Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions M60 midrange driver is run as full-range?

Jakeman, here is Gene's explanation on the online store. I hope this helps.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=19333794&postcount=53

Nice explanation.

Not really. Its pretty self-serving if you ask me despite the philanthropic tone of his remarks. I remember reading stuff like that when people accused Stereophile of being preferential to their advertisers in the late 80's and 90's. Not much has changed except for the added revenue stream from on-line stores. Nevertheless I recognize that Audioholics is also a business. His comparisons would have more credibility if he discloses where he has an economic interest when writing those reviews.

Sure, but the facts being they are as critical and praising of their store products and advertisers as they are of brands that do not advertise with their online publication. I find that a bit refreshing in today's media which is mainly there to stroke manufacturers. I also have a great deal of respect for Audioholics since they were the only media outlet that allowed transparency to Schifter and AV123. The rest of the media within the industry stuck their tail between their legs.

I guess I read that article's inferences differently than you. What they say or don't say about other brands or AV123 is irrelevant. What matters to me is that they disclose their direct economic interests when making comparisons. I just don't see how they can be unbiased in their commentary when they are selling the speakers under discussion. Call me silly but in my world if you have a direct economic interest in selling something to someone that requires disclosure to the reader. His self serving rational sugar coats that simple truth.

Also on his critism of not using filters, its clear to me he has not listened carefully to how much more coherent a natural rolloff can sound compared to adding another filter to the speaker crossover network. I always preferred the sound of the M60 in the lineup for that reason. Pushing a speaker with a natural rolloff until compression then citing that as a criticism indicates to me he does not understand speaker design very well. If high output is desired the speaker with natural acoustical rolloff on a wide bandwidth driver will lose every time to compression even though its sound quality at normal listening levels is enhanced by the absense of the additional crossover.

I'm with John on this one. I will also add, having spent 15 years hanging with sales and marketing types that the best at spinning come off as very genuine, even when out and out lying.

I am not suggesting that Gene is lying, but bias always creeps in, particularly when profit is involved.

The point about economic interests and biases is valid and I understand why many would think so. Audioholics has economic and vested interests with both their advertisers and online store. It would be in their best interest to give glowing reviews for every product they receive. However, I respectfully disagree with this idea.

It is interesting that he looks down on that type of connection.
As Jakeman says, crossovers introduce their own challenges to the design - and sound - of speakers.

The Reference 3a lineup is designed with a simple highpass filter for the tweeter - to limit lower freq. from destroying it. I will also say that that lineup contains one of the finest sounding speakers I have ever heard.