Dean was gracious enough to invite me over Friday for an afternoon and evening get together. Not only did I get a chance to finally hear some Axiom M80s and experience an outstanding home theater, I also got to meet yet another fine individual from the Axiom forum. So far, all my encounters with forum members(Charles, Tom, and J.P.) have been highly enjoyable, and time spent with Dean was no exception.

Upon arriving, Dean gave me a quick tour of his house. The obvious focal point is his awesome home theater which is the first thing you see coming through the front door. Dean has done a fine job of controlling the light in the room with dark burgundy paint and black curtains hanging along the side and front walls. I'm sure you guys have seen the pics in his HT thread.

Before we got to any kind of audio geekiness, Dean and I spent a good hour or two just chatting and talking and getting to know each other. I guess in the tradition of most of threads here, it turned out to be a fun opportunity to socialize and have fun and joke and THEN get to the audio stuff!

After cracking open a couple of beers, Dean allowed me to take the sweet spot on his comfy couch and we settled in for some two channel listening. I was rather looking forward to hearing the M80s. This was my first opportunity to hear the Axiom flagship speakers and this respective side of the house sound. My only other exposure has been to my M40s and M3s, which offer a slightly different flavor of sound reproduction. And, yes, I do have QS8s, but I've never really listened to those by themselves. Anyways, on to the M80s. . .

I found them incredibly dynamic and fun speakers! Not harsh or bright or any of that nonsense, but clear and smooth. We cranked up the volume and enjoyed a couple of the CDs I brought. The M80s, no surprise to some, can really pump out some bass. The important part is that they do so with excellent control. Crisp and clear and palpable. Impressive to say the least. Along with the bass, was also an excellent midrange and top end. The sound spectrum was reproduced clearly and with separation between each instrument, yet it all came together to form a pleasing and enticing whole.

With time winding down, Dean showcased his HT set up with the opening battle scene from Master and Commander. A movie like this is best served in a setting like Dean's home theater. With M80s across the front, QS8s on the side, M22s in the rear, and an EP500 handling the lower frequencies. . .oh, not to mention the gigantic screen and projector, the movie is fully realized in epic proportions. A sweeping shot of the ship in the ocean was rather breathtaking in the large format.

Next, Dean flipped on the Buttkickers in the couch and we watched some scenes from Appleseed and The Fellowship of the Ring. The Buttkickers really enhanced the effect of the EP500 by giving me a physical rumble and made me really sense the immense weight of the tumbling rocks and bridge in the Balrog scene. Dean did a good job of crossing over the Buttkickers to just play parts below 40Hz. That way their effect was not so overpowering and distracting, but reinforcing.

All in all, I had a blast meeting Dean and visiting with him and enjoying his set up. We plan on doing this again soon, and I'm going to tote some of my gear down to his place so we can have a fun time of listening to different things and matching the M80s to a tube amp. I'd like to hear his M22s along with my M3s so we can get a sense of how similar/different their sound is.

Thank you, Dean! It was a pleasure meeting you!

That sounds like a great time. I wish I could experience his setup, too. I look forward to having a projector at some point, even if it means some initial headaches figuring it all out. I love the idea of D-BOX, but I may cheap out and copy Dean with the Buttkickers. It sounds like the enhancement is worth the ticket price.

Congratulations on meeting the M80s. I look forward to Dean's impressions of your gear, too. I had a lot of fun listening to your stuff. By the way, what CDs did you take with you to listen to? I'm guessing Ratatat was one of them since Dean mentioned them.

I kind of look forward to hosting an Axiomite some day in my own home, but I dread it at the same time. For one, it would mean cleaning, and my place is never as nice as I think it should be, and then I'd probably get nervous and not be able to think of what to demo. Tom has threatened to swing by this way, and I've threatened to look him up if I'm ever on the other side of the state for more than a weekend, but it hasn't happened yet. Otherwise, I don't know when I'm going to be able to meet anyone else from the board. I don't know why anyone would want to visit this area, but if you ever do, you're (probably) welcome to stop by. Oh, and I have a childhood friend who lives in Phoenix, but honestly, if I ever wanted an excuse to visit you and Dean, it probably wouldn't be under the guise of visiting him. Maybe another excuse will present itself at some point.

Sounds like it was a good time, thanks for taking the time to write up the GTG.

So when are you ordering M80's

I love it when the Axiom IRL crowd increases in size.

Sounds like you had a great time, Sean and Dean. Man, I wish I had a huge screen like that, too. Let us know how the comparo goes when you bring your M3's to Dean's.

Sounds like you had a great time, Sean, but did it concern you at all when Dean instinctively grabbed a weapon during the battle scenes?

We only got through two CDs. The first was Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse because I like it and it's recorded well. And the second was Classics by Ratatat.

LOL! It really enhanced the realism, but it was somewhat distracting during Lord of the Rings to hear gunshots mixed in with the twanging of bows. Oh, and the fact that I kept ducking behind the couch.

