Today I went into a local hi-fi shop (yes, it's still 1970 in there) just to see what they had, as I had not been in that store for over 10 years. Apparently, not many others had either as most of the stuff was used - used but high-end. So I walked around, heard a few Magnapen's and some B&W Signature Series monitors, and the Paradigm Signature 8s and some giant (10 ft tall) speakers I can't recall the name of. So far, so good. They each sound good, but I’m not calling the banker for a loan. No damage, other than thinking of getting an NAD AVR to replace my Denon, because "the NAD is much better and does not have the shrill grainy sound of Denons" as the sales Dick said. Thanks a$$h@!*.

So I'm fine. Then I see a couple of little monitors in the back room. I like the cabinets, a curved job with great visual presence in a high gloss finished natural maple, so I check it out. Then Sir DipS&!%$ turns them on...so I sit in the crappy room with speakers everywhere to hear Dire Straits "You and Your Friends" for the 1,000th time, because a I had 10 minutes to kill. Besides, monitors suck, I'm safe.

Then the damn thing bit me...the bug. These little bastards made an image (in a crappy room) that blew my mind. Knopfler's voice was so clear and distinct from the guitars that I kept looking for a third speaker. I don't want new speakers, I want a new AVR and a projector not these damn half-pint monitors - I don't like monitors. But they sound soooooo gooooooood it hurts. And they are some locally made speaker with a name I can’t even find on the internet or recall with clarity (I saw it upside down and backwards).

I keep telling myself it was the $30,000 rack of transports, DACs, Cables and tube amps that made it so great, not the potentially affordable speakers. I'm screwed...I want new speakers now.

Someone help me, I'm being sucked down. DipS^!+ said they are "very revealing, fast, accurate, and will show flaws in recordings". Crap, I have heard that line before, but where???? Just don't tell me the Axioms sound like that - I don't want new speakers!
But I must have the precious...

Zimm, I'm sorry that I'm drawing a blank, but do you already have Axioms?

QS8's only. I am was fine with PSB 5T towers.

Axioms sound just like that. Ditch the PSB's and be assimilated.

What the drunk squirrel said.

I've sat down in my crappy room with stereo only and had to get up to make sure the center wasn't on. Is that what you want?

Look for an Axiom audition, they might just surprise ya

My question is, why aren't his PSBs doing this? My 15 year old, $350, Sony two-way towers make me check to see if I'm in ProLogic making the center channel play or it if is just the phantom imaging.

No, not like that. My PSBs have a great image in general terms, and I have listened to many speakers in many price ranges. I often can't recall if my center is one, and the band is wide, and instruments detailed and distinct. I am familiar with that. I don't know how to explain, but this was just a very different experience. Reminded me of my experience with Wilson Watt Puppies (I think?) and a truck load of Krell amps. Just a level of immersion that is not the norm. It had to be the DACs and Tube Amps and...stuff, right?

The Dire Straits albums could sound good on tin cans with strings on them. Try it on yours before you go nuts.

I wish that was it. I have listed to that song many many times on many systems. If it was unfamiliar stuff I would agree, and just run to get the CD. But I knew this material well - and it was on CD, not DVD-A or SACD. Had to be the DAC 'n stuff (technical term).

I almost laughed when Sir Dip$^!+ tried to explain "these are very revealing, really going to show flaws in the recording." I'm thinking, wow, so if Axiom had a show room this is the sales pitch. He could have just said Bright!

I've read your post about 10 times and I still can't figure out what speaker model you are talking about. They're not Bose are they ?

Maybe the speakers really are that good - or maybe it's the listening room - or maybe they pipe french-fry-smell into the room to distort your perception, it's hard to say right now

Were the speakers very expensive ?

I can't figure out the name. (And I did not want to post my guess of the name as I don't want Axiom to take it the wrong way.) But the sales guy - I mean Sir DipS - said they were locally made and not yet available to the market yet. No they were not Bose. I thought the 5.25 driver looked like a ScanSpeak, but I can't be sure. They cost $1,800 a pair. So not technically "very" expensive, although more than I would think to spend on a bookshelf/monitor. Just insane imaging.

I was hungry, I wonder if the fry smell did it? Speaking of; the WWII Museum here in New Orleans is about to open a huge 4D theater (their term) where they use the smells of gunpowder and oil, they blow hot and cold aid, drop snow, and shake you as you watch a custom made movie. The french fry smell should come when the movie ends.

Do yourself a favor and listen to some M22s or M3s before you spend $1800 on monitors. You won't regret it.

I have had occasions on some material that I have actually unplugged and removed my center channel to ensure it wasn't on. Imaging on the M80's is that good. I have also unplugged my sub for the same reason on occasion.

