Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Please allow me to introduce myself...

Go for a refurb 525 if you can, over the 330.

PapaJim;

I would avoid buying anything from the B&M (brick & mortar) stores like Best Buy and Circuit City, unless you do your research elsewhere and you decide you want a product that they carry at a good price. I go to a Best Buy on a regular basis (to buy DVD's and CD's), and as far as I can tell, the speakers they carry are mostly crap. They do not carry Denon, Onkyo, HK or the upper lever Yamahas and Pioneer receivers. Good receivers, as I have said elsewhere, will sound equivalent, so you can find one with the features, power, and looks that you like at a satisfactory price and be confident it will sound good. The refurbished Denon and Karmon Kardon gear available at e-cost include some out and out steals.

Speakers are a bit trickier. When you buy them at a store, you have the comforting illusion of being able to listen before you buy. The illusion is that the store can manipulate the signal to make just about any speaker sound good or bad in their store. The acoustics of a store listening room are also quite different than those of your living room. Those speakers that you loved in the store might just sound like junk when you ge them home. Getting a set of Axioms, sound unheard, that you can audition in your home for up to 30 days without risking anything but return postage isn't quite as crazy as it sounds. Also, check the thread entitled "Auditioning Axioms in your area" in the "Questions and Comments" forum to see if anybody in your area has a set of Axioms you can audition. Most all of us are proud of our systems, and eager to show them off.

Mark

Ya I found someone in my area, listened to some Axioms and after going to every place in town, there was nuttin even comparible for the price. I'll be getting some Axioms within a months time I think.

I think PapaJim has gone off to "bale up a 5-sheeter."

No sheets to the wind. No wind broken.

It's all I could do to make it through last week without hocking my children's college education. But I have been thinking about everything that has been said here. I think I'm convinced that I want to try the Ax speakers. I know (as does any self respecting geek) that you are all correct when you point out that speakers can make or break an entire system. I'm also about 85% convinced that I should get a higher end receiver than I would if left to my own devices.

But not being ready to plop down my entire load at once (as a geezer I've learned to pace myself in ALL things), now I'm wondering if I might get more immediate gratification by buying a pair of speakers FIRST. I listen to music every day, and those would start paying off right away. They should also be usable with an upgraded DVD system, whenever I do it. If I just get a new receiver now, outside of jerry-rigging my old hodge-podge of speakers into some kind of poor-man's 5.1 system, it would probably be a while before I made the next purchase, and by itself, I can't see a new receiver making that much difference. At least not like speakers would.

Am I thinking straight my brothers?

The only comeback I would make is this. The front speakers first and building yourself into a 5.1 system is certainly viable. If you can swing it, I think you will find a new receiver at the same time would make a difference. I again mention the Denon 1804 or 2803 at ecost, but those are only only 2 of several choices that would work well for you. If you choose to wait, you shouldn't lose any sleep over the decision. Whatever you decide to do - you will love the Axioms. Have at it big guy!!

What are your old speakers (other than big-ass )? Maybe they're oldies but goodies?

Hey Ray! We got another geezer! I wonder if he's as much a geezer as we are?

I may have you all beat ,I,ll be 69 on Sunday.

Happy Birthday Frank! Yup, you got me beat by 10. A real "Geezer." Keep on Truckin'.