You’ll likely get much more comprehensive responses to this question in the AVS forum. Make sure to use the word “hype.”
Ok, no you shouldn’t post this question at AVS as it will start a flame war and probably the whole thread will get deleted. Seriously you will find a lot of opinions on this mater at AVS so doing a search over there is not a bad idea. However, if you do post such a question you will likely get treated as a troll.
Just curious what came of your previous two forays into the forum, Pardaigm vs Axiom and W22 vs M60? Also, what equipment do you own right now and why are you looking to upgrade?
As for the question of hype vs quality you do realize you are asking in an online speaker manufactures forum where most all participants have bought speakers online from this company with many also buying from other online companies and B&M stores. So I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest most people here have had good experiences buying speakers on line.
Most people you talk to would suggest you should never buy a speaker that you can’t listen to in your own room with your own equipment w/o the option to return them. How a speaker sounds in a demo room at a store may bear little resemblance to how they sound once you get them home.
The B&M dealer I was working with prior to getting Axiom brought all the speakers and equipment I was interested in to my place for a demo. He said he didn’t even want to sell me speakers w/o my hearing them in my own place first. So even if you buy locally I would only do so with the option to return the speakers after a trial period. That said it is IMO preferable to have at least a several week demo so you can get use to the speakers and have a chance to play with them for awhile before committing to keeping them.
The best thing you can do right now is stop reading peoples opinions of speakers in internet forums and start looking at the speakers you are interested in at review sights that do there own measurements. While professional reviews are not perfect they are IMO when accompanied with measurements far superior to personal opinions offered in internet forums.
http://www.soundstage.com/http://www.audioholics.com/If you really don’t want to demo speakers in your own home before buying then I suggest you buy from a local B&M store where you can at least hear them in the store. Alternatively, if you find something you like in a store check the used market and see if you can find someone selling what you are looking for.
Cheers,
Dean
