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M22 vs M3
#17959 08/21/03 03:34 PM
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i am interested in the M22s,.. but who isn't...thing is, some reviewers noted a lack of bass in the M22s. that made me wonder, does the M3s have more bass extension than the M22s? what about bass quality and tightness?
which one has a more balanced sound?...M3s have a midbass spike according to reviews.
i will be using a subwoofer with my system, which one will blend more smoothly and seamlessly?
i will be auditioning them both tomorrow!! wish me luck!!

Re: M22 vs M3
#17960 08/21/03 04:40 PM
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slack,

You've already answered your questions by yourself. Most importantly, rely on your own ears since you are lucky enough to have a chance to audition both speakers. Since you will already cover the most relevant factor (which is your own listening tests), I just wanted to link to some NRC measurements available at audiovideoreviews.com.


M3 frequency response (listening window, +/- 15 degrees off-axis averaged):


M22 frequency response (listening window, +/- 15 degrees off-axis averaged):



As you see in the graphs, the "real" bass extension is almost identical in these speakers. However, the M3 has a significant hump in the 80-200Hz region, which may provide a subjective impression of "more bass" for some listeners. Also, the M3 exhibits a broad dip in the 1.5-10kHz region (especially 3-8kHz), which may explain many people's impressions that these speakers are more recessed, laid-back, relaxed and mellow. In contrast, the M22 shows a definitely flatter response above 80Hz, consistent with its impression of an accurate, more detailed sound.

If it were me, I would likely go with the M22, which I know blends with a subwoofer seamlessly.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17961 08/21/03 05:08 PM
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I agree...if you've already got a nice sub, the M22's are the way to go.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17962 08/21/03 05:38 PM
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another concern is that the speakers will sound different at the dealer compared to at home...i will be using them with a NAD 3100 integrated amp 50wpc...got it second hand, don't even know how old it is.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17963 08/21/03 07:50 PM
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50wpc is more than enough to power the m22's or m3's.

my dad is powering my m3's with 20wpc on a toshiba tuner that's from the 70's and it sounds GREAT

Re: M22 vs M3
#17964 08/21/03 10:03 PM
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slack,

Don't worry too much about it. As long as you listen to the M3 and M22 side-by-side in the same dealer room, you will get a very good idea regarding their respective tonal characters.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17965 08/22/03 03:13 PM
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I just came back from auditioning the M3s and M22s!!!
despite the similar freq response graphs, i found the M3s had more bass than the M22s, quite a lot more..this could be due to the midbass hump in the M3s, or the dealer said it could be because the M22s are not that broken in compared to the M3s.
on the whole, i found the M22s have a much more natural and smooth sound compared to hte M3s whose bass sounded overemphasized on some songs...on the other hand, the M22s seem to lack that bit of punch in the bass...the dealer said the more powerful the amplifier used, the tighter and punchier the bass..
the dealer was unable to hook up a subwoofer for my listening tests...i will be using the bookshelves with a subwoofer at home. therefore, i was unable to determine if the M22s would blend seamlessly enough with a sub.
i will go back again with some of my own CDs...i actually listen to heavy metal. the dealer said that the axioms are not suited for such music ( rock, heavy metal)
i really liked the midrange and treble of the M22s. if only the bass was slighly deeper.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17966 08/22/03 03:53 PM
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The M22's with a sub are a match made in heaven. The sub will (should) disappear - giving you the impression that your M22's have become the clearest full range speakers you've ever heard.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17967 08/22/03 04:36 PM
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Hmmmm... "The Axioms are not suited for such music...."

I always thought this was a silly way to audition speakers. Does this mean you should ideally have a different set of speakers for each genre of music you listen to? Should I have a bassy set of speakers for metal, an airy set of speakers for classical, and a well-balanced set for jazz? That's BS.

If a set of speakers is accurate -- and the M22s definitely are -- then they should reproduce EVERY genre of music well. I really don't think the guy sitting behind the mixing console thinks about what kinds of speakers "Band X's" audience has and mixes the CD appropriately for them.

I'll give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and assume he was just referring to the M22's low perceived bass output.

Re: M22 vs M3
#17968 08/22/03 05:12 PM
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Yeah, (as I always say) don't listen to the dealer; listen to the speakers!

The salesperson's mention of the M22 break-in, as well as the effects of a "more powerful" amp, is essentially a BS. Ian, the Axiom founder and chief engineer, has openly stated that his speakers don't require more than 1-2 hours of "break-in," if any. No solidstate amp will make M22's bass "tighter" or "punchier" than what you heard (unless the amp you heard was grossly underpowered, which is very unlikely). As Craig said, this is a non-issue for you anyway, since you will be using it with a subwoofer.

With regard to the "suitability" of the Axioms for the rock and heavy metal genres, what the dealer said is again a BS. But it is true that the Axiom speakers are honest about "hot" recordings often found in the rock/pop CDs. Those recordings, intentionally EQ'ed to sound nice on FM radios, boomboxes and car audios, may present themselves as overly aggressive on the Axioms, simply because of Axiom's highly neutral and accurate nature. At any rate, it is VERY important for you to listen to the speakers with the music you like and are familiar with. You are the only judge here!

Good luck!!!

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