Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo The decision is finally made!

I like the disclaimer at the front spiff.
I rather enjoyed reading this review.
It sounds as about objective as you can get at home. No ranking took place (or at least no rankings were posted) but you defined in the end why you chose what you chose. Your review explains how the Axioms were better for you but that the Veritas speaker has its own characterstics which certainly may suit someone else's preferences, regardless of the cost difference.
Essentially there is no universally 'better' speaker between the two, except in the eyes of the buyer.

I'm sure that speaker switcher really helps in the fast A/B comparison.

I spent about 1.5 hours listening to the M60 vs. 2.2's at his place. The first thing that I noticed during the first switch was the difference in the soundstage/openness between the two speakers. That immediately swung the WOW factor towards the Axioms. What jumped into my head was 800 vs 1500....that was immediately a no-brainer for me, but then had to remind myself that Craig got the 2.2's for 50% off, which then makes the decision more difficult. The M60 did more to my liking than the 2.2.

I like the M22's, but for me the highs are a bit harsh in the long run. The M60 seems to be a bit more refined in the highs, if it is the same tweeter, maybe the crossover network has something to do with it.

The M60 is nice, I would not hesistate recommending people having a look at it if looking for a floorstander.

curtis

But not the M22s?

I still recommend the M22's...you guys see that on the boards. But M60's are easier for me to recommend. If I have the time, I would like to compare them with my CMT-340's.

Curtis, you inspired me to check the Ascend site to see what you're using. I'm curious; are you just using regular 340c centers turned vertically, or has David got 340s modified for that use? Looking at the picture, it would appear that the 340 has a vertical diffuser in front of the tweeter to aid horizontal dispersion. The tweeter would therefore have to be rotated 90 degrees to maintain the horizontal dispersion when the 340 is vertical. A baffle compensation in the crossover, apparently relating to the 200-400hz bump caused by a large TV, is also mentioned, which wouldn't be necessary for use as mains.

John,

I am using a left/right version of the CMT-340...your assumptions in the changes are entirely correct! The diffuser is turned 90 degrees, and no baffle compensation. It is not on Ascend's website because of inventory control...same cabinet and drivers as the center, and they do not want to run out of parts before the next shipment comes in. The center channel has been in good demand.

I think it is an excellent speaker. And it sounded well in limited comparison to the M60 and Veritas 2.2....we just did not listen them that extensively, it was not the focus.

How far away were you sitting from the M60s to get good imaging? How far apart were they?

Craig,

Congrats on your purchase! I know you'll enjoy your purchase more as time goes by.

Frenchlop,

I've had my M60s (with VP150 and QS8s) for almost a year now and recently moved into a new home. The speakers were in an apartment living room that was 14'x11' with 10' ceilings. They were about 2' from the wall, 8' apart and I sat 8' away which gave me very good imaging . They're now in a Great Room that's 20'x16' with 18' cathedral ceilings. The speakers are 10' apart, 4' from the wall and I sit 10' away which gives me even better imaging. I love listening to 2-channel (CD and SACD) and multi-channel (SACD and DVD-A) music and watching DVDs (I have an SVS 20-39PCi to round out the home theater).

I'm getting a widescreen HDTV and Denon 2900 soon. I'll post new pictures as soon as everything is installed.

David

They were about 8'-9' apart and I sit about 10' away. Not the perfect setup, but they sounded great that way regardless. I'm very limited in where I can place the speakers. The only real flexiblity I have in my room is how far away my couch is from the speakers. It used to be about 8', but I've moved it back to about 10'-11'.

Frenchlop...you named after the bunny?