Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners pioneer hpm 100 vs m80

Hi fish,

And welcome. Old stereo receivers were fairly robust, and since they were only two channels, there usually weren't cooling problems driving a 4-ohm load (more current into a lower impedance equals greater heat from the output transistors) so I expect your Kenwood would certainly drive the M80s to ample sound levels. However, 40 watts isn't much potential power for dynamic peaks on the M80s, which can handle hundreds of watts (tested in excess of 700 clean watts per channel without damage), so you'd have to be careful not to drive the Kenwood into clipping distortion that could potentially burn out the M80 drivers.

By the way, you'll notice a HUGE difference in accuracy and sound quality from the old HPM Pioneers. While those still sound good to you, you've accommodated the sound quality of the Pioneers as your reference, warts and all. Most of those old Japanese-branded speakers were very non-linear and colored, with really wonky frequency response curves when they were measured in an anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council back in the old days. At that time, they were no match in double-blind tests with early models from Axiom, PSB, Energy and Paradigm. I can think of only two exceptions in my years as an editor of audio-video magazines.

I think you'll be thrilled with the neutral wide-range sound quality of the M80s compared to the old HPM Pioneers.

Regards,
Alan

*bump*

Hey fishfool, any news?

More importantly ( ), what does your screen name mean? Are you a fisherman?

I do like to fish and I thought this would be a screen name available that I wouldn't forget.
I have listened to several different brands recently. Maggies, theil, paradigm, martin logan, b&w. Not sure of all the models.

I liked or disliked diffferent thing about each of them
I liked the paradigm 100 ($2800) the best so far. I'll have to go for another listen.
Although the Martin Logans ($5000) mids and highs were very natural sounding.
After listening to other speakers I came home played same cd in my set up and can really hear a difference. My hpm's are too shrill? The mid range seems to be too high pitched. Piano, sax, all too high on the register.
Becomes annoying after awhile.

I did find a Adcom 555 amp, pre, tuner,cd. for cheap. So I now have this set up with my hpm's.
I also found midrange on my old records sounds better than cd. but miss some of the highs and bass.
Besides not knowing what to upgrade there's always the $ factor. 2 in college $4k /mo puts a pretty good dent in the funds, for something my wife thinks is a waste. As I don't listen as often as I would like I have to partially agree.

I have HPM 100's in one room and M60's in another. I go back in forth between the rooms and can never decide which I like better. The bass is definately lower with the HPM's but the sub in the room with M60's fills the gap plus more lows. As for mids and highs they are very similar.

The HPM's do not reach very low when I connect them to my Denon AVR 4308ci, when they are connected to the Sansui 8080 they have really good lows and I really haven't tried the M60's with the Sansui so maybe they would compete better with the lows of the HPM100's. I don't regret the purchase of either of the those speakers.

I don't understand how the mid range can be bothersome on HPM100's they have adjustments for mids and highs so they can be set to your liking, I like mine set neutral.

My daughter and I have been playing the same cd on the different set ups in the house and both agree the adcom hpm set up sounds best.
Now I'm going too start swapping equipment around to see if we can improve

Doesn't it suck when you realize that your spouse is right about this sort of thing? Know how you feel.

Butch, I'm not sure I an correctly explaining myself.
When I listened to the Logans the piano and sax sounded almost "live"? The piano sounded like a piano ( we have one in the house)
When I listen to the same at home the sax sounds like a alto sax not a tenor sax. The piano sounds higher pitched than the notes being played.Almost tinny?
I do play with the adjustments and it does help.
There is a huge difference when I play the same passage an a record vs cd.
so it may be the source.

The wife's always right!
this is why we're still happy after 25yrs. LOL

spent the afternoon swapping cd players and playing with buttons on preamp.
It seems there's a "contour " button which alters the sound.
in the new position thing sound much better, go figure.
I'll have to try to find an owners manual form this pre amp.
I sent pm to someone on list close by to audition m80.