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Posted By: jhunt17 WOW factor - 05/31/05 09:03 PM
I have been off an on this board asking questions and I have really appreciated the feedback, but I guess I still need some convincing. I have been looking at the 60 500 package. My question is this. Will this system give me a movie theater sensation putting me into the movie? Is the experience worth the dollars? Will it make my music come alive? I want my movies and music to sound as if they are coming from an open stage and not out of a box if you understand my meaning. I want to be completely surrounded by full sound and bass hitting me in the chest. I spent a great deal on my Hitachi ultravision rear projection last year and did not have any buyers remorse at all. I absolutely love it. I guess I would also be characterized as a money mizer, and my purpose is to purchase a top notch product that will last for years. I want to buy close to the best so I won't have to replace it later. WIll this system do the things I want it too?

Appreciate the feedback

Thanks
Posted By: bigwill2 Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 09:18 PM
It is entirely possible that Axioms would fit the bill, but you'll never know until you: a) find someone nearby that can demo them for you, or b) make a leap of faith and buy the M60s for the in-home 30 day trial period.
BTW, if you have the bucks for an EP500 (which is by all accounts an awesome sub), most folks will suggest you also pop for the VP150 over the VP100.
Good luck.
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 09:22 PM
Thanks, I thought the VP150 was in that package with the 500?
Posted By: richeydog Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 09:48 PM
The vp150 IS included with the epic 60/500 package. Jhunt, depending on where you live, audtioning at someone's house would be the best way for you see if you like the Axioms. But a lot of people here including myself took a leap of faith and ordered them without ever hearing them.

That being said you could always try the m60's first. If you like em order the rest. If not you'll have to pay return shipping which could be a lot or a little depending on your location. All in all its worth a shot because I think they'll be fabulous for your application.
Posted By: bugbitten Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 10:14 PM
jhunt,
I ordered the 60 500 and enjoyed it ,oh sooo much, for 30+ days. The 60 are great. VP150 excellent center. QS8 wonderful matching surrounds.
99 percent HT in this house.
I actually hoped the 500 didn't shake the house off the foundations.
Then I returned the 60's for 80's. Best 323.00 I've spent.

Posted By: Zarak Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 10:45 PM
If it helps, as far as sound goes I prefer watching movies at home on my Axioms when it comes to sound vs. listening to the sound in the theather. The one exception to this is IMAX movies. The sound on those beats out the Axioms, but I'm not about to get an IMAX setup in my house either.

My screen on the other hand, is a whole nother story. I figure my 25" TV has about 15 months to live, based on my current plans.
Posted By: hashts Re: WOW factor - 05/31/05 11:40 PM
I think what you want fits the Axioms to a T! I also took a leap of faith and ordered the speakers without ever hearing any of them. The sound is so clean and sharp, all my friends are amazed. One of em is already saving up for a pair of M60s.

Also being a mizer like me, you simply CANNOT find a better price/performance ratio than Axioms! Its awesome the quality of sound you get for the cost. And you have 30 days to determine if you they are what you like.

I used to watch movies with the tv speakers for so long, never really paying attention to sound. I only realized how important sound was after going to some high end stores and listening to movies. Now I have HiDef and I finally realize how important of a role sound plays in movies. Take a risk, and you will not be sorry...I wasn't
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 01:34 AM
thanks everyone for the input. I would still be very much interested in others opinions. So if I am reading everyone's quotes correctly everyone so far believes the sound of the axioms is better than in the theater and the 500 should be more than enough to be able to feel the base without having it cranked up to where my ears will bleed? Also hopefully down the road I have the opportunity to finish my basement. So these speakers will ultimately be moved down in the basement. I would like to build a theater style room there when I get the chance.
Moving on. What color does everyone favor? I am single so I get to make all the decisions, but I have NO skills in that department. I am leaning toward the Mansfield Beach, but some others in my family have said I wouldn't want them to dominate my space. Some said black. For some reason to me, in the pictures I see. The black finish doesn't look polished to me? I don't want to sound inappropriate, but they just don't look as refined as I think they should in black. Do they look better in person? Are the pictures just misleading?
I guess I will take an unscientific pole. Let me know who likes what.

thanks
Posted By: richeydog Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 02:33 AM
Yes I do think some of the pictures are misleading. Definitely look better in person. That being said I think the best way for you to choose the right color for your rooom would be to have Axiom send out the four standard color samples to your door. That way with some nice help from your FEMALE friends you could create a nice match to the rest of your room. Also check out the custom finishes. You might find one that you like.
Posted By: BrenR Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 02:40 AM
In reply to:

and the 500 should be more than enough to be able to feel the base without having it cranked up to where my ears will bleed?


