Hello Gentlemen,

I come to you asking for your expertise. I am looking to purchase a "real" 5.1 home theater system. I say real because I have had a Bose Lifestyle system since 2001 and I now want the real deal.

I was recently at Best Buy and purchased a Sony 60" LED TV. For a home theater system the Best Buy guys are recommending the following:

AVR: Pioneer SC25
Speaker System: Definitive Technology
Towers: BP7002
Center: CLR2300
Surrounds: BP1XBLA
Subwoofer: Super Cube III

On the other hand, I've been reading up on Axiom and would like to give them a try. If I went with Axiom I would purchase the following:

AVR: Denon 4310CI
Speaker System: Axiom Epic 80-500

I realize that what sounds good to me might not sound good to you (and vice versa) but I've never heard Axiom speakers and would appreciate your honest opinions. Maybe some of you have been able to compare both Def Tech and Axiom. So, if you could purchase either of the packages above - which would you choose and why? We will use it 70% HT and 30% music.

Muchas gracias, amigos.

You should look at this thread to see if you can audition some Axioms in your area.

I know a few members on here have owned or heard Def Tech speakers, so hopefully they will reply. In the Hearing Things section, there is an audition thread and page 1 shows people in different states willing to let you have a listen. A few people come to mind, but I will let them reach out.

Welcome tico!

Looking at the specs of the 7002 Definitive Technology is claiming a frequency response of 15hz - 30khz. There is no way that could be accurate even with the built in 12inch subwoofer. From a purely subjective standpoint a lot of individuals like these speakers but I wouldn't count on what def tech states in their specs as being accurate.

Tico - I have auditioned the BP7002'S. IMO - the good: decent build quality, impressive dynamics, nice low end; the not so good: so so imaging due to the bipole design, somewhat recessed midrange and rather expensive (dealer mark up). Personnally, since you're going to get a sub as well, I'd stay with a monopole design (M80's) and take the money you save toward (maybe) a duel sub config. Just my thoughts.

I owned the 7004s and their center channel. I hated the extra power cords. They only sounded ok. I took a big loss when I sold them. I found them to be gimmicky speakers.

Oscar if you don't mind taking a 1.5 hour drive southeast to Vero Beach you are more than welcome to listen to our Epic 80-600 system ... I'll have a VP180 around the 24th. It's an easy straightforward drive from anywhere in Orlando.

Yes, it is!

One of theses days I will check that route out...

Thanks to all for your replies.

Rick, thanks for the kind offer. I might take you up on it in late July or early August as I'm tied up for the next month-and-a-half with business trips.

Make him take you fishing... Bring your beer though, unless you like that watered down redneck crap he likes.

Sounds like we all know Rick pretty well! I would bet if the OP listens to Rick's set up, he will buy Axiom.

Well, I am still out of the country till Wednesday of next week but could not hold back any longer. I'm going to need glasses after reading so many threads.

Anyhow, I just went ahead and purchased the Epic 80-500 speaker system (with FMS QS speaker stands). I would have loved getting the VP-180 but don't have a place to put it at this time (in a new apartment).

I will pick up a Denon 4310CI receiver when I return.

This is my divorce gift to myself. Yeah, I can't wait!

You all have a great weekend!

Say, that sounds familiar. I had to wait almost 4 years for that gift to myself.

Nice gift. Makes me want to get divorced.

Stay married. In the long run you can afford a lot more toys.

Tico,

While looking for speakers myself I too was looking at Def Tech prior to finding axiom. I did a demo with various setups at two different stores, one being the big box store best buy and the other at a very reputable local shop. I can at least speak for the local shop when i say they had about as nice of a demo room as i will ever own in my home as far as acoustics are concerned. They also had a much more expensive and powerful amp than I was going to have. The def techs sounded great BUT i feel the low ends were not there, it was boomy IMO.

An even longer story short, i did my research and went with Axiom due to their return policy and got M22's VP100 and QS4's but went to SVS for my sub. I have gone back to both best buy and my local store to compare after i got mine going and am here to tell you there is no comparison, the axioms are down right beautiful. To this day i still will throw Dave Mathews, Jack Johnson, or Eric Clapton in the player and just get the wow factor every time. Movies accompanied with my SVS shock any and all visitors. I wish you the best in your search for your own personal setup but highly encourage you to at least give Axiom a shot.

That is what I have heard from others as well. I think once you get into their higher end speakers the bottom end cleans up, but they are quite a bit more.

good assessment. I was at my local best buy store a few weeks ago as my computer took a dump and I need a new laptop. I had to swing by the new tvs and audio for fun and listen to all their speakers. The def techs to me sounded boomy as well. They were okay for the movie that was originally playing, but since I was at the store when it opened and nobody was their I changed it to audio and wasn't impressed. The martin logans and I forget the other brand were head and shoulders better.

I listened to some def techs before buying axioms and I would say that the bottom end was "muddy" and boomy, and nowhere near the clarity of my axioms. I don't remember anything else about them really.

I would go with a pair of m80s.. you cant go wrong! I would also pick denon over pioneer personally.

I am very happy with my denon 3808 and epic 80-500. Do it, you'll never look back!

Well, got the long awaited e-mail from Noreen saying that my Epic 80-500 system shipped about an hour ago. It's three business days for delivery to Florida which means I should get it next Tuesday.

It's almost time to start bothering you guys with the super newbie questions.

Move your computer to the front window so you can keep your nose pressed to the glass watching for the arrival of your system and post questions at the same time.

Just invite RickF over to help you set it all up

I've noticed that it can take up to 2 days between the e-mail notification and the package actually being picked up at Axiom.