Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Help needed with M5HP receiver options

Hello there,
I have just ordered a pair of M5HPs and now shopping for something to power those speakers. The primary objective is to deliver excellent musical experience within reasonable budget. My audio sources include a collection of CDs (most ripped to FLAC), Tidal, Spotify and Internet Radio. The basement, where M5PH will be installed, also hosts 50" TV, 4k blu-ray player and a gaming console. I'd like all of that connected to and played by a single receiver which would power the set of M5HP. We are not super-high on surround idea, though we do not exclude it in the future.

After some research I ended up with 2 potential directions:

Option "1": get a stereo amplifier with HDMI inputs and ability to play digital formats/streams. The candidates are Denon DRA-800H and Marantz NR1200. Denon's output is 100W and Marantz 75W. Their list of features is almost identical and both can play most of digital/streaming sources. Marantz is $100 CAD more, probably there is a reason.

Option "2": move with fully fledged AV Receiver, such as Yamaha RX-A780 or Denon AVR-X1600H. They are almost head-to-head though Yamaha seems to be slightly ahead in terms of inputs, supported digital formats and output power.

Since the price range of all those 4 systems is similar, the pros for stereo systems may be higher quality build, but I do not really know. The pros for AV Receiver is certainly a future opening for surround, but again, not primary goal.

Could anyone on this forum provide a helpful hint what would make most sense from the perspective of musical quality? Are AV Receivers capable of delivering the same sound experience when you downmix their output to classic stereo, or there will be a noticeable improvement going with stereo-amplifiers?

Thanks in advance!

There is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, in those two stereo amps that the surround amps don't have. If you look at the power supply photos, they are virtually identical across the products you referenced. The specs are virtually identical. A few tens of Watts won't make an appreciable difference.

Out of all those choices, I would definitely go with the Yammie. The built-in YPAO calibration, sound formats and other audio features will serve you well. Note though that it doesn't have Tidal (just get a Firestick). When you want to get into multi-channel, this receiver will do the job. It even has Atmos built in.

It is 6 Ohm capable so no worries there with the M5. When you get it, do NOT set the speaker switch to 6 Ohms. Leave it at 8. Otherwise it will fold back the voltage to the M5s and will reduce dynamics.

I think you'd be really happy with it compared to the other three.

Mojo,
your reply is much appreciated and something I needed. Very good observation on the built. You are right that under the hood, the stereo amps and surround receivers (from respective brands) look extremely close.

I've never own Yamaha but was always curious. It looks like the opportunity has finally opened. I am surprised they did not embed support for Tidal but probably can swallow that...

Having your recommendation is a huge help. You have not only provided solution to my dilemma but also gave few very useful hints.

Thank you very much !

You're welcome. Is this your first set-up?

No, it is not my first system.

I am running Arcam A75 with PSB Image/5T speakers and Nakamichi MB10 CD-changer. I've got that (plus Arcam T61 AM/FM Tuner) in 2002. This configuration sounds really great - at least to my ears - and has delivered thousands of hours of fantastic, enjoyable music. They still keep going, though Nakamichi started showing a bit of wear (btw. it is truly a piece of art when it comes to their CD-bank solution).
I also own a pair of Totem's Arro speakers for my bedroom that work wonders with TEAC CR-H220 mini-player/receiver. Ever since I've got that set (second-hand in 2012) I am in love with it.

I am spur-excited to see my M5HP coming (probably end of next week). The are going to be my 3rd pair of Canadian speakers and I could not be happier about that. I truly believe we are the world's elite in that business and hope the orient will not take it all/soon

Cheers!

The M5s will provide greater detail and transparency than the PSB and Totem. I had the Dreamcatcher but I kept blowing parts of it up...LOL! You will not be able to blow the M5 up. My M5 brought an ADA-1000 to its knees and I fed it almost everything the ADA-1500 had to give. Ian told me to give it more but I was afraid I'd ignite it. Tons of dynamics.

I'm not saying the PSB and Totem are bad BTW. They are different. It's like the difference between the M5 and M3 or M3 and M2. The dedicated mid-range makes a big difference.

Let us know what you think. M5s are not only excellent, they are a great value. I am really curious how they hold up against the Arro soundstage and imaging.

