Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions

Once I finally figured out how to get sound out of my pc, I put on the ELP debut album and listened while organizing boxes 'n stuff.

I have some room issues. My first thought was that the base sounded a little boomy, not something I heard during my auditions at axiom. For those that don't remember, I live in a concrete box and I have minimal wall decorations.

On the first piece with light cymbals I heard what I was waiting for: a nice clear crisp high end.

Then on came some pipe organ (and the reason I used this album). Ooooooh! Thats better. Nice and textured with Waaay more detail than my Panasonic mini system (no surprise).

Piano and voices also sounded very good.

And then I got to the end of Lucky Man. I remember reading somewhere that there is a really good low fewquency sweep at the end of this song. It was certainly all there, but I could hear the room-boom colouring it, except the last few notes.

I don't know what the frequency is, but itwas spine tinglingly well reproduced. Quite visceral really. The last few notes were mostly heard, but also felt. Very Cool!!

More room stuff:

On one of the heavier piano passages I got that sort of ouch feeling. Again, I never ever felt that at Axiom so I know it is the room.

On some of the heavier cymbal stuff I could hear it as well. Everything was being produced, but it was like it was all kind of mushed together. Too many and out of phase reflections perhaps?

The next album was Led Zeppilin 1. It all sounded very good to me, but I could again hear the room-boom on all the base in Dazed and Confused, and the mashed up cymbals at times.

All in all it was not bad for just plunking the speakers down, toeing them in a little and hitting play.

OK, gotta clean and lay down the rest of my cable.

Fred, do you have your computer hooked up to your receiver? Just curious on what setup you have.

Have fun!
Cam

I forgot to mention that. At the moment I am doing analog out from my computer to a receiver. Can't say I am impressed by the noise floor. I get a constant hiss much like tape hiss.

Also just found out I need to have a monitor connected to the pc for audio cds to automatically fire up in wmp! I can't continue my setup without Tunes!!

Clapton Unplugged. Damn that guitar sounds good!!!

It does withstand repeat playings well, doesn't it?

I just picked it up a couple of days ago. I used to own it on tape.

Having played for a number of years, I know what acoustic guitars are supposed to sound like. The snap when he plucks one of the upper strings hard, the buzz when he does the same on one of the lower strings... Its all there!

The vocals are really really good on this album as well.

Zeppelin 5 When The Levee Breaks. Damn the base is boomy. I don't know if its the ep, the room or both, but it was uncumfortable. I need a house to go with my new speakers.

If I didn't have to go into work tomorrow, I think I would run through my meagre coolection tonight

I think maybe Axiom sent you US speakers rather than the metric ones you'd need in Canada

Maybe the could ship me a US house to go with those US speakers??

It probably wouldn't survive our weather up here in the Great White North :-).

Hi fredk,

Glad you like the sound of the M80s on acoustic guitar. I play 12-string and 6-string acoustic and it's certainly one of my midrange tests along with 5-string banjo (my folkie roots).

Anyway, re the boomy bass, try moving the M80s farther out from any walls or corners (adjacent surfaces) to lessen the bass output. Concrete cubes are the worst sort of rooms for bass boom, but some repositioning of the 80s (and/or your listening seat) should help.

Regards,

Alan