Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Difference between the M60 and M80 at lower volume

Hi,

I read a couple of threads in this forum and someone mention that with the M80 you hear more detail at a low volume level. (Compare to the M60)

Is that true?

I have a 12x12 room (not so big). So maybe the M60 will be OK.

But like almost all of you, I love to think I have the best!!!

My lessening will be 90% movies.

Thanks for you help.

Eric

I never heard the M60, but I can confirm to you that the M80 sound so good at low volume, that I usually prefer to listen to them at very low volume than use my headphones, which is phenomenon I never experienced with other speakers, including the month I spent with loaned Paradigm Series 100.

Yes, it's definitely true. They sound better than the 60s at low volume. And higher volumes too in my opinion.

Eric, for that sized room, I don't think your going to notice that much difference between the two, especially at lower volumes. Even at high volumes in that place, either model will bring a smile to your face. Yes here is a bit of a difference between the 60's and 80's, which would be expected with an extra tweeter/midrange.

I will tell you that my room is 9 times bigger than yours, and I owned 60's for about 3 years before I upgraded to the 80's. The 60's have great detail, in my opinion, and are killer for HT and movies as well as cranked up tunes.

For a 12x12 room I would consider the M22s and put the saved money toward multiple subs. As has been said before a square room is bad on lower frequencies, hence the need for multiple subs.

Your right Rick, and the worst type of room is when the dimensions are identical or easily multiply by each other.

In my 12x16 listening area which is open to another 12x16 in an 'L' shape, I could hear a difference between the M80 and M60 at lower volumes. It is near or at reference levels that I found the 2 speakers to be quite similar with the M80s still coming out on top but very similiar none the less.

Thanks to all of you.

The reason I ask that is because I actually own Polk towers speakers (Monitor 50). At medium-high volume they sound good but don’t drop the volume because you lose all the detail.

My fist interest was for the M60 because of the size of my room. But now I want to be sure I will miss nothing since price is not really an issue here.

Eric

The m60's are a step above the "monitor" series, and comparible to the "studio" paradigms or higher. If you have ever heard some B&W 703's, they are similar to the 60's.

I am currently using M60s as mains in a 12x12' TV room in the basement. I love the detail at any volume level. I can't imagine getting any clearer but it could be the old "don't know what your missing" syndrome.

I am not happy with bass in my room. I compare them directly to a second set of M60s I have in a much bigger and odd shaped room upstairs. It's music only and for that I get very pleasing bass upstairs and even disconnected the little sub I had there for a bit. It's pleasant, solid and consistent.

Alternatively in the basement room, I get disappointingly weak bass in the center of the room and boomy bass in the corners if I turn it up to compensate. I don't blame the speakers though. It's definitely my square. hard floored lightly furnished room.

If I was not moving this stuff to a new room, I would definitely be considering trying multiple subs to try and help out in there.

I would go for the m80's. I have a 2200 cf room that opens to a kitchen and a hallway and They sound great... I sit 11 feet away from them.

Murph, you know how the M60s open up at high volumes, they get more spacious and open, I would say even a little more cleaner/forward sounding, at least in my time with them they did to me, that is what the M80s sound like all the time.

Once I stopped comparing the M60s to anything I started to really like them and would forget about the sonic differences it has to the other speakers I compared it to, but once the M80s showed I quickly remembered why I wanted them.

Good description. I can visualize that. Impressive.

Interesting thread. I heard definite differences at 80-90 db when I did an a/b comparisonbetween the two, but was with music. I take that to mean that would have heard even greater differences at lower levels.

My understanding is that the movies are less demanding on speakers than movies. Do you guys also notice a big difference on movie material?

Er... which of the "movie" is to be replaced by "music"?

Oops. My understanding is that movies are less demanding on speakers than music.

Edit: Mood appropriately updated...

The one from Marklar.

I guess that depends on whether or not the movie is a musical. When I had the M22s down with the M80s comparing them, for most movies, I really didn't miss the fuller sound the M80s have. But for music in 2 channel or 2.1 it was missed right away.

Thanks Jason, that's what I thought. Given that 90% of Eric's listening will be movies and it will be in a smaller room, it seems to me that the M60 would be the ideal solution.

I think you are right! I don’t want an over kill system.

After reading the review on both speaker (M60 and M80), I thought that either way I cannot lose...

But for my part, on week-day I tend to listen to movie on low-medium volume to let the family sleep ;-). Right now on my Polk (monitor 50) on low volume you lose all the detail...

By the way I just sold them (Polk) yesterday so I am ready to pull the trigger soon!

Thanks,

Eric

get the m80's or the m60's- either way I think you would be pleased. I auditioned the m80's at someones house before I purchased them... I loved the sound so much I knew I had to get the m80...

Squeeze that trigger and join us!
The power of M60 compels you! The power of M60 compels you!
(unless you decide for M80 and then just change the text above!)

I watched Ocean's 11 last night at around -40 to -35 on my system (I usually watch movies at around -25 to -20). I had to adjust the volume a couple of times and go back a little bit to hear dialog, but overall it worked just fine. Of course, the sound on the movie was nothing to write home about, but it was very entertaining.

All of them... Clearly, this is what he meant to say:

My understanding is that the music is less demanding on speakers than music. Do you guys also notice a big difference on music material?

Oh, and by the way, yes, I notice a huge difference.