Zimm, PSB is a good Canadian speaker company. There stuff is pretty good, at least from what I have read and heard in stores. I am supprised they are letting you down like this. Have you tried moving them around a bit, or moving your listening position to find a better sweet spot?

paul

How about your surrounds? Listening to Imogen Heap's "Speak for Yourself" and Bjork's "Volta" (among others) I definitely get a surround effect from just my mains.

I have to be fair to PSB, I don't think they are letting me down, that's why this experience surprised me. As I said, also listened to Magnapans, Paradigm Signatures, etc., within 10 min of these little demons, and only these little monitors stood out from the pack (in terms of what I have come to expect). So I don't blame PSB, I truly enjoy my PSBs and the $8000 Para Sig 8's did not have me longing for them. Sure my PSBs could be better, they are not the top-PSB, but I have not had an itch to replace them in almost a decade.

This just sounded so much better I was am shocked. Maybe I will dome some M3 or M22 and see if I have been missing something all this time.

Yes, also get a 3d effect on some well recorded material. Never thought of unplugging the QS8's, but now that you mention it......

paul

I get that a good bit mainly b/c my room is small. At loud levels the 2ch mode sounds like surround sound.

Speaking of great imaging, anyone here listen to Buena Vista Social Club? Buena I'm am not a fan of Cuban music, but this stuff is fantastically clear and quiet so you hear every touch of the keys or strum of a string. And the image is very solid and defined. I should bring that to the Hi-Fi shop and see if it makes me cry.

After coming home and playing You and Your Friends on the home system I can more accurately say it is not that the image of my PSBs is not there, it is just that image presented is not as razor sharp as the image i enjoyed today. Same general placement, but lacking the absolute image clarity that hooked me.

You should see if they'll bring them by to see if the experience can be recreated in your home.

I was thinking about that. The room did not look impressive, but maybe it was sonically. I think they would probably let me take them home, as they were pushing for me to take an NAD AVR home. I should do that and report back. Kinda scared I won't let them go...and i really don't want to buy them. It's like asking the crack dealer to come watch the game at your house when you are trying to kick the rock...I guess it is like that, I mean.

Nice guess!

Charles, it would be interesting to compare this bookshelf to one of PSBs bookshelfs in the same $$ range, maybe the Synchrony series or to one of Totems bookshelfs as well as the Axioms, just to see where these "mystery" speakers fit in compared with similarly priced bookshelfs.

Do you remember what the wall behind you was like in the demo room, and how that compares to what you have at home ? I found that it took a *lot* of absorbent material on the back wall of my last room (like a pile of cushions covering most of the wall, or pillows held behind my ears) to get decent imaging.

Well, one big difference was that the monitors were about 4 or 5 feet from the front wall. My set up is much closer. So I moved my towers out to 2 ft, and the image did improve greatly, but mid-bass drops quick. So that was part of it. The wall at the shop had a big curtain over the whole thing, but I expect as a dedicated room, they had it well deadened. My room has Sheetrock only behind the speakers right now, so your comment is well received. I need to add some material back there and see if it helps even more.

500 posts and you haven't bought Axiom fronts yet?

Zimm, your description is hilarious.

I've felt exactly the same way on numerous occasions.

Come on, I bought the surrounds. I don't need new fronts (I think? ). I like my fronts and want new stuff I don't have, like a 120" 1080p image!



Glad my pain could serve a good purpose. Last night my wife could see something was up. I was moving speakers and running A-B repeat cycles of "You and Your Friends". Finally, she asked. So I tell her about the speakers. She looks at me like the a "recovered" crack addict with a fresh pipe [or rock or whatever] in hand. So sad.

He bought Axioms' finest speaker, IMHO.

No; he's thinking about buying the M80s

Hey man, you should ask Sir Dips#%& to let you take those speakers home for a free in-home demo. If he really believes in them, especially in these hard times, he'll let you do it. Take 'em home and hook 'em up to your set-up. That's the only way to really tell if the magic is in the speakers, and not some unseen enhancement. If he says no, he truly is a dips#%&.
Eat some french fries first.

Or, if the dealer doesn't bite on that, ask him if you can bring your PSBs to the store and try them on the same equipment. If he doesn't go for that either, step on his foot real hard, make a fist and go "Moe Howard" on him.

Look to see if he has french fry grease on his fingers.

I can tell you that I am planning on putting M22s in my studio for mixing and editing as one of the pairs of monitors. I would love to pair them to a couple of EP400s in a monitor switch, I think the M22s would mix very well.

don't spend $1800 on some monitors!!