Hi.

Everyone here seems friendly and talkative at the Axiom Forums, and I have done LOTS of reading on the Axioms's, both here and everywhere else I can find any threads! So, I am looking forward to your comments.

I promise this is not just a "Which one is better" type of post!

First some comments.

THANKS to Axiom, for not implying (like lots of other speaker companies, and sales products in general) that the M80's (or the most expensive product) is the BEST, and everything else is in the Shadow of the M80's and that, people will question my manhood if I should purchase or be satisfied with anything OTHER than the M80's!

Also, I am thrilled with Axiom's VALUE attitude towards their products. Yes, I would love hand sanded, cherry Wood finish, inlaiden with teak and oak, hand rubbed by virgin nymphs at midnight, but I would much rather have a less costly, yet still "state of the art" speaker.

Yes, I love the B&W top of the line speakers, but unless I become a CEO (of a BIG corporation!) or win a lottery, (Again, BIG!!) I do not think that I will ever be able to justify purchasing a top of the line B&W speaker.

This is why I am thrilled that Axiom can offer me near "state of the art" in sound, at a price that I can afford!

Also, I have to say, that Axiom's are the best speakers that I have NEVER heard! (Not a typo).

I am appreciative of the untold numbers of posts on ALL the various newsgroups and forums on the internet talking highly of the Axioms. Not professional reviews, but posts from users, raving about their systems. Whenever I research something on the net, I realise that I can find almost ANY opinion that I want to find. I never take any ONE person's comments as gospel, but when I read hundred's of posts praising a product, then I get the idea, that Hey, maybe this product is good!

However, this Blessing of State of the art Speakers, direct to the user, is also my frustration!

I can't listen to them! (maybe Axiom can make an MP3 of their speakers, so that I can hear them ! (GRIN!!!)

I can't go to my local dealer, and spend a couple of hours comparing the M22s, to the M60's to the M80's! (But then if I could, they would be 2-3 times more expensive too!)

So, I have read all about these speakers, how the M22's are very similar sounding to the M60's minus a little low end, M22's are easier to place, and the M60's are very similar to the M80's but the M80's can give more sound provided you have the amp in back of the M80's. The M80's can keep on giving, whereas at some point the M60's will give out, at the louder volumes. BUT, the M60's are "friendlier" to drive from most amps, whereas you need something special to drive the M80's 4 ohms, at louder levels.

So, what am I looking for in a speaker? Accurate, Clear, Crisp, detailed sound. Not just Louder.

I currently have a 10+ year old set of B&W 202's (inexpensive (for B&W) bookshelf speakers) that even then, were relatively inexpensive (about 400/pair in 1993). They still sound good, and I never remeber ever saying "gee, I wish they could get louder".

The speakers will be going into my "great room" a living room & Dining room combined, with a vaulted 12 foot ceiling. The kitchen is mostly open to the great room too.

While they will be primarially used for HT, I am most critical of my speakers when playing music. Being a percussionist in High school and College I gained a huge appreciation for music, and realized I had the skill but not the tallent to be a musician.

Here is where I need your help. I want the M80's and can afford them, but I am wondering if they are the best choice for the next year or two. I have people say that if you are on the fence, get the M80's you will be glad you did.

What will drive the M80's? THIS is where I need your input! I was about ready to "make the plunge" and buy "value" high end seperates (Outlaw, maybe Sherwood, maybe Crown pro amps etc), but as I was researching, I was realising that there is a lot that is going to be happening in the next year or two with pre-Pro's and even amps (DVI, HDMI, future SACD standards, digital amps).

So, I was content to do research, and wait 6 months or so, to see what the future brought, and then, BAMN, lightening struck! LITTERALY! My Pioneer elite receiver, my Toshiba TV, my laptop (modem) my dish DVR and other stuff got fried.

So I needed to buy a new reciver, and monitor. (Just FYI, I replaced my 36" Toshiba with a 32" Sanyo Flat Screen HDTV (not HDTV READY!) for 697 bucks at Wal-mart. It is very nice for the price).

And, I decided to hold off on the big pre-pro and mega amp upgrade, and purchased a Pioneer VSX-1014 (just came in last night - still is not all hooked up.)

So, here is one of my questions. I have read all about the 4 Ohm M80's, and how they can be finickey with amps, and how they really need a high quality - high watt amp to play loud, but what would happen if you were to hook them up to the likes of my new Pioneer VSX-1014 ?

The specs show a minimum Amp of 10 watts, so what would happen if I hooked up the M80's to the 1014? Would the M80's perform similar to the M60's at lower levels? Or would they be like a huge balloon, only ½ way filled? Whereas the M80's would be like a smaller balloon, but would look and sound better with the same amount of air?

Most of the time, my listening level is such that, I can still hear the phone ring.

The 1014 does have pre-outs, and a seperate amp could drive the M80's if needed.

Again, pure, crisp, clean, accurate sound is what I am after, but, somtimes that pure, crisp clean sound, happens to be an explosion or two or three.

So, I guess, in a nutshell, can I hook up the M80's to a receiver, realising that they might not be the "loudest of the loudest", as long as at lower volumes, I am still getting a "uncomprimized sound"?

My other option is to get the M22's, with the idea that they become "bedroom speakers" in a year or two.

So where do the M60's fit into all of this? I would like to hear someone's opinion of what the M60 vs the M80 sounds like, at lower to medium loud listening levels, say, in a room, 25x50 with a 12 ft ceiling. I don't have a db meter, so I realise this is a variable, but intent listening, but not painful, or to fill an auditorirum.

I'd also like to hear from anyone who has listened to the M80's on something like a higher end HT receiver.

It's a catch 22. If I buy the M60's I will be forever wondering if I should have purchased the M80's. If I buy the M80's and get less than sonic perfection with my current receiver, I will be wondering if the M60's should have been my choice.

Well, I guess that I could use the pre-out and get a Crown 402 amp, and use that to drive the M80's, leaving the rest of the receiver to drive the other channels, that might be a good option, or get a good 2 channel amp, and use that to drive the M80's.

I've rambled on long enough, thanks for any input you may have!