Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo m40 vs m22 in a room 13x18ft, no sub

hi
Struggling with this decison - these two are at the edge of my budget. Not likely to get a sub because of budget issues and girlfriend acceptance of additional boxes. I live in an appartement so don't really want enormous volume or bass. I was thinking the m40s might be a bit too big for a room of this size but the guy on the axiom hotline was edging me towards them becuase of my lack of subwoofer. I will be sitting with my back to one long wall and the speakers will be against the opposite wall.

Extra info - Primarily interested in music though I plan to expand with a center and maybe surrounds for dvds later.

I have a fairly modest 200 buck sony receiver.

ceiling height is 9ft

Any input gratefully received.

Disclaimer: I have not heard either of these speakers. I am only re-iterating the information I found that helped me make my decision.

Not too long ago, I was trying to make the same decision as you: same budget crunch, same mostly musical needs and plans for the future. My room is actually a wee bit smaller -- about 11x17. I went with the m22s and they might arrive as soon as tomorrow.

From what I've read on this forum, the m40s are considered to be a more laid-back speaker than the m22s. So while it is of course a matter of personal preference, the majority seem to prefer the sound of the m22s, especially for music. And although I plan to get a sub somewhere down the road, what I've read indicates that the bass response of the m22s should be sufficient for my small room for the time being. I live in a poorly insulated student ghetto apartment, so loud bass would not be appreciated by my neighbors.

Are you really planning to never get a sub? Most people seem to think that subs help a lot -- even with the really big tower speakers -- and the frequency response of the m40s is only 40hz-22khz +/- 3 dB, so you'll be missing out on some bass, especially in movies.

pmulvey,

Don't know how strict the GAF (girlfriend acceptance factor) is, but here's a picture of how I've got my M22s set up. I think it's the camera angle, but the room looks smaller than it actually is. I think we're in similar sized rooms.

The box towards the bottom left of the guitars is an EP175 sub stuck underneath the table. Very discreet, and most visitors don't even notice it's there, even when they're sitting on the couch.

I suspect the M40s might make you feel a little crowded.

I love the M22s, but definitely try to go with the sub for either set of speakers. It makes all the difference in the world. And I'm very conscious of trying not to annoy my neighbor. This October will mark four years in that apartment, and I've never had him bang on the wall or say anything to me. I think a big part of that has to do with calibration. If they're setup properly, a sub isn't nearly as loud or conspicuous as you might think.

A pleasant room, Mike. Makes one feel like sitting down and doing some listening. Also, a masterful job of squeezing a lot, attractively, into a small space.

Well, if you can ignore the cat...

I can't see the picture of Mikes room, but I can say that I have a living room about 12X14 in a smaller house and my M22ti's can really carry the space without any problem. I LOVE these speakers they sound so good. I just bought a Hsu STF-2 sub, however, because unless you only listen to music without much bass you are going to want a sub at some point. I understand the apartment dilemia though and you will be so impressed by how well these speakers carry vocals and most of the musical range that you will not be overly concerned if you don't step up to the neighbor abuse know as a subwoofer. I have not heard the M40's, but like many of the guys on here I was steered towards the M22' s and never looked back.

Hi pmulvey,

Lots of excellent responses here, and I recommend getting creative (eventually) with subwoofer location. Mine is at one end of the couch as a quasi- end table. No-one notices it.

The M40ti is. . .I'll say it. ..tonally quite different from the M22ti, rather on the subdued side of the ledger. If you like clarity, transparency and lots of detail (and I do), then go for the M22ti. Its bass is quite pleasant on its own and you can add the extra octave of deep bass later on when you figure out how to cunningly conceal the subwoofer.

Regards,

My cat sleeps on mine. I guess she likes bass.

Many thanks to all who replied - I am going to go with the m22s and think about a sub later. Can't wait to try out a product which engeneders such enthusiasm.

Once these puppies are singing to you, you will understand and become "engendercized" yourself! As I read through the thread, I was reminded that other threads have gone into great detail about the alternative use for cats as organic speaker port stuffers to properly tune the audio to your personal taste. Hasn't been brought up in awhile, so I thought I'd provide the input for those who may have missed it.