Hi Stereoguy99,
PSB and Mirage, both Canadian speaker companies that started about the same time as Axiom, in the early 1980s, aim for the ideal of neutral, transparent sound, however, like every company, different models within a manufacturer's line may vary in terms of how closely they approach the ideal.
PSB's Image line is what I'd call their mid-price line. The Axiom M60s and M80s are much closer sonically to PSB's expensive Stratus models, the Silver and Gold, respectively (PSB also now has a very costly Platinum line that I haven't heard.)
Both the Axiom M60 and M80 are 3-way systems with dedicated midrange drivers; PSB's Image T55 is a 2 (or 2.5)-way that lacks a dedicated midrange unit, so it doesn't surprise me that listeners find the T55 "laid-back", a polite eumphemism for saying "lack of midrange detail" or a somewhat depressed midrange. Some listeners prefer this balance, finding it "warmer", but in double-blind comparisons with a more midrange-detailed speaker, I often note "muffled midrange" for the "laid-back" model.
Mirage speakers are entirely different; Mirage originally developed bipolar models (drivers on the front and rear baffle that operated in phase), which produced a big, wide and somewhat murky soundstage that was especially flattering with big orchestral works (I owned some Mirages for some years). But eventually I tired of the lack of imaging precision and the tendency of bipolar Mirages to make central instruments sound 15 feet wide.
The lack of imaging precision is not appropriate for movie soundtrack reproduction, where you need precise directional cues. The Mirage Omnisat designs are a variation of the bipolar approach with the same advantages and liabilities.
Regards,