Mojo,
I appreciate what you said about Totem's and PSB's and, I especially value your opinion about M5HP. It boosts my confidence in the choice I've made. As to PSB/T5, they surely deliver, but ...that's it. They are clear and even sport a good punch but, on overall, unispiring. Arro's are more refined and joyful and yes you called it well "have soundstage and imaging" but they are bit too soft. They are good choice for a bedroom or dining room but not much above or beyond.

So I eventually realized I'd like something more articulate and, well.... as you said, detailed. And I wanted something of a different size than floor-towers. The idea of a good looking and robust bookshelf system was born... When I discovered M5PH, I just got this feeling of being exposed to a brand new opportunity. Something fresh and innovative and truly different, than the rest of the market offers. After reading few reviews and watching the youtube I could not stop thinking about them. I needed 1 year to arrive to an absolute confidence those are the speakers I really want. Once I snapped, I ordered them without ever listening to them but that just brings extra excitement.

I cannot wait when I will be able to hook them up to my Arcam and compare side-by-side against my T5s and Arros. I have also "contracted" my friend's reference 120W Denon amplifier for auditions It is going to be a lot of fun! I will definitely share my impressions with you.

P.S. As a side-note: I was curious what is ADA-1000 referred in your post. That lead to a discovery that Axiom not only makes/sells p-amplifiers but they also come with toroidal transformers. This is something to remember and spread the good news around.

You sure pontificated long enough. Such patience.

All Axiom power supplies are linear and come with toroidal transformers and ample capacitance. The only exceptions are the little guys consisting of the portable Airs and the PC speakers.

What finish did you get for your M5s?

I ordered Cherry/Cinnamon. It was my wife who did that part. She suggested that Cinnamon will keep them visible without too much contrast. I agreed. The speakers have a very handsome look and they deserve visibility. We have dark oak and acacia hardwood, so finishes like Boston or Bordeaux, or darker wood, like walnut, would melt with the background.

What system are you currently using? If it is M5HP with ADA-1000, would you share the brands/models of other components, such as CD-payer, digital streamer etc ?

I forgot but, most notably, I am very curious about the pre-amp section and DAC, in case you are using a dedicated one. Thanks!

I'm running 4.5 in the main room consisting of active LFR1100 driven by an ADA-1000-8 and a 1500-2, QS10 fed by an ADA-1000, one 800, two 600 and two 500 subs. No centre channel needed. Sources are an 8 year old Onkyo with a firestick, PS3 and Yammie cassette deck. And a karaoke.

In the living room I run M5OW with dual 125 subs fed from a Pioneer and a Chromecast audio. I just replaced my M2OW there. Frankly, there was no need. As Rebulx just discovered, the M2s and a sub are all that most people need.

I have Audiobytes, M50v4, M3v4, M2v4 and M5v4 bookshelves in other rooms. My friend stole my M100s when I wasn't home. He and his wife have locked themselves in their home and aren't answering their phones. When I go over, all I can hear is the M100s playing.

I also have an Air Force and Freedom. I use both to stir trouble with the neighbors outside.

Cherry cinnamon...nice. If you saw my various walnut finishes and cherry chestnut, you'd want them.

O my... you've got it all when it comes to Axiom speakers ! I now understand better the label "axiomite". I've never took a note on "omindirectonal speakers" and just read the story behind LFR1100. Fascinating. "My friend stole my M100s..." ha, ha, what better can be said about speakers? One day I will be replacing my PSB's T5. That might be right time to look closer at M100 or M90. And you have quite a nice line up of equipment. I've never been close enough to Onkyo to say anything but I am long-time fan of Pioneer's sonic performance. In fact, their VSX-LX304 was on my short list of receivers but eventually I left Yamaha and Denon (from which, your recommendation lifted Yamaha to a leading spot).

Yes, I agree on colors/finishes and would have personally gone for cherry-chestnut or even Bordeaux. But I've got to yield to the opinion of my lady. This assured smoother approval of budget LOL!

"As Rebulx just discovered, the M2s and a sub are all that most people need" - I must say that this alerted my immune system a bit. Before I ordered M5HP I was deliberating [mostly with myself] if I shall go M2 or M3 + sub or M5HP without sub. I wish I discovered this forum before ordering. For the context, my target system is in the basement and includes TV. So, some movies and explosions will be there but, in the end, musical fidelity is the primary objective. I wonder if M2/M3+sub would have been better? I am very keen on M5HP and would never pull the plug on a pending order but it would be great to know you honest opinion.

