I was thinking about the Maggie 1.6's but decided to go with the Axiom solution because I wanted an integrated HT setup, maybe I will eventually go with the MMG for a bedroom HT or home study stereo setup. I did notice with running the M80s on their own that the issue of "speaker as (2 separate) box(es)" was audible (which was the only criticism I read in online reviews of the M80s and where the Maggies supposedly excel); I chalked it up to the incredible accuracy, precision, and focus of the M80s for which perhaps the tradeoff is excessive on-axis imagery/location-inside-the-box, if you want to couch a strength as a weakness. With the Vp150 and 4 Qs8s, there is not much of a soundstage issue, which fits with what Alan has explained in one of his articles as to the AE history/theory re: 3- and 5- (and beyond) versus 2-(stereo) speaker setups, for lack of a better phrase; however, I have to wonder, why do folks run two centers and/or turn up the center speaker? I find myself turning down the center so I can have a louder overall sound and groove on the soundtrack coming through the M80s without being blown away by the prima donnas or talking heads (or commercials) front and center, and I never have an issue of intelligibility, sorry off topic . . .
Speaker of the Year
