Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo m3 vs m22

Hey I had to practice a lot to get that good

I know a couple of people who bought M22s for no-sub music systems and ended up having to add a sub before they were really happy with them. Everyone I know with M3-only systems is perfectly happy with them and doesn't feel the need for a sub.

Definitely go with M3s.

Well that sure seems to be the way to go from all accounts. I wasn't saying that the M3s wouldn't do good I was just pointing out why they would be perceived to have better bass output yet having the same rated bass response as the M22s.

Rick, one "pretty" was sufficient, but I loved the "bass putput", which could be said to be a fair comment on the effect of the bump in the upper bass. Haven't heard the M3s, but I'm familiar with the similar effect used in the small Paradigm speakers to give an impression of better bass. This happens both because a fundamental bass note in that 100-150Hz range is a bit louder than it should be and the 2nd and 3rd harmonics of lower fundamentals are overemphasized. My experience is that the bass of the M22s is accurate and adequate for most music even when used without a sub and is usable with room gain to about 40Hz.

For whatever reason John that reply was giving me some serious trouble

Thanks all for the feedback. Although I am at a loss when it comes to detailed graphs and hz, khz db ect,ect. I wish I kne half of what you all know. I am leaning towards the M3.
I will be going on anothed trip to Vegas in a week or two and if I do good I just might get another M60. I really do nopt want to get a subwoofer for that room.

>>I was just pointing out why they would be perceived to have better bass output yet having the same rated bass response as the M22s.

Agreed. If you go to the Soundstage reviews and overlay all of the response curves you actually find that the M22 has a tiny bit more bass than M3 at 60 Hz, so I always assumed it would be better for standalone use than the M3.

In practice, that bump around 100 Hz does really seem to make a difference in perceived bass output. When I A/Bed a borrowed pair of M3s against my M60s it was surprising how close they sounded when listening casually. There were obvious differences in sound between the two, but my conclusion was that if I had originally purchased M3s instead of M2s I would probably still be listening happily to them rather than buying a sub and finding myself trapped in the downward spiral of ever-increasing home theater performance

I've had M22s, M3s and M2is. In my systems, I prefer the M3s, with or without a sub. For a stand alone without sub I'd rate them M3, M22, M2. JMHO.

From a newbie, this is a nice thread with great information! I suspect continual lurking on this forum will help me choose the correct speakers for my tastes. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum Wayne.