I'm very curious about height and depth. The vast majority of music presents itself "up high" with my M80s. By that I mean the images float above the speakers. When I had the back of the M80s 6" from the wall, the images were in the same plane as the front of the drivers. I've now moved the back 3' away from the wall. The images are still up high but now I can finally perceive depth.
One of the exceptions is your file. Like I reported, I heard various heights and didn't have to strain at all to place the images in 3D space. I hear no depth in your file by the way when I move the 80s against the wall. Also the height and width are still preserved but are "fuzzier".
My listening desires have gotten more refined over the years. I can hear image fuzziness and spatial congestion that I couldn't hear even 2 years ago. I've purchased the M5HP to get the depth and image focus I yearn for. If the M5HP, and in general the v4, lead to improved imaging and soundstage spaciousness, then this is a secret that Axiom has protected very well. Maybe Axiom wants listeners to discover this for themselves.
It's a very interesting journey and experiment actually. It's not just about drivers and their materials, cabinet bracing and shape, port configuration and cross-over parts. It's how all these work as a system, or in the case of the LFRs, a system of systems. Trying to understand what measurements make a difference to human perception of sound and how those measurements need to be analyzed in context to the desired objectives is the real magic. Then of course synthesizing those measurements into a desirable product is another thing altogether.
I think this is what The Family of Curves is all about. Although many speaker manufacturers take curves, they may be hampered by the available equipment and methods. Axiom recognized a long time ago the need to invest in their own chamber and automation to increase the curve quantity and granularity. I hope all this work shines through in the M5HPs I'm about to receive.
