Hello Bridgman。　What color are your speakers? Are they light maple? I liked the color on the picture you took!

Man...the VP180 price still remained at the pre-order price in my cart.....the hand feels very itchy to click "Buy Now", but one of my deals goes bust and no extra income for me...ARRGGGGHH...

Yes, it's the "maple" selection out of the four standard colours. I really like it.

I have to say, in looking at John's photo, I didn't even notice that the dustcaps were different.

I might have been distracted by that damned crooked rug, though.

It really casts the room asunder.

Just to keep all the reviews (initial impressions) together, here is a link to my review on the other thread:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=305453#Post305453

I also like the 'dust capless' cones. If they can do it with the EP800 cones, they can do it with the midrange/bass cones as well. Makes for an over all cleaner look IMO.

I also like the look of the no-dust cap drivers, they just look koowell!

Well, I finally received the VP180. WOW, this thing is huge!!! I haven't had a chance to test it as I'm waiting on my Denon 4810 arriving on Tues, ahhh, the wait is not going to be easy!
A couple pics,

I *finally* received our VP180 today, it was supposed to arrive yesterday and whenever I inquired about the delay to the delivery driver today he told me the box was mistakenly put on the wrong local truck yesterday so I had to wait another day ... 's OK, I am a very patient man.

Anyhoo...

This center channel freakin' rocks! The guys and gals at Axiom hit nothing less than a game winning grand slam with this beauty. Whenever I connected it up for the first time my initial reaction was that it blended so smoothly and effortlessly with the M80s that it didn't sound like there was even a center present due to the seamless soundstage I was experiencing. It replaced our above and below VP100 and VP150 that I thought was doing an excellent job and to be quite honest I had doubts that a single center would create the expanded soundstage and planted dialog to the screen that the two centers did for so long with our system but was I ever so pleasantly surprised to find that this single surpasses the two centers by a longshot and I now have no need whatsoever to feel like a second center will ever be needed.

Firstly I plugged in 'Master and Commander' for a couple of the good scenes and was floored that not only is the dialog centered to the screen but it is centered to the entire front soundstage, so unbelievably seamless and blended with the other M80's that it's almost as if there's just one huge speaker that covers the front soundstage from sidewall to sidewall. Most of the afternoon I hit bits and parts of other movies along with music in different surround modes and this 180 tackles each task with ease ... I *really* like this speaker a lot, the silver dust domes are a nice touch and the magnetic grills are just bad ass to the bone!

Congrats Ian and thanks for developing this center channel, it's an absolute winner in every way ... you guys rock!

Cheers!