The bass? In an EP500? You'll be juuuust fine - so will your 8 closest neighbours. *laughs*

In reply to:

The black finish doesn't look polished to me?


It's Black Oak not Piano Black, maybe that's your issue? It resembles a black transparent stain on oak, not a paint and polish treatment.

Bren R.
Posted By: ratpack Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 02:55 AM
Is there some reason that you didn't consider the epic 80 500 package?
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 03:27 AM
I figure spending 2700 bucks is plenty and a little of a stretch as it is. That is about what I will make working this summer. I am a teacher so I work in the summer for extra cash. I figure since I am single I'll get my toys now cause if I was actually spending my money decorating my house it would change anyway later when she shows up, so why waste my money on stuff that will eventually end up in the garage sale. : )

Also my reciever is a yamaha 5240 I think and I know it could handle the 4ohm load, but I figured why make it run hotter and is there really that much of a difference between the 60 and 80's? It was either 80 350 or the 60 500. I really wanted a good sub that could really move the air at low decible levels. I want to feel the base without having to have the neighbors screaming at me. Are my arguements valid or am I just a newbie nut?

Posted By: BrenR Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 03:33 AM
In reply to:

I really wanted a good sub that could really move the air at low decible levels.


Unfortunately those are tied together... it will have to play loud to kick you in the chest. Short of adding a fan, you can't move air with a sub without the accompanying increase in loudness. Your neighbours will hate you. Buy flowers for them all now.

Bren R.
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 03:43 AM
So the ability of the sub to create lower frequency large waves does not create this? OK somebody explain the dynamics of this to me. I want to understand how this works and not have any missconceptions about it. I thought it was the creation of these large waves that made you feel it. I knew that if you turned up the intensity to earpopping levels you can create that with regular speakers, but I thought the subs ability to go lower than the audible human hearing was the key to creating this effect. I guess I have a serious misconception. What am I goofing up?

newbie tryin to learn
Posted By: BigWill Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 03:52 AM
Actually I think you got it about right (also a teacher here, by the way). In fact, because the EP500 uses some fancy electronic gizmos to flatten the subs response, you should expect excellent deep response regardless of the volume level.
If you get all this stuff, it will never be in a garage sale. You may die single before parting with a quality HT system.
Posted By: bugbitten Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 04:20 AM
You might try the factory oulet to save an extra 10%. Might get those 880s.
Posted By: BrenR Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 04:52 AM
In reply to:

OK somebody explain the dynamics of this to me. I want to understand how this works and not have any missconceptions about it.


No prob. Curtis will probably chime in on this as well.

In reply to:

I thought it was the creation of these large waves that made you feel it.


That much is correct.

In reply to:

I knew that if you turned up the intensity to earpopping levels you can create that with regular speakers, but I thought the subs ability to go lower than the audible human hearing was the key to creating this effect.


You can move a certain amount of air with a driver of a certain size with a certain excursion. Subwoofer drivers are generally bigger, so they're capable of moving more air. So you have more potential air movement with a big 10"/12" driver than with a smaller driver.

The sub in subwoofer means "lower" of course. Lower than the frequency of a regular woofer, not sub-sonic (though some subs do tread into that range on their roll-off, depending on your hearing) so you're still making lots of "loud" along with your "kick to the chest"... and since bass travels a lot farther than treble, more of it will reach your neighbour's ears. (To test this - calibrate your system, set your system up with the sub on and play some music, and go to a different floor of the house... you'll only hear the lower frequencies) So getting a sub won't allow you to get that "kick in the chest" feeling without peeing off the neighbours, which was the thrust behind your message, correct?

God help me, but you might want to look into a "Tactile Transducer" for this. It's pretty much a speaker voice coil that moves a weight instead of a cone, you put it under your listening position and it gives you that physical feedback without making sound.

