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Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Ya_basta #181580 11/02/07 09:26 PM
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No need to be technical, stumble your through it if you have to. I did a link to speaker review terminolgy not too long ago, it is on Axiom's site
link


Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Ya_basta #181595 11/03/07 12:03 AM
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 Originally Posted By: wheelz999
Yes I will, but I'm not as technical as Mojo and others \:\)


Don't worry about it too much. Keep it simple and tell us what you like and don't like. We're not that demanding as an audience. ;\)


***********
"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Ya_basta #181617 11/03/07 01:47 AM
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 Originally Posted By: wheelz999
I called my local stereo shop who I've dealt with since 98 for all my equipment; Paradigm included, and asked if they would let me do a A/B test using my new M80's (opening the boxes tomorrow) VS Paradigm 11V5's and they are more than accommodating!!! Possibly next week. CAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNT WAIT!!


You just have to be careful when you do the A/B comparison. I took my Bose 701's in to do the A/B testing. We through in Jurasic Park 3 and they turned up the Paradigms to crazy levels. The sound blew me away and then we switched to the 701's and it was night and day. I then turned around and asked if I could put Left Paradigm vs Right 701. When we did this the Bose really woke up.

To make a long story short, it turns out that the Paradigms were on an external amp and the 701's were just off of the receiver. The guy I dealt with said that he didn't know about it and thought that both wires were running off of the external amp. Needless to say, I watched him like a hawk for the remainder of the testing.

As a side note, it didn't matter as the 701's weren't even comparable to the Paradigm Monitor 11's.


Receiver: Yamaha RX-V2200
Main: Axiom m80
CC: Axiom VP150
Surround: Axiom QS8
Sub: SVS PC13-Ultra
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
alexadams77 #181619 11/03/07 02:07 AM
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Mojo Offline OP
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That's really terrible.


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Mojo #182483 11/08/07 07:40 PM
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Got my replacement M3 today so hopefully I'll get a chance this wknd to set up a comparison that would be more favourable than my previous Monitor 11 5.1 system vs single M3 matchup. The M3 was, I'm sad to report here, utterly blown away in that test - clear it may have been, but it seemed to be lacking something, especially in those surround scenes. The imaging was lackluster, at best.


M80s/VP160/QS8s/EP350; M22s; M3s.
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
doormat #182488 11/08/07 08:02 PM
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Mojo Offline OP
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I finally got a chance to hear the M3s last week-end. It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts.


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Mojo #182711 11/10/07 02:00 AM
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Ok, some first impressions in the poorly engineered comparison (consisting of pause button and switching of banana plugs) between the Monitor 11 and M3 in 2.0 and 2.1 configs (with Paradigm PDR10 - 100w, 10"). I've only 'directly' compared two albums so far: Pink Floyd - Animals, and Dire Straits - Love Over Gold.

The M3 is a great speaker, very much in line characteristically with what I have been listening to for the last few months (having jumped up from an RCA HTiB): clear, precise, not really laid back but certainly not forward. Definitely no "brightness" that seems to be everyone's big Axiom fear. The first thing that hit me was the effortless imaging and soundstage of the M3s. The Mon11 has just as good imaging but just tossing the M3s down and plugging them in was all I needed to get the image. Even extremes of toe in/out gives good imaging, although the overall sound is affected as expected.

One thing I had never noticed before was the difference between setting Lg and Sm on the Mon11. In this test I jumped back and forth on the DS album and, if anything, they sounded somewhat better as Lg (ie without the sub). Not terribly surprising as they are, after all, towers (1" tweet, 7.5" mid, 2x 7.5" woof). The M3s (1" tweet, 6.5" woof), on the other hand, were night and day! Although for current pop recordings the M3 is a very capable speaker without the aid of a sub based on my initial listening of the rather different fare of Feist, Tegan and Sara, and The New Pornagraphers. TNP, for instance, were, as with most music on the Mon11, only marginally distinguishable b/n Lg and Sm on the M3s. Even Tool seems to have only a small difference. However on DS tracks like Telegraph Road and Private Investigations the lack of bass was dramatic! The songs were completely different with and w/o the sub (further testament to the dynamic range compression of today's recordings). I had, before today, been somewhat dissappointed in the overall performance of the PDR10 - unheard with music and unimpressive with HT. It does, however, sound fantastic with the M3s! They blend rather seemlessly, actually. This, of course, also helps me better rationalize pairing the M3s off with the PDR10 for the office and getting an EP350 for my main system (I'm still having trouble justifying paying over a grand for the 500).

Overall, I'd say there is no way I'd trade Paradigm tower for Axiom bookshelf+sub. Even with the full range the M3 still lacks the fullness? of the tower. The M3 does, however, beautifully fit the bill for a smaller 2.0 or 2.1 channel environment! Definitely a keeper! I would not hesitate recommending (and, indeed, already have) the M3 to anyone looking for a bookshelf system.



Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
doormat #182715 11/10/07 02:21 AM
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Thanks for the reveiw. It was what I was expecting. Pretty much all bookshelves leave you wanting that little bit more and floorstanders have it.

I can relate to your dilemma on the EP500, I currently have the EP400 on loan and for the $1000 I would expect alot more sub.


Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
jakewash #182740 11/10/07 04:11 AM
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Mojo Offline OP
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Mat,

Thanks for the review. No surprise there.

I have a very interesting question for you though. Which speaker do you feel is easier to relax with?


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Axiom M80 V2 vs. Paradigm Monitor 11 V3
Mojo #186233 11/30/07 07:59 AM
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OK, I've spent a few more weeks now with both speakers side by side and if I had a gun placed to my head I'd have to say the M3s are marginally easier to relax with. The Mon 11s are certainly not a fatiguing speaker by any stretch, but I have on two occasions noticed a slight headache after a 4-5 hr session [strictly listening, no reading or anything (other than, perhaps, liner notes)]. This has not happened with the M3s, to date. Mind you I have had more marathon sessions with the 11s than the 3s, and only twice with any negative consequences. The session variables are legion, so I'm not sure what can be read from the experiences other than that neither would be problematic.

All in all I can't see the M3 being even remotely fatiguing. Kinda sorry now that I didn't bid more aggressively for the last M40.


M80s/VP160/QS8s/EP350; M22s; M3s.
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