"Axiomite" refers to the number of posts I've written and has nothing to do with my equipment.

Regarding the M100, more drivers does not necessarily equal better. Of all the Axioms I've mentioned, none have worked as well in my living room as the M2OW and the M2 bookshelves - not even the active LFR1100. The M2OW worked better than the M2 bookshelves by physically and acoustically integrating better with my room. I wrote a lot on that. While the M5OW create more realistic music than the M2OW, there is still something I really miss about the M2OW. I can't quite put my finger on it.

As for the LFR1100, recognize there is a passive version and an active version. I have the actives. The actives embody textbook listening window and sound power curves. They sound like nothing but the source music. They impart nothing to the music.

I have bordeaux and it is a touch too red for me. The Cherry Chestnut is also reddish but it's a different character of red. My personal preferences are walnut natural satin, cherry chestnut, walnut caramel, walnut espresso and then walnut bordeaux. The first four are within very slim hairs of each other on the preference scale. That's how lovely they are!

I have the last great Onkyo made to date and it cost me 700 Canuck bucks. When I had my Axiom v2 system, the Onk made a world of difference due to the XT32. Now with the active LFR1100s, I don't need any EQ. I never thought I'd see the day.

M3v4 is a very relaxed, less detailed, laid back kind of sound. The lack of a mid-range driver is responsible for that. Same great v4 imaging and soundstage but 480p-like resolution. With the M2 and M5, it's 720p acoustic imaging resolution.

As I said in Rebulx's post, an M2 with good sub is better than just an M5. But an M5 with a good sub is better than an M2 with a good sub. So you can enjoy your M5 now and add a sub later.

Note that M5s will play louder than M2s and can be pushed to higher peaks.

What is your room size, how far apart will the speakers be from each other and how far will you be sitting? How far away from the front wall can you position the speakers? Is it a live room or a lot of cushy furnishings?

Dark oak and acacia...I really wish I had that. I've fallen in love with wood since I got the Axioms with woodies.

I agree with 99.9 percent of what mojo says... 99.99 of the time... lol. My M5 on walls are laying in the garage and I'm enjoying the heck out of the M2 bookshelf's right now. So much in fact I will be ordering a set of M2 on walls when I get back to the house next week. I just have to see what MJ is talking about! Plus it actually makes sense in my audio brain that the M2 on walls would kick ass as the cabinet volume matters and I think the m2 on walls maybe hitting that sweet spot.

Where are you planning to place the M2OW? Are you thinking of the ebony or maybe the walnut?

If we're speaking about colour choices, I ordered the M5HP's in Walnut, natural stain with piano finish! Can't wait to check them out.

I'd love to see photos of those. I have the walnut natural satin for my active LFR1100s, two EP500 subs and QS10s. I can't stop myself from looking at the walnut! Ian convinced me that was the way to go for timeless beauty. He not only knows his audio but also finishes.

Totally agree, can't wait to get them set up! I'll definitely share some pics.

As the discussion angled toward colors/finishes, I just realized how fortunate we are having all of them available. Walnut, cherry, rosewood and even more, with so many stains/paints! That is nothing but luxury for the customer. I cannot find anything close, at least nothing in in N.America, that offers comparable choice and convenience. I am really happy I discovered Axiom and cannot wait to my first listen of M5HP

Mojo, since you asked, here are parameters of the room:
-room size: 12ft x 25ft
-how far apart will the speakers be from each other: around 10 ft
-how far away from the front wall can you position the speakers: I am thinking 3 ft
-how far will you be sitting: 6 ft or more
-is it a live room or a lot of cushy furnishings: part of the floor is hardwood but the room is mostly cushy
Does that make sense for M5HP ? Would you have any hints on configuration ? Thanks!

Are you placing them across the 12 foot or 25 foot wall?

3 ft from the front wall will sound so awesome! Mostly cushy room is good. Maybe a throw rug between you and the speakers but play that one by ear.

Check these out, Sinclair. This is the walnut natural satin.

BTW, I was the dummy who kept preaching Axioms ought to be one color and one finish. Black vinyl. Glad Ian didn't listen to me. LOL!

These are walnut bordeaux. M5 and M2.

Walnut caramel EP600s.

Cherry chestnut EP125s and the LFR1100 I accidentally spinning back kicked. It's all good. I broke it in.