I feel dirty now, I must go wash.

Bren R.
Posted By: chesseroo Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 04:59 AM
If i remember correctly Bren, i have a friend of a friend here in town who owns some extremely rare 30" drivers which he has housed in some home built concrete cabinets.
I'm hoping to get a picture at some point.
Apparently with only a 5 watt monoblock driving each (or something to that effect), just turning on the amps creates a wave of sound energy so low that the hairs on your arm stand up.

It has been awhile since we chatted about this system of his so i will try to get more information and details for the curious.
Posted By: TNTguy Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 06:21 AM
In reply to:

If you get all this stuff, it will never be in a garage sale. You may die single before parting with a quality HT system.





Posted By: bridgman Re: WOW factor - 06/01/05 01:05 PM
>>I really wanted a good sub that could really move the air at low decible levels.

If you mean "hearing the deep bass clearly without having to turn the volume way up and blast all the other frequencies" then spending extra on a really good sub (like the 500) is money well spent.

When I upgraded my sub (I went from a PSB 6i to a big SVS; decision made before the EP500 came out) the most obvious thing I noticed was that the balance between mid-bass and deep bass seemed more natural, ie I could get deep bass even at "normal" volume levels.

You are still going to have to crank up the volume closer to movie theater levels in order to get that "I think my chest is collapsing" sensation but the system will certainly be able to handle it.

How big is your room, by the way ?
Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 06/02/05 02:08 AM
Yes this is pretty much what I want it to do. I want it play clean and precisely match the sound levels of my other speakers. I do not want to feel like part of my system is working and the other is lagging behind. When I listened to a sub at a local dealer, it was a klipsch sub. The sound was up but I didn't think it was really loud and it hit me with movement. Maybe since it was the first time I was ever in a store that sold good speakers I didn't notice he had cranked it up that much, My room goes the length of the house. The kitchen and dinet area are in a straight line with my living room. My living room is 20x13.6x8 and my loveseat which is the optimum viewing area is about 16 to 17 feet away. There isn't any divider wall or anything between the two rooms. The rest of the room adds another 20x12.6x8. So can this system match what I am looking for?
Posted By: spiffnme Re: WOW factor - 06/02/05 07:03 AM
In reply to:

The one exception to this is IMAX movies. The sound on those beats out the Axioms, but I'm not about to get an IMAX setup in my house either.







Posted By: jhunt17 Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 02:44 AM
Thanks everyone for your input. I really am enjoying learning about all of this stuff. Anyway, I am not interested in shaking my house or making myself dizzy because of a vibration under my chair. I am just looking for everything to be seemless. I don't want to have to reach for my remote because I can't hear the voices very well at some points or the music is too loud at others. This happens with my HTIB that I have and it drives me insane. It's like the commercials on tv. One minute the sound is nice the next its LOUD and shrill. So it sounds as if everyone believes I am looking in the right direction. Now I just gotta convince myself that the money I will make this summer is worth forking over for this system. I know with my tv there wasn't any buyers remorse, but I guess I gotta think on it. Anybody have any good ways to rationalize this purchase as a NEED! Why it is so important that I can't live without it!: )
Posted By: bridgman Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 03:48 AM
The usual argument is "I lead a very stressful life; if I'm going to continue with this I need a place where everything is good and nothing bugs me so I can go off and recharge". That is usually a good enough argument for nice speakers and a good TV.

Failing that, you can always try the "but we'll socialize more if I have a nice home theater" ploy.
Posted By: bray Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 03:52 AM
Four words.
1.You
2.Only
3.Live
4.Once

Posted By: bray Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 03:57 AM
Unless of course you believe in reincarnation.
In that case you could wait until your next life.
Just hope you dont come back as a toad.
Posted By: richeydog Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 04:04 AM
Or as Liberace.....
Posted By: spiffnme Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 03:53 PM
Liberace probably had a kick ass HT setup. (all covered in lace and jewels of course)


Posted By: richeydog Re: WOW factor - 06/03/05 08:26 PM
Haha I can only imagine a home theater by Liberace. Room treatments galore for optimum sound and the new diamond encrusted Axiom line of speakers.
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