Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Axiom vs. Wharfedales (or similar)

Hello
I'm a newbie audio convert and I'm in the process of spending ~$1500 on speakers to probably go w/ a 45TX. The system will be 50/50 HT and music, in a 12'x 20' room. room is hardwood floors and back of room has glass windows from floor to ceiling. I have demo'ed Paradigms (Monitor 7's), Monitor Audios (can't afford), M&K's etc. I ended up liking the Pacific Evo line from Wharfedale. I liked the detail (much better than paradigm) a lot. I'm looking at:

L/R: Evo 20 floorstanding
Center: Evo
Sub: Paradigm PDR12 (didn't like wharfedale sub)
Rears: Evo 8's

Can someone recommend a comparable Axiom setup? Has anyone compared vs Wharfedales? I was ready to go w/ Wharfedale but on avsforum.com "sushi" and others recommended these highly.

Also looking at the Aperions.

Thanks.

Well, it could be sacrilage, but have you considered Magnepans? They're magneplanar speakers (flat, big, huge, sound great). Worth a listen. Not to say that I don't like Axioms, mind you...

http://www.magnepan.com

I know owners of Maggies love them, but to my ears they don't sound natural, but weird.

I have a pair of Wharfedale Sapphire SP83s which I used in my garage system for a while, and they are fine sounding speakers, almost as good as the Axiom M3Tis.

Don't know about Aperions.

I own both Axiom(M22s) and Magnepan planar(MG12s) speakers and I love both of them. I have a pair of M22s (in a bedroom setup) and I covet them for their natural, accurate tonal character and, across the frequency spectrum, they are one of the most balanced speakers I have ever heard at any price. And for a box speaker, they throw a pretty good sound stage too. At least as good as any box speaker in their catagory including many that I've heard at multiples of the cost of Axioms. I believe that the M22s are giant killers in their respective catagory especially considering the price. Considering the quality of the sound, I believe they are even worth twice the price.

However, I must say that if the Axioms are giant killers then the Maggies are "super" giant killers. The maggies are also accurate and well balanced and what you feed them is exactly what you get. But what sets the Maggies apart from conventional dynamic driver box speakers is that phenomenal "you are there" presentation and the ability to simply melt away into the sound stage. They present the most holographic sound stage I've ever heard in reproduced music (something many box speaker try to achieve with little success and the ones that come close are very expensive). The planar design really uncorks the music and lets it flow. Perhaps it is the dipole nature of the planar. I don't know. They just sound right to me. I have many "goose bumps all over" experiences with the Maggies. If I had to sum up the Maggies in one word it would be "realism".

2X6spds, I also found the sound of the Maggies a bit strange at first but after living with them for the last 6 months everything else now sounds a bit weird and frankly "corked up" and I can't imagine "audio life" without planars now. I'm hooked.

I'll give up my Axiom's and Maggies when they pry my cold dead ears away from the listening position.LOL!

As far as the Aperions go, I actually ordered a pair(522D if I remember correctly)because I was curious about the Diaural circut design. They were beautifully packaged with the velvet "Crown Royal" like bag and they had a really nice "newish" smell to them - sorta' like a new car. They were quite plain in apperance although they seemed very solidly built. BUT! to my ears and my son's they absolutely screeched. It was like fingernails on a chalk board to me. The highs were extremely shouty and in your face and seemed to be highly accentuated. Voices sounded "honky" and grainy. I grew very tired of these speakers within about 30 minutes so I took some asperin and packed them up and sent them back the next day. I've never looked back. Perhaps they would have benifited from some "break in" or perhaps not. I was just curious about them anyway. BTW, when I bought my M22s to audition, I was just curious about them as well. I fully intended to send them back to Axiom because after all, how good can a $360.00(scratch and dent dept.) pair of speakers sound anyway.

With Axiom's and Maggies in my systems, I've stopped lusting about speakers.

Speaking of "weird", I bet those ASL amps took some getting used to, eh' 2X6spds?

Big thing about the ASL is never to lick your fingers before you touch anything. Fire-bottles are beautiful and the sound is intoxicating.

Wouldn't mind hearing some Maggies driven by an Antique Sound Labs 200 watt per channel Hurricane monoblocks.

Drool. Drool. I think I can "get away with" the M22s, but not the Maggies just yet. Perhaps when I get rich and move into a large house with a room I can set aside for listening/HT...

Must... have... Maggies!!!

[drops to the floor, twitching]

The M22s along with a decent sub will not disappoint. Even without a sub the M22s will provide a very articulate, tight, clean bottom end (J Lo?) down to its rated 50Hz or so. I haven't heard the other Axiom speakers but judging from the M22s, the bass is where the Axioms may just have a slight edge on the Maggies.

Ah! the Hurricanes. You can never have too many Fire-bottles. I bet the Hurricanes and the Maggies would be a great combo.

I know what you mean about the sound being intoxicating. I have an Anthem pre 2L SE with signal tubes and a CAL audio Alpha dac with signal tubes. These along with an Odyssey Audio solid state amp pushing the Maggies or Axioms are very satisfiying (not too tubey, not too ss).

Several months ago I purchased a pair of Quicksilver mini monos to use with the M22s. They were very disappointing. The mid bass and upper bass turned to mush. The rest of the frequency range was just ok. I returned them after 3 week (they have a 30 day return policy).

I wish someone would market an affordable high powered tube amp that would suit the Maggies.

The MMGs are only US$550 and can be returned with no questions asked. I originally bought a pair of the MMGs direct from Magnepan. It only wet my appetite for the "planar" sound. So I returned the MMGs and bought a pair of MG12s at US$1100 which is where I'll stop because my room will not accomadate a larger speaker.