Hi folks!

Have been reading this great, highly informative message board for some time.

I am in the process of upgrading my 2-ch stereo to a 5.1 system, and seriously considering the Axiom speakers for this purpose. I undersand that Axiom offers a great in-home trial policy, but still wish to audition the products before placing an order if at all possible.

So, I am looking for an Axiom owner in Dallas/Ft.Worth, TX area (or within 2-3 hours drive from there) who is willing to let me listen to his/her proud and cherished speakers, preferrably either in a multi-channel setup or in a stereo setup using one of the floor-standing models.

If any of you or your friend is such Dallasite, please email or PM me, or post here...

Thanks!!!

If you cannot find anyone locally to audition the speakers, i would highly recommend you use the 30d trial option. I first tested out the M22s this way. People balk at the 'wasted' money you would pay for return shipping if you didn't like the speakers, but its really not that dramatic. Since the M22s were a small speaker, the cost of sending them back to Axiom was MORE than reasonable ($25 cdn which included $500 insurance, regular ground shipping).

I figured by selecting one of their highly touted bookshelf models, i could at least get an idea of the sonic character of an Axiom speaker to see if i liked their sound. I certainly enjoyed the M22s but was looking for a larger sound so i went with the M60s instead.
Upon discovering that i had two buzzing drivers in my new M60s, Axiom extended my trial period starting from the day i received new drivers so i could have a full 30 days with properly functioning speakers for evaluation. In total, my audition time came out to nearly 50 days. During that audition there was even enough time to lend them to a fellow enthusiast at work who also wanted to hear the latest Axiom offering.
It really is worth the small cost of return shipping (if you so decide to return them!)

Hi Sushi,
You should try posting your question at hometheaterforum.com too (in the speaker forum). I know there's several members using Axiom in your area.

Thanks for your advice, chesseroo,

Actually, my current plan is to keep my venerable Hales Design Group "System Two" floor-standing speakers which I love as the L/R mains, and add the Axiom center / sub / surrounds to construct a 5.1 setup. So, I figured that in the (hopefully) unlikely event that I cannot find any Axiom owner in the DFW area, I would first order the VP150 center speaker alone and see if its tonal character matches with my Hales reasonably well. I understand that tonal matching between the 3 front channels is usually the most critical aspect for a successful mixed-brand 5.1 setup, right?

Just as a side, my Hales speakers are already 10+ years old, but when they were released they got rave reviews for their accurate, detailed and transparent sound as well as for their lazor-sharp imaging, which I entirely agree with and cherish. They were also characterized by review magazines as having an unusually flat measured frequency response both on- and off-axis (at least for the standards 10 years ago). From what I have read about the Axioms, I am hopeful that they will make a good match with my Hales. Has anybody here ever listened to one of Hales' models???

My thanks goes to Marc, too -- I will try to post on hometheaterforum.com as well.

Forgot to ask one more thing...

Those "two buzzing drivers" you found -- was it due to a shipping damage or manufacturing defect? Apparently, Axiom treated you very well through the process of replacing the units, but how would you assess the entire experience? Were you not worried about having to replace the drivers by yourself, even though it might be quite straightforward technically? Did the experience affect your overall perception regarding the stringency of quality control at Axiom?

I have read on avsforum.com that somebody had "lose, unthreaded woodscrews" on two of the drivers in his newly purchased Onix Rocket units. That sort of things really makes me worried about the manufacturer's quality control standards...

Thanks!

Sushi,
My original post stands as is then.
You could order a 30d trial of the VP150 (if no one in the area has it) to test with your Hales and send it back for minimal cost (the vp150 is just slightly larger than a single M22).

I certainly would agree that if you were to try and timbre match your speakers, the most important would be the 3 up front.

Let us know how your venture turns out, especially if you take the chance and try out the vp150 with your Hales.