Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Setting up my stero system

I currently have this old JVC amp powering my Athena AS-B1 bookshelf speakers matched with an Energy S8.2 sub. I am deciding to purchase a panasonic XR45 digital amp ( i heard great things about this amp) and I am thinking about replacing my AS-B1 speakers with some kind of an axiom bookshelf speaker. My room is about 13x10 feet big. Which axiom speaker would be a good match for my setup?

THank you

Hello

Interesting! I've been thinking about picking up one of those Panasonic digitally amped receivers for 2 channel. If I were going to use the Panasonic for a 2 channel Axiom stereo system it would be the M3Tis for certain!

I have not heard the M3 but they sure do seem to be the favorite for 2 channel around here.As for the Panasonic receivers go I have the SA-HE70 and have been quite pleased with it.I have it hooked up to HSU VT-12 system for HT.

HL, welcome. With that small room and with the use of your sub I'd suggest that M2s would be your best choice.

Hello hlow,

Hope you are well. I will second the vote for M2s for that setup. I have them in a 12 x 18 room with 8 foot ceilings and they can easily do 95db+ SPL with no detectable distortion at an 11 foot listening distance.

Later,

TonyM

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Yeah I was looking at the M2Tis. In terms of sound quality, I should just with the M2s instead of ths M3sknowing that i have that Energy sub?
How does the M2, M3 and the AS-B1s differ in terms of midrange and highs? Would switching from Athena B1s to the M2 provide a good improvement of sound quality?

Thanks in advance.
Henry

Hello hlow,

Hope you are well. I went and looked at the SoundStage review of your current speakers, and they held up well against the Axioms. They are very similar to the M3 in size and performance. The NRC data for the M3 and B1s are very similar. The M2i will sound much different compared to them.

The M2i will be more precise through the mids and highs, but will not play as deep as your AS-B1s or the M3. The M2 needs the sub for full range, but with the sub on sounds fantastic with an 80Hz crossover to the sub.

As to which will sound better between the M2 and the B1s, it is hard to say. Your current speakers are not bad at all.

Later,

TonyM

From the quick listen I gave Athenas at BB, the biggest difference will be the Axiom tweeter (and if you go with M2s, the midrange as well). What I heard was a warmer, boxier speaker than Axiom. You will have volumes more detail and dispersion with the Axioms, but you may not like it. If you like the warmth of the Athenas then stick with them.

Based on what u guys said, the B1s are similar to the m3tis and if i stick with them, i will be missing alittle bit of detail?

Actually I am really in to warm sounding speakers. I was in this local audio store and I was listening to this set of B&W speakers with a lower end Rotel RA-O1 amp and it sounded so good and warm. The voices of female vocal amazed me. When I went home and listened to my setup again, it sounded so pale and uncolourful compared to what I was listening in the store. You guys said my B1s are pretty warm though. Could it be just my old 1980s JVC amp thats not providing a good power source to my speakers? Im not sure if u guys heard of the Panasonic digital amps. If I switch to the XR45/25/10, do u guys think i will get a big improvement in sound quality?

Or maybe because its also the source I am listening from. I am actually hooking up my jvc amp to my laptop and playing mp3s... and the rotel amp at the store was listening to a highend kenwood cd player.

I heard many comparison to simliar sized B&W speakers with the m3tis... and many say that the m3ti is better in many ways, so i assume that the B1s are close to the B&W interms of performance. I just want to find a way to make my setup sound as good as that setup, or close.

I WANT THAT SOUND IN MY ROOM! lol

Thanks, you guys are great.

Hello hlow,

Hope you are well. If you like warm sounding speakers, you probably will not like the M2s, I would go with the M3 instead.

As far as how your B1's sound, I doubt very much that the sound card in that lap top is very good. Plus an MP3 is never going to sound like a CD, it is compressed. So, those are two things against the sound quality being input into your amplifier. If you amplify a low quality signal it only gets worse.

Will the store you went to allow you to bring your B1's in for a direct comparison in the store? That way you can see what your B1's sound like with a better amp and source. Or, if you know a friend with a decent setup, take your B1's to their house to see how they sound.

Later,

TonyM

Hi hlow

I think the M3s are wonderfully detailed, full sounding, extremely pleasing speakers to listen to.

I've heard great things about the new Panasonic XR25/45 digitally amped receiver and if I were not in love with my 2 channel tube amp, I'd try the Panasonic. I also have a hunch the Panasonic will be a great match for the M3s, don't ask me why.

BTW, I've listened to some older, higher end JVC receivers and was impressed.

If you try it, let us know!

G'luck.

2X6spds:

How do you think the Panasonic XR25/45 would do with the M22's? I've pretty much decided on the Yamaha RX-V1400, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this XR25/45.

Thanks man.

Hi SutterCane

I've never listened to the new Panasonic digitally amplified 6 channel receivers, but they are sure getting great buzz among audiophiles ... using only 2 of the 6 amplified channels folks find this Panny compares favorably to some really high buck very well thought of amps. Now, I know there are people who say all sand amps are the same ... I don't mean to sound disrespectful of another's opinion, but I think that's nonsense.

For $300 or less, if I had an extra room, I'd get one of these Pannies in a heart beat and make up my own mind. I had a pair of M22s for a very short period of time. I don't know if mine was a substandard pair or whether the 22s are not as tube friendly as the M3Tis, but whatever the problem was, I didn't feel the love for them that I feel for the M3s or the Michaura M22-like M55, or Michaura M50-like M66's. I do know that reviewers I respect think the M22s are terrific.

That having been said, I think the Panasonic with 100 wpc will bring out the best the M22s have to offer.

hlow, welcome!

Read this post with a reply from Alan (Resident Expert) for a different opinion.

While I have no thoughts on this subject, you should make sure that the store you purchese from has a liberal return policy, just in case you aren't thrilled.

Hello hlow,

I think you'll find a big improvement just by upgrading your receiver. When you describe your enjoying the "warm" sound of the Rotel / B&W combination, I think that reflects a much more full, accurate sound that you're used to (IMO)with the JVC. Alot of that comes from the receiver. That would be my initial recommendation - just try that and see how it sounds in your current set-up. After that, just to add another option since you already have a subwoofer, the M22's would also do incredibly. Having had both the M22's and M3's, the M22's have an incredible level of accuracy, tremendous soundstage, but with less lower frequency than the M3's. But with the subwoofer the lower frequency deficiency of the 22's should be overcome.