Adrian:
Thanks for finding the thread on the listening tests.
Incidentally, while in some double-blind comparisons I have sometimes used the phrase "similarly good" in tests of speakers with dramatically different prices, in the session on the 30th anniversary, I did NOT apply that phrase to the B&W Nautilus 805 and the Axiom M3 v3 because they were not "similarly good." I scored the M3 v3 significantly higher overall than the B&W (8.5 vs. 7.5), noting the B&W's shallow and narrower soundstage and its somewhat forward and aggressive midrange that made female vocals sibilant and edgy at times. My scores were almost identical to those of Ian Colquhoun and Andrew Welker when they did the tests separately; the consistency was remarkable.
The superior depth and breadth of the Axiom M3's soundstage was obvious on most orchestral, choral and opera selections and other listeners also noted that difference. It's also a trait I noted of the new M22 v3 vs the old M22ti in comparisons I made with my home switching system (not double-blind) when I received the new M22 v3.
Regards,
Alan