Good stuff. Has anyone actually ever taken the time to make a mix CD of demo material? I know that was the original intention of the last mix CD swap, but it sort of fell to the wayside and became simply a way to share music others may have been ignorant of. I wonder what material Axiom uses to assess their speakers.

Alan has said they/he uses Holly Cole to test speakers, amongst others. My guess is Axiom would use a variety, including classical and jazz ect.

I've heard something about Slayer and a bass-heavy techno CD for stress testing.

Sweet, wish I was there!

Sounds like y'all really had a great time Sean!

Thanks for the gracious words Sean. It was a treat to have you over and I’d be remiss for not saying sorry again for taking so long. Also, thanks for the great beer, I hadn’t had a Chimay for years and it was the first time for the Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA. That was the most balance IPA I’ve ever tasted.

Sean covered the events very well. I was quite surprised how much time we spend talking before getting down to the serious stuff. As a result we ended up going a bit long on the time but it was worth it and warrants many more GTGs.

I liked both CDs we listened to but Ratatat was the clear winner for me. Since last night, I’ve acquired their discography to try out.

I did make Sean sit through demos of some music videos I downloaded form Youtube to get a feel for what I like to listen to and why I’ve set things up the way I have.



Wait till we demo “Saving Private Ryan” or “Band of Brothers.”

Charles you and other regulars are more than welcome to come visit if coming to Phoenix. Sean and I briefly discussed the possibility of co-hosting a GTG but no real details.

I wish we had more time and I can’t wait to hear his stuff in my room. Especially the M80s and M22s with a tube amp which I still haven’t heard.

The pleasure was all mine Sean. It was nice to show off my HT to someone who actually has experience with such things.

Cheers,
Dean

That's a good point. I haven't really been able to demo my system for anyone with a real passion for the hobby. Friends can appreciate my system, but it's not the same as sharing with someone who participates in the same pursuit.

I've only met one Axiom group member (RickF) and it was great. The funny thing is, as awesome as his HT was, I found it more enjoyable just to talk to him (and Jan and Boomer of course).

If there were ever a true Axiom get together I would find it interesting to do a true blind session with Axioms lineup to hear the differences. But really, for me, it would be all about the people and if I never heard an Axiom speaker through the time, it really wouldn't matter to me.

Sure sounds like a good time was had.

Yup, sounds like a lot of fun. I don't think I've ever benn in a real home theatre.

When I get done, I'll offer mine up, but its so tiny, don't know if folks will consider it as a good listening experience

I forgot to mention that! I enjoyed the music selections you shared with me, and thank you for the links you provided. I do like the music!



It'll be fun to have a whole bunch of different speakers and combinations to choose from. Definitely looking forward to doing that.

Let's all go over to Dean's house!!

Great report SPG!!

Very true. Mostly I just like you guys. I wouldn't participate in this forum to the degree that I do if it was simply an interest in A/V. Sure, I love to talk about that stuff, but there are other places to do that. I choose this place because of the personalities.

Oh...... I'm sorry Charles........

Jeeez, this is awkward...ummm....

Actually, I wasn't talking about you......















OF COURSE I'm joking! I just couldn't resist!

Er... were you joking about "not talking about Charles" or that it "is akward"?

Ha ha, don't worry. I wouldn't bother to attenuate jokes at my expense, either.

I would love to hear all the various systems we have in a controlled environment. I’m always wondering if I’ve messed up something with my setup or if I’m missing something. OTOH, I think it’s really hard to just listen based on equipment alone and would actually learn more from hearing how others have set up and tweaked their systems based on room acoustics and listening preferences.

I’ve had my Axioms in 3 different rooms set up multiple different ways in each and gotten a huge variety of performance out of them depending on what I was shooting for based on room limitations and type of sound I was looking for at the time.

Right now I’m of the opinion that my present way things are set up is taking advantage of the dynamics of the M80s with the highest and lowest frequencies dominating a little over the midrange. I have just gravitated to that over time since my main use is for HT and gaming. Also I’m sure these curtains (which are heavier than those in the apartment) are probably killing a particular frequency. Need to get some equipment to test all that out.

For awhile I was using 2 different seats for HT and 2ch music because of the difference the distance to the speakers relative to the room makes them and the soundstage sound. I may go back to that setup after testing the M80s elevated for awhile longer. However, in the end I picked the M80s over all the other speakers I listened to not just because of price/performance but because the were clearly IMO the most dynamic speakers of the bunch which falls in with my primary uses.


At least I didn’t make him listen to 3 nin Matsuri - Chu! Natsu Party (nope no link I won’t do that to you all again), however if some of you come and visit. . . .

Your version of a sonic grenade?

I love hearing stories like this! Thanks for posting StPat, and thanks for being a generous host grunt. I enjoyed my short time with Micah, really, I did! The people on this board are another reason why I enjoy the whole experience.

