Read these forums for a while. There is commitment and passion among Axiom devotees. There is an "audition" thread, that might help you find someone close to you who is amenable to an audition. Finally, if you are looking for bookshelf speakers, start with just those two. If you're unhappy, sending them back won't be a burden, and if you're happy, I'll bet Axiom would still honor the package discount price if you acted in a reasonably prompt manner.

bibere usque ad hilaritatem