The sub title could be: Why doesn't Axiom get more press?

The audio review world is its own industry. Getting a class "A" rating from Stereophile requires a LOT of money being spent in advertising. Let's look at two speaker reviews in the last few years: The Bryston Middle T - currently $6870 per pair vs. the Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT which currently sells for $15,500 per pair.

Stereophile's phrasing for the Middle T's was a very reluctant admiration.

Excerpts ... "My initial impression of the Middle T's sound was of such integrity that it might have been generated by a single driver, even though that was belied by its dynamics and wide frequency range.... the Middle Ts seemed to entirely "disappear" into a wide, deep soundstage....The midrange was equally satisfying. The Sara K. disc demonstrated how the Middle Ts could render a well-recorded voice with a most thrilling, somewhat eerie presence."

The Brystons measured within +/- 3 dB from 28 to 17,000 Hz - where this is a small spike - then flat out passed 20,000 Hz.

By comparison, the Quatros were also +/- 3 dB from 30 to 17,000 Hz, with a small downward spike at 17K with extension also passed 20,000 Hz.

The review process on both speakers takes on a different tone in subtle ways. For example - here is an analysis of the measured sensitivity of the Middle T's ...

""My estimate of the Middle T's voltage sensitivity was 85dB(B)/2.83V/m, significantly lower than the specified 88dB/W/m.""

And the Vandersteen Quatros:

""Vandersteen specifies the Quatro Wood CT's sensitivity as 87dB/2.83V/m. My estimate was 83dB(B)/2.83V/m, which is lower than average but within experimental error of the 83.5dB/2.83V/m I measured for the earlier version of the Wood. ""

Note that a 3 dB difference in the Bryston is "significant", but the 4 dB difference in the Vandersteen is just fine because the older version was also lower in sensitivity.

The moral of the story is Bryston's Middle T, if one reads the wording of the reviewer BEFORE he was reminded that Bryston is not a major advertiser, is that the reviewers need reviewed.

The Middle T performed as well as ANY class "A" speaker did, in both listening tests AND measurements. And that is for Bryston's label - which carries more weight than does Axiom in the "high end world."

The middle T did finally get a "B" rating - for only 2 years, then it was removed for not being auditioned in too long a time period, despite other speakers being on the list for 5 years or longer with no auditions needed.

It is subtle, but one REALLY has to watch for these issues with reviews.

As for Axiom - it is hard to get an honest review of them outside Soundstage Magazine.

What you are hearing with your Axioms - especially V.4 - is a very, VERY well designed speaker. If a lack of review is putting you off, don't let it.

Trust your years.

And if this offended anyone, I apologize.