Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
My Visit to Axiom and...
#199844 03/11/08 12:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
fredk Offline OP
axiomite
OP Offline
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
Damn you Jason!!


Fred

-------
Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199847 03/11/08 01:14 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
fredk Offline OP
axiomite
OP Offline
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
Some random things from my visit today.

1. I'm not a huge sub guy.

2. Bass wasn't on the menu today at the restaurant where I had lunch. I really wanted to report back that I got all the bass that I could handle and more today.

3. Tom Cumberland sure loves his job. He took a good 20 minutes to talk to me about various things and to show off his lab and all the cool stuff in it. He was quite excited about the stuff he does.

4.The HG cherry vinyl looks very very nice! The HG real wood cherry looks very very nicer!! The HG rosewood is absolutely stunning!!! The fit and finish on them is amazing.

5. Those overhead routers they use to cut the cabinets are way cool. Many, many man-points go to anyone at Axiom who gets to operate them.

6. Standing inside an anechoic chamber is a very wierd experience. 2 minutes and I was antsy to get out and quite relieved once I did. The human body/mind is not ment to be exposed to a total lack of sound feedback.

7. Debbie is a very gracious, charming and patient host. 4 hours and she still seemed quite happy to answer any questions I had.

And now for an auditioning teaser

The ep175 is, well... I know why nobody here talks about them. Maybe in a very small room. The ep350 thumps whumps and thrums pretty good. About 1/2 volume in a room almost the same size as my living room was good for music and more than enough for the LOTR scenes I viewed. The ep400 packs a LOT more punch. Minimum volume was all I could handle. They both seemed very clean to me on music.

OK, gotta get something to eat and then I can write a little more.


Fred

-------
Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199863 03/11/08 02:49 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,745
Likes: 17
axiomite
Offline
axiomite
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,745
Likes: 17
 Originally Posted By: fredk
Some random things from my visit today.

1. I'm not a huge sub guy.

More of a pizza fan?
Sorry, bad Peter joke.

 Quote:

3. Tom Cumberland sure loves his job. He took a good 20 minutes to talk to me about various things and to show off his lab and all the cool stuff in it. He was quite excited about the stuff he does.

You should hear Tom and Alan go at it head to head. It's like listening to a tv show debate from the 50s about fine audio. That's not to say they're old, but rather seasoned, and yet somehow boyishly youthful with exuberance about vintage gear.
\:\)
 Quote:

4.The HG cherry vinyl looks very very nice! The HG real wood cherry looks very very nicer!! The HG rosewood is absolutely stunning!!! The fit and finish on them is amazing.

I saw a few of the new finishes just before Axiom really started to roll them out.
Very impressive.

 Quote:
5. Those overhead routers they use to cut the cabinets are way cool. Many, many man-points go to anyone at Axiom who gets to operate them.

The CNC machines are quite nifty. Pictures can be found in the Axiom Factory Tour link.
Tour thread here
The Factory has since added to their interior but maybe someday when Mark Johnson goes there he can improve on the terrible state of pictures that i snapped.
I was so excited just looking around that i never paid much attention to the camera settings. I clicked shots so fast i ran out of film before our weekend really got started. I ended up taking about 48 shots at the Factory and only 12 on our trip.


"Those who preach the myths of audio are ignorant of truth."
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
chesseroo #199868 03/11/08 02:55 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
fredk Offline OP
axiomite
OP Offline
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
Boyishly youthful indeed. He was like the kid who won the lottery and bought the candy shop. He is also one of those guys you just take an instant liking to.

Camera settings? You were miles ahead of me. I forgot to snap pics and a 4:45pm wasn't about to go back in to do so.



Last edited by fredk; 03/11/08 02:56 AM.

Fred

-------
Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199872 03/11/08 03:05 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
fredk Offline OP
axiomite
OP Offline
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
One more tidbit before the main event.

I now know why Axiom doesn’t recommend Yamaha (they do have a Yamaha rack amp in their demo room). According to Tom, Yamaha tends to redesign their amps for every new series. One series, they come out with a great, beefy amp that can handle the 4 ohm loads that the M80s demand, the next... He suggested that if I was set on a Yamaya amp. I should not buy it before it has been reviewed somewhere.

Now on to the Auditioning. First up was the M60 vs M80 (dumb, dumb...). I started with the debut ELP disk I just picked up.

I have read comments from several people here that the difference between the M60 and M80 is subtle but noticeable. I noticed it immediately. It took me a while to characterize it, but it was very definite and, to me, not subtle.

With piano and any of the higher notes on an organ, there was not much difference. I really noticed the it with cymbals. There was much more detail. It was not as obvious with the vocals, but they just sounded a little clearer. The M80s also definately went lower. I really noticed it with the low pipe organ stuff on track 4.

Same with the Dire Straits Live at the BBC. I didn't really notice much difference with the lead guitar, but again, the cymbals really jumped out at me. Its like they separated from the background. The kick drum was quite noticeable as well.

