Hi,
My first post.

I find myself in need of a pair of bookshelf speakers and with very little money. I was initially looking at spending $1000-$1500, which in Australia can buy you a pair of Dynaudio Audience 52's (I love those speakers), or Elac bookshelves.

However, most of the money got "used up", and my budget is now around $500 (and even then I'll have to wait of couple of months for all of it).

A number of people at the Slim Devices forum (I own a Squeezebox network player) suggested said Axiom were good value, and the M3 v2's are A$482 including delivery (even cheaper from the factory outlet).

So, the obvious question is - what do they sound like? I listen to everything from chamber music to Al Stewart, although not a lot of heavy stuff. The room is rectangular, about 18 by 12 feet, with a nine foot ceiling. However, instead of a wall next to the left speaker, there is a six foot opening leading to the dining room, which complicates things a bit

For me, a speaker needs to have reasonable bass quality and extension, and a clean top end, but the most important thing is the midrange. It needs to be smooth and natural, especially vocals.

So, if you own a pair of M2's, do you think they would work for me? How do they compare to other bookshelf speakers you have listened to?

I have a NAD C320BEE stereo amp, which has a solid, slightly forward sound, and, as I said, a Slim Devices Squeezebox. I do plan to order the M3's when I get the money, and take advantage of the 30 day trial.

Thanks

Shane

Welcome, Shane!

The M3s are fantastic little speakers. They have a slight bass hump, which gives the impression of a little fuller bottom end, but it is not very distracting. The midrange is where the M3s shine, offering a smooth and pleasing tone. As for the top end, the M22s are probably the winner (although I've never heard them), but the M3s are slightly more recessed on the top. Yes, you still get detail, but it's not as prevalent as on other speakers. It just so happens that that is the sound I prefer.

For the money, you can't go wrong.

Shane, welcome. You're certainly correct as to the importance of the mid-range and it's crucial to get that right. The Axioms have in fact got it right and since the M3s fit your budget you should be very pleased with the results. If you haven't seen it, you might study the NRC measurements and SoundStage review which is still relevant since there've been only a couple of cosmetic changes.

Shane, I'm gonna shamelessly pimp my own review I did of the M3s and other speakers. Maybe this will help.

yeah, I remember that post. Great review!

StPat. I hadn't seen that review so thanks for linking to it. I enjoyed reading through your comments.

Jason

Thanks guys!

See, sometimes I actually have helpful posts.

Indeed! What is 1 divided by 3,916 as a percentage?





(totally kidding by the way)

Jason

I'll post, just to throw your numbers off!

So there.

Thanks guys, they "sound" impressive.

St_PatGuy, the bass hump shouldn't bother me either, as I like a slightly forward sound. I graphed your frequency response measurements in Excel, and they jive very nicely with the NRC graph - nice going.

I won't be getting your nice walnut finish though

Me thinks you will be happy with your M3s

There are several people that think the M3 is Axiom's best speaker.... you won't be disappointed!

Welcome to the group, Shane!

Yes, the problem of hearing Axiom speakers is an issue, especially since you live in Australia! I've never heard M3's or M2's, but I own M22's. As I've built up my Axiom system, I have done quite a bit of 'comparison listening' to other brands. While every speaker manufacturer is a little bit different, there are a a few that (IMHO) are fairly similar to the sound that Axiom strives for.

Do you have any Paradigm dealer's around? If so, that might be a good place to go to get a bit of the 'flavor' of what Axiom speakers sound like. In my opinion, Paradigm is the 'mainstream' brand that sounds the most like Axiom. They're just more expensive. IMHO, Paradigm Reference Studio 40's sound a lot like M22's, and Reference Studio 100's sound a lot like M80's. I can't say for sure about M2's and M3's, but I'd guess that Studio 20's would be somewhat like M2's.

Energy is another brand you could check out. I haven't heard any of their speakers in a while, but the last time I did hear a set of Veritas's, there was that same neutral, clean sound that Axiom prides itself on.

Moving slightly further away from Axiom's sound but still generally similar would be B&W 7-series speakers. The bookshelf 705's have a similar sound as M22's. 703's sound quite a bit like M80's.

Yet another brand that might give you a taste is Vienna Acoustics. Again, a similar type of neutrality, clarity, and tone as Axiom's - just more expensive.

Good luck!

Welcome Shane. I have had my M3's for about 8 months now and find them to be fantastic little speakers. I've put them through their paces on many occasions and they always shine. They really come into their own as the volume gets up there. The bass is very impressive as well. My listening area is much like yours by description and they can certainly fill it with big sound. I think you will be very happy with them. Be sure to let us know your thoughts if/when you get them.

The M3's are a wonderful sounding speaker. Axiom's customer service is outstanding. Buy them; you will not regret it

I have the Algonquin (outdoor) version of the M3s and am still really amazed at the bass they are capable of. I now have them running in the room next to my home theater, through my same Denon receiver on Zone 2. The first time I was listening to music on the M3s, I actually went into the theater room to check if my EP-600 was turned on as it just seemed like too much bass from a bookshelf speaker. They have a very nice neutral sound. I'm going to have separation anxiety when I finally move them outside!

Jason

We certainly have a dealer here who sells Energy, and Paradigm certainly has a big presence in the eastern states, so I'm hopeful of finding some here. B&W are ubiquitous of course.I heard some a while ago and wasn't that impressed, but they weren't the 7 series.

I'm off to a conference in Sydney next month. If I have time I'll see what I can find there.

Shane

It looks like there are a few people in Sydney on the audition thread, not sure they've checked in lately.

Well, it looks like I won't be getting the M3's for a while. The price just went up 32%, thanks to the falling Aussie dollar

That too bad. Any hope it is just for a short while?

Maybe, now that governments have stepped in to back the banks. It also depends on how often Axiom reviews its international prices.

A 32% price increase is an awful lot. I can totally understand your decision not to get them.

Dr. House