Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater M2s better than M3s for 5.1 theater?

M3s have the response curve that "many people think sounds the best" and often sound better with so-so recordings. M2s and M22s are dead-nuts-accurate and sound better with the best recordings.

The difference is only a couple of dB around 3-5 KHz, mostly related to the bigger woofer's poorer off-axis response at higher frequencies (yes the woofer still outputs above the crossover frequency, just less and less as the frequency goes up). A lot of decent speakers in the same price range have a greater difference, generally in the M3 direction but more so.

If you play crappy recordings on M2/M22/M60/M80 they sound "bright". If you find speakers that sound OK with those recordings and then play really good recordings against the M2/M22 etc.. the other speakers will sound "dull". M3/M40/M50 are a nice compromise -- they take the edge off so-so recordings but still sound great on the good recordings.

Bottom line -- the M3 is probably the most celebrated speaker in the Axiom lineup, and is one of the best all-round speakers I have heard. Having said that, these days most people seem to buy M2/M22/M60/M80 and toss their crappy recordings or just listen to them less.

If you really cared you could take the 3-5 Khz range down a couple of dB with an EQ and make your M2s sound like M3s (or bump M3s to make them sound like M2s). M3s and M22s will both play a couple of dB louder than M2s and still sound good. If you like to crank the sound and don't have a small room then you should go with M3 or M22 just for that reason.