jwright350,
First off, welcome to the forum. Your frustration is entirely understandable. Many of us have received damaged packages that seem as if FedEx used them for warehouse bowling. (I've received similarly damaged packages from UPS as well.) From what I can recall, most of us haven't actually received damaged speakers and found the packaging to be sufficient to fend off the perils of shipment.
I also find it hard to believe that Axiom would have packed a damaged speaker. The driver damage you saw could have happened during shipping. I am not surprised in the least that they were quick to remedy that situation, though.
I agree that the T brackets are a bit flimsy, but they are designed with holes on the wings for a reason. I would never consider mounting them without securing the wings to the wall. I used four screws, myself -- one on each end of the horizontal section, and two at the ends of the vertical section. The Full Metal Brackets do put them to shame, however.
How large is your room? The EP500 can definitely output clean bass in large rooms, but if you want a gut-punching effect, you may have to double up. It's a matter of physics.
Hopefully, as your brain breaks in to the new sound, you'll find the nuances of music and films are coming through much better. It's totally fine if you determine that the Axiom sound is not for you. Everyone is different.
