thanks for the response. (For some reason, I ended up as anonymous on my first post.)

You mentioned room tuning. That will never happen in this case. Would that fact affect the choice of Tower vs a Sub/Sat combo?

No, I don't believe so. Room tuning can be simpe (adding a stuffed chair, or curtains over windows, placement of certain decor attributes), or very intense and expensive.

The turntable is definitely an area he should spend money on, especially if he listens and owns a great deal of vinyl. The source is an area that should not be an afterthought.

If his main media is vinyl, look there first. If CD, then it should take precedent. We will leave the arguement of which is better for another day ;)

Regards,

BBIBH

If midrange clarity and overall cohesiveness are the criteria, I'd opt for the M3Tis and EP125, but only by a hair. You will have greater flexibility in placement and the ability to compensate for any upper bass thickness that might result from standing waves in the room or nearby boundary effects. And the sub's level control will enable you to fine-tune the balance between low bass and the M3Ti's upper bass and midrange. Plus, the sub's built-in power amp will help you achieve "crankability" when you want it without straining the rather modest resources of the 45-watter.

Since you'll be listening across the short width of the room, your amp should have enough power, so long as don't want to achieve disco levels.

Of course, the M50ti is a bit more sensitive and will produce louder sound on a given watt of input than the M3Ti's. And it will yield greater "crankability" from the rather modestly powered amp. But with a floorstander, you do have to deal with possible floor/wall interactions that may overemphasize upper bass (and lots of listeners like that effect, but it makes male vocals "fat" and sometimes heavy-sounding). A foot clearance from the wall should be ample. It might be interesting to see what Ian, the designer, thinks?

As to the source-quality discussion, I don't dare venture onto that soapbox for the moment.

Regards

Alan Lofft
Axiom Resident Expert