I think we all agree that it is the online personalities that we all enjoy and one of, if not the main reason we frequent this forum so much.

I know I miss a few of the personalities that have gone by the way side, Mojo and Big John being 2 that come to mind, although I do still get to visit with Mojo from time to time(this coming Tuesday for example ), a friendship started via this forum

Great story! Wish I had been there!

It's pretty affirming for me to hear you guys talk about the importance of relationship-building in addition to audio sharing. For me, making new friends is one of the most invigorating things in life, and I have had a fairly difficult time disengaging from the PEOPLE and engaging with the music when I've had the great pleasure of meeting other Axiom folks.

I had a fantastic time visiting with Sean a year or so ago. Hearing his Lorelei's was a real revelation for me, and I am very interested to hear how he and Dean think the M80's compare to them.

Dean, I sincerely hope to get to experience your theatre some day.

Charles, you and I WILL get together one day. We'll make some kind of pact about cleaning.

Cheers!

I only clean once a year so it will be awhile before it will be safe for anyone to visit if you wait much longer.

BTW Sean can vouch for the fact that I do not own a dresser. He has seen “the clean pile”

P.S. Anyone named after one of my favorite movie characters is always welcome Tom Tuttle from Tacoma Washington.

Nice write up St_PatGuy. Sounds like great time spent (no pun intended).

Maybe someday I'll come across the M80's. Reading up on the Buttkickers made drool a little bit.

My "clean pile" sits on top of a disused dresser. Maybe I should just get rid of it.

But then you'd have to bend down to the ground to pick up your clothes. The dresser provides a more ergonomic solution.

Jay, please say hi to him for me, I miss that guy.

Sure will Cam.

It's true! This man has no dresser.

Me, either. I have everything on hangers in the closet. A dresser would just waste space in my room.

boxers/briefs, too?

Dude...

Ha ha, oh, yeah, I have socks and underwear in a little plastic 3-drawer storage unit below where everything else hangs.

FTFY



(which means Fixed That For Ya, for the non internet-speak savvy.)

Thanks, Peter. If only the company selling the units had changed it, maybe they could have charged more.

"An evening with grunt!". That's a great title for a porn movie

But without a dresser, what awkward uncomfortable surface would be available for the actress to place one of her transparent-high-heel-shod feet upon?

A popcorn machine?

Dang, I want one of those.

The actress, or a popcorn machine?

Have you seen my chaise lounges?

BTW patent leather thigh highs would be my preference.

The man doesn't have a dresser, but he does have multiple chaise lounges. Hmm.

Oh, the shoe. Sorry, bit confused there.

I stopped reading when I hit the part about the actress with the transparent feet.

On purpose, Chris? Or did something prematurely cloud your vision ?

Definitely not a feet person, not a leg person either. But if someone were gene spliced to have transparent feet, I'd have to look twice--but that's about it.

But did you get the complimentary "I Got My Butt Kicked At Grunt's House!" t-shirt?

For some reason I picture a night with Grunt involving gun play, a peyote vision-quest and vintage porn.

But not necessarily in that order...

Did you try the frosted brownies?

Vintage ANIME porn.

Betty Page was anime, and here it thought that was Betty Boop.

Sean came over again tonight and we watched the Blu-ray of “Dark Knight” see here for the review:

Dark Knight

We didn’t have much time but did lay the foundation for our plans to take over the world. Oops wasn’t suppose to say anything yet.

Actually got a chance to let Sean demo a couple Xbox360 games, one part of the experience we didn’t get to last go due time constraints.

Also had a very well rounded beer, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Sean brought over. I had to wimp out on to much festivity because I have to be at work at zero-dark-thirty tomorrow morning.

Another fun night of movie watching and visiting. Dean's gonna make me hate watching movies at my place now!

The IMAX scenes from The Dark Knight looked incredible on Dean's projector screen. The rest of the movie looked excellent, as well.

We checked out the two Bioshock games and Mass Effect 2. All looked and sounded impressive. The concussion from some of the weapons on Bioshock 2 was very visceral.


Oh, and our plans for taking over the world are still on. Watch out everyone.

Coming to a Home Theater near you. I imagine it will be a direct to video release.

We'll have a Super Deluxe Director's Cut Extended Version for the forum members here.

Again Sean, was the effect in Bioshock 2 even more visceral when Dean returned fire?

But that version doesn’t get released until 2011 or 2012 so we can milk everyone for more money.

At first he was making it to easy and I had to keep yelling “Serpentine Sean. Serpentine!”

Your theme song

Which one is the genius?

Was waiting for that.......

Where's Ken to save the day with an answer?

Or ruin it, depending on whom is deemed as Pinky.

It's way more immersive than the Wii. . .but then the Wii doesn't make me pee in my pants in fear.

I think so, Charles, but where are we supposed to get solid gold slinkies and foam rubber pigs at this hour?