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Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88846 04/05/05 09:47 AM
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angusat Offline OP
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Want to modify my questions for all ... I would appreciate comments regarding direct comparisons of Axiom M60ti's and PSB 6T's or the newer model PSB T-65 speakers and Energy c-7's or C-9 speakers. The speakers will be set up for use in two channel listening with components being a Hafler DH-200 amp (100 wpc) and DH-101 preamp. Room size is 18 x 16. Do want to run the speakers solo however can add in a 250 watt M&K subwoofer if needed.

All thoughts are appreciated.


Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88847 04/05/05 01:11 PM
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I'll give a little bump here. Angusat came over this past Sunday to listen to my M22s. The initial idea was that it would be about a half hour visit -- he just wanted to inspect the speakers and listen to a few cuts off of a handful of CDs. Well, the visit turned into a few hours, and we had a great time talking music, audio equipment and everything else under the sun. He's a terrific guy, and if anyone can offer any insight on PSBs I'm sure it would be appreciated.


M22ti mains, EP175 sub, VP150 center, QS4 surrounds
Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88848 04/05/05 04:07 PM
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angusat,
You can read my thoughts on Axioms and the Energy C series in this thread here.


"Those who preach the myths of audio are ignorant of truth."
Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88849 04/05/05 04:36 PM
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I haven't heard the T65 but I have heard the 5T and the Image 2B's. I can say that PSB produces some very nice sounding speakers. In my opinion, the Axioms seem to be a little more neutral while the PSB's add a slight warmth to the sound. I hear the new line of PSB's (e.g. T65) are slightly more refined. Maybe they are tuned for a bit more neutrality. Either way, I always recommend PSB to those who are considering Axiom. Both make great speakers for great prices but have slightly different sounds.

I imagine the 65 sounds pretty similar to the 5T but with more lower end output.

Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88850 04/06/05 05:33 AM
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angusat Offline OP
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Can you elaborate what you mean in saying...

"PSB's add a slight warmth to the sound"

What is a warm sound? and

"...the new line of PSB's (e.g. T65) are slightly more refined" What does refined mean?

Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88851 04/06/05 05:59 AM
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I can, I'm not sure you will understand my interpretation though. When I A/B'd the PSB and Axiom speakers I noticed it most with cymbal crashes and acoustic guitar plucking. When I listened through the PSB's first I was very impressed. I next listened to the same passage through the axioms and was astonished. The crashes and strings sounded a small bit (but noticeable to my ears) "clearer." I used Dave Matthews, Melissa Etheridge, and Jack Johnson for those tests and I could always pick out the difference. I had my bro and dad stand backwards in the dark not knowing which speakers were playing and they came to the same conclusion that speaker B (the Axiom) sounded a bit cleaner.
Therefore the PSB's seemed to add a "warmth" to them that the Axiom's did not.

I wouldn't call the PSB's laid back or the Axiom's forward (who the hell knows what that means anyways?) just that the Axioms sounded a little more revealing for lack of a better term.

I've read some reviews that the new PSB's are more refined. I take it to mean that the presentation is smoother. Meaning if the reviewer thought the presentation was congested it may be a little less, or if he thought it was bright, it was less piercing. I would take the refinement with a grain of salt as I have not had a chance to audition them yet (that is coming this summer) myself.

I posted my thoughts somewhere about 7-8 months ago if you enter my name and "PSB vs. Axiom" I'm sure you'll find my more in depth findings there.

Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88852 04/06/05 03:52 PM
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Hello Angusat,

Player8's comments on the tonal balance of the PSB 5T and Image line relative to Axiom are very accurate, and parallel my own judgments of PSB speakers, which I've reviewed along with Energy, Axiom, Paradigm and many others for years.

"A slight warmth" results from a modest boost (a few dB, typically) in the upper bass frequencies over the range of 100 Hz to perhaps 500 Hz, whereas the Axioms (M60, M80) are typically smoother (no boost) or more "linear" in that range.

The "warmth" or lift in that region of bass (very typical of almost all Paradigm speakers) may add a kind of thickness or fatness to male vocals, a sonic trait that I find really annoying after hearing a more neutral speaker like the Axioms. I use specific recordings of male singers to test for that.

On first hearing, that "warmth" may prove to be flattering on some instruments--saxaphone, vocals, cello, double bass--but it isn't accurate. It's a slight coloration that gets annoying with long-term listening. The Stratus line of PSB (Silver and Gold) are much closer in tonal balance to Axioms and do not have that lift in the upper bass.

"More refined" means smoother with less coloration and fewer spikes or dips in the midrange and treble. For instance, PSB's Stratus Gold, which is very comparable in tonal balance to the Axiom M60ti or the M80ti, always had a bit of a glitch, or lack of refinement, in the upper midrange response. It made trumpet and violin sound a bit strident and I always noted it in blind tests with other speakers. Several expensive Thiel speakers also had a similar upper midrange stridency (much worse than the PSB) that I noted in tests. I don't know whether the Stratus Gold's was subsequently fixed.

I do know that the M60ti and M80ti have a very smooth, refined, and detailed midrange and upper octave response that does not have any "glitches" like the ones I described.

I haven't heard PSB's latest series.

In my judgment, the Axioms are smoother and more refined than the Energy Connoisseur series. The much more expensive Energy Veritas models are comparable to the Axiom M60 and M80 in overall refinement and neutrality.

Regards,


Alan Lofft,
Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)
Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88853 04/06/05 04:14 PM
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Well that makes me feel better. I actually noticed more of the "congestive" qualities on female vocals such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones. Through the PSB's there was a slight "nassality" through it that although present through the Axiom's as well wasn't quite as prevalent. If you live in a metro area there are sure to be several dealers of PSB. I'd recommend demoing PSB, Paradigmn, and Axiom in YOUR own home and then decide from there. I didn't try Paradigmn, but they were out of my price range at the time I bought my speakers (I'm still in college).

Re: Comparisons of M60ti, PSB 6t's or T65's
#88854 04/06/05 06:22 PM
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I listened to PSB Image 2Bs and one of the midrange Paradigm Monitors before getting my Axioms. I didn't like the PSBs all that much, felt like they had a bit of the old JBL sound (How do they sound ? Loud !!) but I did like the Paradigms.


M60ti, VP180, QS8, M2ti, EP500, PC-Plus 20-39
M5HP, M40ti, Sierra-1
LFR1100 active, ADA1500-4 and -8

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