Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Axiom vs Paradigm Signature

Hello,

I am considering buying a pair M80 Speakers. Currently I own a pair of Paradigm S8 v2 speakers. My question is how does the M80 compare to the to the S8? Any advices?

Welcome! Is there something about the Paradigms that you don't care for? Just curious as I have not heard those speakers.

I have to ask the same question as David: what is wrong with the S8? They are really good, but expensive.

I doubt if too many people have ever heard the S8's let alone A/B'ing them with the M80s. I've visited a couple of Paradigm dealers and they usually seem to stock only the Monitor and Studio lines, which are the most often compared to the Axioms, and the Signature line is special order. The M80s, by many accounts including my own, sound similar to the Studio 100s so if you are able to hear the S8's and the Studio 100's together, I would suggest that any differences/similarities might similarly apply to the M80s in place of the Studio 100s.

Those are some very nice speakers Nickba. Here are the soundstage measurements between the two speakers. What type of finish do you have on the S8v2?

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/paradigm_signature_s8/

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/axiom_m80v2/

I have heard some signature Paradigms in a showroom (I can not for the life of me remember which ones), I recall thinking they sounded alot like my M80s but with a little more refined/smoother sound. I wasn't too sure I liked that sound as much as I like my M80s, which are more life like IMO.

Once again, keep in mind that many of the Canadian speaker manufacturers(Axiom, Paradigm, PSB and others) in their initial stages, "cut their teeth" at the National Research Council in Ottawa in their Anechoic chamber to come up with their designs.In essence, they were all striving for as neutral a sound as possible, so other than individual "quirks" and cabinetry designs, there will be a similarity in sound between all of them.

Unlike the others listed, over the years, as we all know, Axiom chose a different marketing strategy and as a result their speakers are generally better value.

This guy owns both the S8 and M80. You can read his comments on how the two compare.

He seemed to think the M80 was an exceptional speaker for the money, but the S8s are a better speaker.

IMO I don't see any reason to move away from the S8 unless you need the cash and therefore need to move down to something cheaper. It is an exceptional speaker (build quality, finish, sound).

Hi!!

First, thanks a lot for all your comments. Actually I am not moving away from the S8s, I just want to buy a new pair of speakers.

Dr.House, my Signature speakers have the Cherry finish.

I do like the S8s, I really don't care too much about the finish, but I do care about the sound quality.

What I didn't like is the ADP3. I have 3 pairs of them and 3 speakers already had problems.

Very cool. The standard Axiom finishes are in vinyl. Do you plan on upgrading to a veneer finish? The great thing here is that Axiom has plenty of options in that regards. The sound quality of the M80's should be pretty similar to the S8 with a perceived "brighter" top end.

From the comments Chuck made on the M80s vs the Sig8s, I think you would be very happy with the M80s. They seem to do everything the Sigs do, just not quite as well.

Thanks for the info. Like I told you, I don't care too much about the finish, so vinyl would be fine. What I am concerned is the weight!! The M80 weights 56.8 lbs each, while the S8 weights 100 lb each...

It's likely that the S8 has a more weight in it's cabinet, in part because it's nearly 10 inches taller than the M80, but also a couple of inches deeper as well. It may also have more bracing to go with the cabinet as well. Also the S8 has 5 x 7" drivers vs 2 x 6.5" and 2 x 5.25" on the M80, so there could be some added weight there on the magnets...the M80s are hefty, but certainly not nearly as much as the S8s. Sometimes, and I'm not saying it's the case here necessarily, extra bracing is just...extra bracing.

Hi Nickba,

While I'd be delighted if you gave Axiom's M80s a 30-day trial, I suspect that if you put both pairs behind an acoustically transparent curtain, and switched back and forth between the M80s and the Paradigm S8s, you'd find their respective sound signatures "similarly good". Not exactly alike, but very close, and your preference for one over the other may vary with each selection of music.

I say that having done hundreds of double-blind comparisons of many brands of speakers originally developed at the National Research Council in Ottawa (plus lots of others). I've heard the Paradigm Signature models and they are very good, if a little upper bass-heavy, which is a Paradigm characteristic I've noted from their earliest models. I heard the large Signature center channel, and while it's excellent, it's no better than Axiom's new VP180 center and it's a lot more costly.

Regards,
Alan

The S8 will be more robust when it comes to build quality. Larger cabinet, more internal bracing used in the cabinet, heavier drivers etc.

Hi,

Again, thank you very much for all the informations!! So seems that the weight will not be the problem...

Alan, it is great to have your opinion since you actually heard both!! My problem is that I am not in USA or Canada, so a trial would be impossible as customs taxes over here are ridiculous. I talked to my favorite dealer in the country I am living now(Brazil) and he told me he contacted Axiom to try to prepare a ShowRoom only to show me the speakers. My dealer told me if I don't like the speakers, it will not be a problem, but he is waiting a reply from Axiom.

If I like the speakers I will build a new room on my second house with a 7.1 setup.

I hope he gets a reply from Axiom soon!

And again thank you for all the information!!

Axiom normally does not deal through a dealer network, but you never know... Hope you become one of us soon.

sirquack, I hope to be part of the Axiom happy owners soon. I saw in the website that Axiom normally sells directly to customers, but I think it works most to USA and Canada. For me I would have to pay almost twice the price of the speakers due to taxes and shipping. So if I had the chance to test them over here, it would be great.

I don't know if Brazil has something like the right of first sale doctrine, like in the US. But there's no reason a dealer couldn't place an order from Axiom and then re-sell them to you. Then if you don't like them, they could sell to someone else. The only restriction which may apply is the warranty is only for the original purchaser (in this case the dealer), and won't transfer to subsequent owners.

Axiom should really setup showrooms outside of US/Canada which due to taxes & shipping, we really cannot afford the 30 days trial thingy....

MP, Axiom has you as their showroom for Kuala Lumpur and other owners outside of North America. We Axiom owners become their showrooms and they even pay us (if the person buys product) for doing the auditions via Axiom gift certificates, unfortunately for those of you abroad, it is harder to find Axiom owners nearby to do demos, like those of us in North America.

It's true. I was happy enough to share some time with Micah and show him what the speakers were capable of. We both got to enjoy the system together. To be awarded Axiom Dollars for the experience almost felt like I was stealing. (I happily accepted them though!)

Were you able to get a word in edgewise with Micah in your house?

Was HE trying to get anything else in edgewise?