The walnut espresso M2 bookshelf is one down from top.

This is an awesome collection of speakers Mojo! You are clearly a wal-nut guy !

They are all beautiful but the walnut natural satin on the M100 towers steals the show for me. All other pieces look great but do not bring as much surprise. That large natural grain makes them looking so good that one would guess they must be extra-high-end speakers, beyond any reach for mortals.
With all due respect, the pictures of M100/M80 on Axiom shopping pages do not look as good as yours. I think that showing front face without the grill and using life background make huge difference. Axiom should contract you to build their shopping showcase, especially for natural walnut

Did you really vote for "black vinyl" as the only available finish ... ?! If you did, then it is absolutely hilarious or, full-Monty, as my friend says. Having said that, I owe you the truth: in both previous cases my chances of selecting finish/color were like those who were buying Ford-T: I could get any color on the condition that it was black. It was the result of going for discounted (T5) and second-hand (Arro) units. Having the option on selecting finish for M5HPs was amazing and, without a doubt, a big incentive.


The speakers will be positioned on 12 ft wall, with 10 ft distance between them and their sonic radiation will travel along 25 ft room. Good suggestion about throwing a carpet - will do that.

Thanks a lot for sharing so much in such a short time. Best to you and all friends who may read these posts!

It's no secret that I am likely the only Axiom customer who felt all those finishes did nothing more than complicate production and increase price. I never paid much attention to wood until I got the LFR1100 (not M100 as you said) in the walnut natural satin. I was hooked!

BTW, the active LFR1100 are high end. Without Axiom's generous customer loyalty programs, I would not have them. They've fulfilled a life-long dream.

You are very fortunate to have a decent room. You'll really enjoy the M5s in there.

Early on perhaps before you joined, there was a thread, or even several where the discussion was about cabinet finishes and the value to the product. The consensus was that Axiom should focus on the components that mattered to the sound and overall value of the product.

I happened to be in the minority that it would be a nice feature to have choices and real wood option. It was not a popular viewpoint, but my personal equipment included some very attractive real wood finished speakers that also sounded excellent.

I am glad Ian listened and ironically I still have vinyl finished models from Axiom!

Hi Mojo, my apology for labeling your LFR1100 as M100. I hope there is some tolerance for featherless Axiom cadets Yes, 12 x 25 ft listening space is a dream setting and I expect a lot from it. I am getting really anxious. I placed my order on 17th, wonder how long is it going to take to have them home.

If you do not mind, could you provide short comment on difference between LFR1100 and M100? Is it like "whole different world" ? And, even more important, would "omnidirectional" speakers make sense for a setting where you listen them from one direction only?


Thank you BBIBH, I concur fully. In my humble opinion, having selection of woods & finishes is an absolute differentiator and makes Axiom standing out of the crowd. It must have surely been a difficult business decision but it was the right one. If there is a way to build new generation of audiophiles at all (entirely separate topic), there must be some attraction points and fresh ideas on the plate. From that perspective, it seems like, Axiom is on a right path.

I wasn't upset at all with the M100 mix-up. I just wanted you to know. From the front, you'd never know the difference between an LFR1100 and an M100. Recognize too there is a passive LFR1100 and an active. I have the active.

Regarding how long it's going to take to fulfil your order, Axiom's AI monitors these boards. Those who are impatient with their order get de-prioritized in the factory.

As you know, I had the M100 before they were hawked. I had a love/hate relationship with them. I loved them because they were high fidelity with BIG sound. I hated them because they could not acoustically disappear as well as M5, M2, M3, M50 in any of my rooms. This is not a trivial thing for me. I take soundstage, imaging, and acoustic disappearance over big sound and fidelity. Thankfully, with Axiom I don't have to give up big sound and fidelity. Even the humbly-priced M2 give big sound.

Yes, the active LFR1100 are a completely different world. Even my klepto buddy - you know, the one who made off with my M100s - sees the benefits of the actives over the M100s. This poor guy never gave audio a second thought and now he's gone mad. The last two weeks, he's been moving the M100s all over his house, furnishings and wife be damned, trying to position them in such a way so they sound like my actives. It will never happen. He will never get the holographic soundstage, precise imaging, total transparency, immediacy and acoustic disappearance that I enjoy. You get all those characteristics in all Axiom speakers but the actives take it to a whole different level. He's just going to have to stop listening to my system and be happy with the sound out the M100s he never even dreamed he could get.