Same again with Peter Gabriel, Security - track 1. The mondo drumming at the end really jumped out.

Don't get me wrong, the M60s sounded very good. The M80s were better.

Next up, M22 +ep 400 sub vs M80. We started the sub of low, turned it lower, and then turned it to minimum.

Though the winner here was very clear, this was an interesting listen. There was a BIG difference between the vocals on the two. With the M22 and sub, the vocals jumped forward (literally) but were not as clear. ELP track 4 was a different story. The bass REALLY opened up with the M22 + sub. Flipping back and forth was cool. Flip to the M80s, the vocals and upper end open up, flip back, the bass really opened up. What a difference!

M80 definitely wins.

Next, M22 + sub vs. M60. This one wasn't so obvious, in fact, I'm not sure which I like better. The vocals did that forward thing with the M22s and there was more bass, but there was something nicer about the overall effect of the M60. Better imaging???

Somewhere in here we swapped in the ep350. As I mentioned in the ep350 V2 vs V3 thread, there was a big difference. The 400, though much smaller, packed a lot more punch.

On to 5.1 music. I wanted to hear the difference for myself. I chose the Straits live because it was recorded in a concert hall so there should be more surround stuff for the processing to pick up.

Debbie: "Now did you want to try the M22 or..." Me: "lets just go with the M80s"

WOW... WOW! Talk about open up!! Its like the stereo speakers just unfolded themselves into a band in concert. They just... opened up. Very cool.

On to Movies. I popped in disk 2 of The Fellowship and went to the mines of Moria. Now, I've never really noticed the surround stuff that much in the theatre, so I was very surprised at what I heard. I stopped for the conversation about Mithril and Gandalf spoke. Holly hand grenades Batman did this room just get a lot bigger? The helmet falling into the well was really cool. Cave troll and ork bashing? No 5.1 no whumping and thumping no oompf. Same with the Balrog. I like this 5.1 thing at home!!

And the Winner is???

Damn you Jason!

See, I'm on to you. Innocently popping up on every thread I happened to be reading with that "you really should listen to the M80s" comment. You've brainwashed me. Now I can never find true happiness unless I get the M80s...


Fred

-------
Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199876 03/11/08 03:20 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
J
shareholder in the making
Offline
shareholder in the making
J
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
Sorry, but good is good. I had to keep up the M80 posse as Mojo was A.W.O.L for awhile.

Nice write up Fred.

I don't suppose you had a chance to try the EP400 with the movies? If so what did you think? I noticed the 400 was great with music but lacked the pressure to shake the house like the bigger subs. The little driver just doesn't move enough air to do it.


Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199877 03/11/08 03:29 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,490
Likes: 116
M
shareholder in the making
Offline
shareholder in the making
M
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,490
Likes: 116
Well, we've been saying it all along about the 80s but I suppose human nature being what it is, the difference has to be witnessed. Besides the bass, the biggest difference I can hear with the 80s is in the vocals. They are velvety, effortless and full of nuances. They are also appropriately forward compared with the "in your face" 22s and too laid back 60s. The differences in imaging and soundstage are more subtle between the 60s and the 80s but they are definitely there given the right track.

I'm surprised that you found the 400 packed more punch than the 350. There was no comparison in my 4,000 cubic foot space. The 400 was, to put it simply, wimpy compared to the 350.


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199885 03/11/08 11:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488
Likes: 9
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488
Likes: 9
Super cool! Long live M80s! Did you place your order yet?


See Mojo's signature
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
EFalardeau #199888 03/11/08 11:59 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868
aficionado
Offline
aficionado
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868
The Axiom factory sounds like a great place to visit, maybe someday I'll get there. Love my M 22s but I really wish I had the room to accomodate M 80s their the speaker I wanted.


Dave
Re: My Visit to Axiom and...
fredk #199968 03/11/08 11:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
fredk Offline OP
axiomite
OP Offline
axiomite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
Now I'm really gonna start sounding like Jason and Mojo.

Thing is DG, all these speakers really sound great. I kept thinking that as I switched back and forth between different speakers. Were I not so close to Axiom and I had ordered without having auditioned them, I would have been very happy with whatever I had chosen.

If space or WAF are an issue, the M22 and sub is a great choice.

Funny, but even though there is some pretty cool stuff in the factory, overall it dosn't look that impressive. The really impressive thing is the product and the people.


Fred

-------
Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  alan, Amie, Andrew, axiomadmin, Brent, Debbie, Ian, Jc 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Need Help Graphic

Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics24,940
Posts442,457
Members15,616
Most Online2,082
Jan 22nd, 2020
Top Posters
Ken.C 18,044
pmbuko 16,441
SirQuack 13,840
CV 12,077
MarkSJohnson 11,458
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 386 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newsletter Signup
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4