Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Need help on choosing an A/V receiver for M80ti

Hi, there

First, I've read all the threads related my question here but could find an answer that I want. Please, help me with choosing the right receiver for M80ti.

I am so new on this audio "thing"- I only own a Panasonic mini-component audio that was purchased 12 years ago, which has been unplugged for last few years. Now I'm about to step into the real audio world.

I am going to place an order for a pair of M80ti- never auditioned it- as soon as I choose a right A/V receiver. My budget for the receiver is $850 and candidates are:

Denon 3803: an Axiom tech rep. whom I spoke to the other day on the phone told me some denon receiver owners have problems with 4 ohm speakers.

Yamaha rx-v3300 or new rx-v2400: a soon-to-be replaced 3300 has a power of 130W x 6 + 25W x 2 and new yet a step lower model 2400 has the power of 120w x 7 channers. The price of 3300 is quite good ($ 759 at e-cost with free shipping). Axiom tech rep. recommended Yamaha model, also said not a problem in driving 4 ohm speakers.

Marantz SR8200: I couldn't find a good review on this but if this is the right one I'm willing to strech up my budget.


NAD T752 or T762: I just learned about this receiver on this forum and read it has relatively weak power than other candidates.

I want to avoid HK because I read HK has some QC problem.

The system will be used for both music listening and HT purpose- for this reason, the receiver should support at least 6.1 channel. The more I research this, the more I get confused. My head is about to explode. Please help me.

Thank you.

2K, you should base your receiver choice on features and price. Among the candidates you list the feature that stands out in my opinion is the YPAO automatic room and speaker equalization on the new Yamaha 1400 and 2400. You've possibly noticed some posts about it here, especially by Mike(mwc). The on-line prices are presently around $600 for the 1400 and $750 for the 2400.

i personally would go for the NAD. Their power ratings arent inflated as the others usually are, and NAD is known for its amplifiers and their power. I own NAD and would reccomend it to anyone. I dont own that model, ive got the c370 but im sure that their recievers are just as good as their other amps. If you can afford the T762 id get that one instead of the 752 but i have no doubt they both would power the M80's just fine.

I would dutifully add the Pioneer Elite 55TXi and 53TX to the "must-consider" list, too. Its MCACC auto-calibration/EQ is no gimmick, the DACs/ADCs top notch, and the amp section very robust. If you plan to get an SACD/DVD-A player in the near future, the FireWire/i.Link digital multi-channel connection will be an attractive additional feature on the 55TXi.

As an H/K booster around here, I have to say that I have not had any quality problems whatsoever with my refurb 525. However, as a techie, I'd say go with a receiver with Firewire (ie, the Pioneer Elites). It's the wave of the future. If those had been out (or if I had noticed them) when I was buying my receiver, I would have gotten them.

Thanks for the input, everybody.

Now, HK and Pioneer are the candidates, too. I need one more advice.

I had a chance to audition some Paradigm speakers at a local audio shop and I quite like the sound from Studio 40s even though they were running off a $300 Pioneer receiver (Studio 100 sounded better but it was way out of my budget). Based on the fact that Axiom and Paradigm speakers have quite similar sonic signatures, do you recommend $990 (after waving 30 day return policy) M80ti over $750 (original price $900) plus 9% tax demo Studio S40? S40 was in perfect condition cosmetically.

There are M80ti's in the Factory Outlet for $990, why would you need to waive the 30 day return policy?

The reason I want to waive "30 day return policy" is, of course, to save some money. I read that M80ti is a lot of bang for the buck from several reviews and If even only half of them were true, I see no reason to return it.

Also, the reason I want to avoid a factory outlet speaker is that I was told that they could have some cosmetic problems.

I've bought every Axiom speaker I own from their factory outlet. TRUST ME...what they call a "blemish" is absurd. I guarantee you if you post a question here about the outlet speakers, you won't have a single unsatisfied customer. I'm completely serious. I've often thought that many of their "outlet" speakers in fact have nothing wrong with them, and that they put them in the outlet simply to offer them at a discount. Ask around...I'm not kidding.

Backing up what Spiff has said, I've bought Maple QS8's from the factory outlet--not a mark that I can find. I've bought black M3's from the factory outlet--not a mark I can find. Compared to my non-outlet M22's and VP150, there is no difference. Considering the savings, I would always go the factory outlet route with Axiom if possible.

Thank you!

Now I can get a pair of M80ti at less than $900 as soon as I confirm that M80ti is a better speaker than Paradigm S40.

How's that? They're $990 in the outlet.

If buying outlet merchandise and waiving the return policy for an added discount is an option, I'll have to say I'm a bit peeved. I would have GLADLY waived the return policy on several of my purchases to save a few bucks! I had already heard and demo'd my M60's before purchasing them, so I knew they would not be going back. My QS8's were certainly never in question either. Between those two purchases alone, I could have saved some serious coin.

I think a special counsel should be appointed to investigate this further.

i woulndt worry about buying the factory outlets, as others have said there is hardly anything wrong with them. Not like a big gash in the side of the speaker or something. When i got mine i could only find one very small, even un noticable unless you look mark on each of them.

hson2k,

The M80s are really an equivalent of the Studio 100s in every sense, but NOT of the Studio 40s, which is more of a Paradigm equivalent of the M22s. In other words, the M80 vs. Studio 40 comparison is really an apple vs. orange. Why settle for the obviously "lesser" speakers while paying similar amounts of $$$s?

And yes, the Paradigms and Axioms sound similar in many aspects, but to my ears the Axioms have a definitive edge in transparency and resolution of sonic details. The Paradigms may sound as if they had more bass, but to me the bass is rather boomy as compared to the tight and accurate bass of the Axioms. With respect to the true low-frequency extension, they are about the same when you compare the respective "equivalent" models (i.e., the M80 vs. Studio 100).