Omni-directional speakers make sense no matter where you listen from. In my set-up, the seats to my immediate sides enjoy the exact same sound I do. Note I don't need a center. I sit 14 feet away BTW and mine are 12 feet apart. The actives have worked in every room with no EQ. You do need space for them though. In my living room, they got in the way of themselves and could not give me the soundstage width or acoustic disappearance that on-walls do. In fact, M2 bookshelves did better in that room than actives in the soundstage department. But...BUT...OMG the bass out of the actives was a complete revelation. And the images between them were very crisp with lots of space (quiet) between them.

This may be a good vid for you to watch if you want to learn more. I was always skeptical about this science until I got my v4. Of course the active LFR1100 just re-enforced my belief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dRiJUYxnHk

I'm so glad my buddy pilfered my M100s. They sound so great in his very large vaulted ceiling living room after my 2 minutes of skillful calibration. No sub needed for music.

He's running them off a second hand 70W Denon he bought on Kijiji.

From the video I learned that ominidirectional speakers have near-ideal characteristics when it comes to spatial and harmonic sound distribution. At least that's how I captured a very short passage. It looks like the active LFRs come with DSP/DAC and power-amp box, separate for each channel. I understand that is the whole "secret sauce" where the "family of curves" is processed and turned into right shapes, in ideal timing and perfect portions of energy that power the drivers. This makes a lot of sense and, I believe, fully justifies the price. Given the amount of research necessary to put product like that together, the price is not only justifiable but, perhaps, a bargain. And from your post I can tell that LFR1100 must be truly remarkable.

When it comes to my order fulfillment, I am anxious but also very patient, so I hope AI-bot will notice that and I will not be punished by getting extra delay Joking aside, I personally think that in any type of craft-work the quality cannot be achieved fast. And too me, building a solid, beautiful and well performing set of speakers is a craft-work. Mind, I am talking about solid+beautiful+well-performing. If one or 2 of those factors is removed, then we are talking about current mass-market, in which case there is no quality and no craft-work involved.

I cannot believe this thread has continued so long and we generated so much content! I am not hyper-connected [to Internet, social media, telephones etc]. In fact, I am hyper-disconnected. So the that makes it even more wild. I truly enjoy this conversation and thank you (and other friends who posted here) for being so engaging and sharing so much of a great information.

M100s are amazing speakers. I've listened to many from several different manufactures. Not the actives though, but many nonetheless. No doubt, M100s are without question the most bang for your buck speakers on the market today! Thats why they are sitting in my living room! There is so much thunder from down under with those fellows, it's not even funny!

Sinclair, you got all that right. This is another cool video from 6 months ago.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-W3qn4-WU

Mojo, thanks a lot for the second video and kind affirmation that my learning about speaker systems goes right way

The second video (from 2020) is far more explanatory. Andrew and Ian flush out some ideas about building high-performance and high-quality speakers and Ian briefs us on his background and how everything started. I really appreciate videos like that. I learned a lot by watching Paul McGowan's channel from PS Audio.

Hey, Rebulx,
thank you for sharing your impressions. Its's always great to have word from a sailor who's been to many ports. I can see B&W, KEF, and even SVS on your list and that is a beautiful collection but also truly challenging test for any new brand that you add to the list. Nice to know Axiom M100 came out high.

As you may know from this thread I am waiting for my order of M5HP and will be comparing them to Totem/Arro and PSB/T5 (that's what I currently own). To tell the truth, it is probably not fair to measure M5HP against T5 as they are different category speakers altogether. Arros (which, btw. are "nearly-bookshelf") although very brilliant and well-sounding , do not do much in the power department. So, in the end, expect a *different* experience; i.e. better soundstage would be desired/great-to-have.

I dont discount Paul Mcgowans years of industry experience, but be very careful with his videos. They are full of soft science and in the end are intended to comfort you into buying from him. He is a marketer and businessman first. He is a waffler and a vague dreamer but little else in those vids. His products test mediocre and are very expensive for what you get. Often he doesnt even answer the question....

The M5s will test favourably vs the T5s in the right room. I have worked with PSB product in installs. Nothing special when compared with Axiom. Just another option.

I often help with installs with well heeled home owners. They could buy anything they want. Recently purchased some M5s after years of being on the boards. I now push Axiom for my installs.

