Many speaker manufactures use vinyl wrap over mdf. I can assure you that Axiom uses the best vinyl wrap in the industry. In fact, you will be hard pressed to tell it is vinyl.
For me, it was more about sound reproduction. If your dead set on having a wood exterior, you can pay extra for Axiom's wood shop. I would not assume that just because those other brands are the same price as the m60's, that they will sound the same. Axiom has always been known for giving the best bang for the buck in the industry.
If you have a local B&W dealer in your town, go listen to the B&W 703's or above. They are 2-3 times the price as the Axioms, however, that will give you an idea what the m60's would sound like. Or, check our audition threads.
