M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
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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
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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Fred, do you have your computer hooked up to your receiver? Just curious on what setup you have.
Have fun! Cam
The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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OP
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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!!
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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OP
axiomite
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Clapton Unplugged. Damn that guitar sounds good!!!
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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It does withstand repeat playings well, doesn't it?
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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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
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 274
local
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local
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I think maybe Axiom sent you US speakers rather than the metric ones you'd need in Canada
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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OP
axiomite
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Maybe the could ship me a US house to go with those US speakers??
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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It probably wouldn't survive our weather up here in the Great White North :-).
The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,270
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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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
Alan Lofft, Axiom Resident Expert (Retired)
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,877
connoisseur
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connoisseur
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I also love the sound of acoustic guitar on my m80's.
-David
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
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axiomite
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Music really runs in your family dosn't it.
I will try to play with the positioning, but I don't have much to play with. They are almost 5 feet from the rear wall (to avoid entrances) and about 15" from the side walls.
I'm actually more concerned about the EP350 when I get it going (computer connectivity issues).
I suspect that to get the sound I fell in love with at Axiom, I will have to attempt some sort of room treatments.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
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I will try to play with the positioning, but I don't have much to play with. They are almost 5 feet from the rear wall (to avoid entrances) and about 15" from the side walls.
If your speakers are indeed 60" from the rear wall and 15" from the sides you may want to try either adjusting the side distance or the front to back distance so you'll not have the speakers off of each wall a measurement number that is a number divisible by each other evenly. (60"/15" = 4)
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
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axiomite
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Darned math stuff! The speakers are only 8' apart so I don't want to move off the wall too much more. I will fiddle more once I get past the basic setup stuff.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Jul 2006
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connoisseur
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connoisseur
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Sounds like a bass trap project is needed!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
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axiomite
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axiomite
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Yup. I've been doing my homework. I'm thinking of trying some sort of mockup to see what it looks like before proceeding though.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
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Throw a bunch of over sized pillows, thick blankets/comforters or whatever you may have around the house in the corners and stack 'em up, this should give you an idea about what the outcome may be. I can't get into filling the room with a boat load of acoustic panels but I am a firm believer in bass traps.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,786
axiomite
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axiomite
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I don't have much to throw in the corners. Left all the extra crap with the ex.
I was doing a little more playing tonight and I noticed that certain bass notes seem to resonate a more than others. Same with the drums. The kick drum seems a little boomy but the others are nice and tight.
Fred
------- Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Got any tall and wide friends? You can stand them in the corners.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
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axiomite
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I totally panicked my wife one day when I took every cushion off the couch and used them to build bass traps with every pillow, cushion and woogy blanket I could find thrown in behind them.
It seemed to make a difference with the problem I have in my square room where the back corners get loud, boomy bass if I turn the SW up enough to get decent bass in my center listening position.
Never went further than the experiment though.
With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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You had more than one woogy blanket? I've yet to find a single one.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2006
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Look under the dryer. They fall prey to laundry elves, just like socks.
Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Jun 2003
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axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
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Peter, were you volunteering to be a traveling bass trap?
bibere usque ad hilaritatem
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
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Damn straight. Will work for beer and good tunes. Only problem is the sound usually sucks in corners. All the more reason to have a good beer.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,471
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2006
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Peter, if you're like me (heh, we know the answer to that one), then you have the "tall" part down and are working on the "wide" part.
Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 274
local
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local
Joined: Apr 2008
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Damn straight. Will work for beer and good tunes. Only problem is the sound usually sucks in corners. All the more reason to have a good beer. ... or avoid corners.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Oct 2006
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You had more than one woogy blanket? I've yet to find a single one. I assume then that you are just not familiar with the term "woogy". Think woogy socks or better yet, the Great Woogy Mammoth!! Of course, this could also be because "woogy" is a word I pretty much made up as an infant to describe my favorite, prticularly woogy tedi bear.
With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
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Re: M80s, (very) Brief First Impressions
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,463 Likes: 1
axiomite
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axiomite
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No, I think Peter just hasn't run across any of his old childhood mementos--particularly his "woogy."
This is my theory--most woogies end up in such a decrepit state that there is nothing left to save. Mom open's the dryer one day only to find a pile of yarn.
The loss of one's woogie was deftly handled by "Mr. Mom."
*********** "Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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