I would say the M5HPs are about the best you are going to do in that cabinet size for the price and recommend them highly.

Btw, in installs the room and integration of products are often more important than what the product is.

When you compare the M5s to your other speakers throw out the notion that they should be set up in the same places etc. Let them run in for a few hours then dial them in. Give them space behind them. If you dont want to buy anymore speakers you wont have to.... they are end game medium sized room speakers.

Hi TrevorM, it is great to have another positive review of M5HP. Opinions and assurances from this forum fully convinced my mind. I just need the speakers to convince my body. And it is highly probable they might be my "end game" speakers indeed.

Yes, I realized that Paul McGowan's videos are also his marketing pitch but I think it is fair, after all he is a businessmen. I never had an opportunity to listen to PS Audio. I agree they are expensive. I was considering their Sprout100 for my basement but eventually moved on with a different plan and decided to go for full-size Yamaha Receiver.

Thanks a lot!

I now mostly watch the P.S. vids for entertainment, along with Zeos. No real info just something to watch. With Zeos it's pretty much how many times will he drop the F bomb. Recently he's been putting a portable HT in his new basement. A little more info than normal/ though nothing more than entertainment.

Much better checking out RadioTVPhononut old school refurbs or one of the XRAYTONYB or 12voltvids. With real info and repairs/Diagnostics.
One I'm really anticipating is NextBestThing and Jay's review of Axiom sometime soon.

Same here. Looking forward to hearing what he has to say.

Me three.

Hi brendo, I checked those youtubes and it is lots of fun, though some of them (like XRAYTONYB) are for a super-very-narrow niche of hobbyists. I appreciate what they do... lots of nostalgia ... but we cannot return to.

What I truly value from those days is design ideas and incomparable quality of labor. Comparing with today, their electronic circuits and way of fabricating discrete components were not necessarily better, actually, most of the time it was worse. However, huge and real problem started with greed-motivated death-race that flipped the industry upside-down and shot down great businesses and great ideas.

On the other hand, we have number of new and fascinating inventions that came along out of overall technological progress. Not only tremendous knowledge has been accumulated but new engineering and high-tech materials reshaped the market and opened brand new opportunities. Who would have thought about metal or nanotube speaker membranes in 70's, 80's or even 90's? Another one is the progress in DAC and, specifically, DSP segment - it is just mind-blowing...

I am constantly looking for those who are able to mix the best of both worlds. A good example of such is Yamaha's A-S* series of stereo-amplifiers (such as A-S2100). They aggregate 40-years of their acoustic engineering and design experience. Keeping the prices at reasonable level is also part of that secret.

I am sorry for diverting from speakers to more general topics...
Yes, we need more reviews of Axiom speakers for sure.

Cheers and best of all!

Some of that old gear is crazy cool. Plus they do a really good job of explaining the circuits. and why certain parts were chosen Some of which are really scary as to how they could still run with all the old completely pure solder boards in hot chassis even. Some old designs amaze me I'd be so scared the line would melt right off on some.

I've said it before. Paul's videos are not helpful nor enriching.

Agree on Paul. He seems super fake. It’s painful all the quasi answers. It’s clearly not about answering the questions bc if it was he d at least use a whiteboard or some kinda graphics on screen or props. But no, ramble on about nothing and then not answer the question with any precision or authority.

Ok rant over.

Hans Beekhuyzen, now there’s an answer to your questions! He’s good. And he’s not trying to sell me stuff in sleezy salesman way. Highly recommended. He’s on YouTube.

brendo, I agree that some of those old designs are mind boggling, amazing and scary at the same time. Also agree on the value of science and engineering the enthusiasts of vintage hi-fi equipment carry on.

Speaking about Paul McGowan, I agree that his style and narrative might not be greatest/best for everyone. Still, he has achieved a lot as an engineer and entrepreneur. And, perhaps the most important thing is that he did not outsource and that requires lots of guts. Endless legion of others sold their souls to cheap manufacturing while keep asking high $ for their product with the smile on their faces. Last but not least, isn't Ian trying to promote Axiom speakers in his youtube videos? I think he is and I think that is absolutely fine and, actually, expected from him and anyone else who is proud of his achievements and interested in promoting his business. So does Nelson Pass and many others. Nelson has certainly more entertaining style, for sure

Thank you for recommending Hans Beekhuyzen, pure pleasure...