Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater M3's or M22's

People keep saying there is no cure for material wants. Has anyone ever tried becoming a buddhist monk? That'll cure you.

I think HK makes fine products - I had an HK integrated amp years ago that I wish I still owned.

BUT I think the features/price ratio is out of whack on their receivers compared to Yamaha and Denon right now. If it was me (and it WAS a couple months ago) I'd spend a little less on a receiver (like $350 instead of $550) and put the extra into speakers. I don't think the HK calibration stuff is in the same league as the newer Elite and Yamaha functionality.

With the volume of your room, and 80% of your listening being HT, you may want to consider the vp150 instead of the vp100. HK is a nice unit but a little spendy. The Elite and the Yamaha are both very nice, feature packed units, and there are some pretty nice deals to be had if you buy online. You may be able to save a few bucks and dump it into your speakers

Hi mwells,

Get the M22ti's and the VP150 because they have better power handling. Besides, the M22ti's are more neutral and transparent. The M3ti's are too small for a big space like your room. H/K has nice beefy amps that will drive lower impedances without shutting down.

We have been a Yamaha family for years (it is all that my father has owned in receivers). I was really pretty set on the 1400, then the discussoin that it was too bright came out, and I began looking at the HK line. This is exactly why I posted in the first place, to get some feedback from guys that have more experince than I. But all I may be doing is causing further confusion. I do believe, however, that the speaker setup will be the m22 with the 150, then add the qs8 later (I have yamaha bookshelves that can serve as rears for now.) Thank you for your help and guidance, it probably won't be the last time that I come to you guys.

What about the Rava sub? It lists at $400, is there a better sub in that price range?

You are a Yamaha family?

Ok,. the 'bright-ness' has been there already then, you have heard it. If you like what you have heard already, then to not expect some huge 'brightness' on the 1400.

BTW, the 'brightness' thing with Yamaha's are a joke. I truely believe it is an internet legend. I can see it on their lower lines, but their high end lines(for this model year, the 1400 and up) are just as good as any receiver in their price range.

mwells,

I have heard Axiom with both Yamaha htr-5250 and harman kardon avr-320. No contest, Harman Kardon win hands down. Axiom speakers are on the bright side and it match very well with the warmth and clarity of Harman Kardon. With the Yamaha, Axiom speakers sound a little harsh and too bright for my taste. Hopefully the newer higher end Yamaha 1400 will be different. I also have a Denon avr-3803 matched up with M22, EP350, and m2, and for movie, it is awesome, but for music it is still a little brighter than it was with the Harman Kardon. But since I mostly watched movies so I will keep the Denon and will sell the Harman Kardon.

Being a "yamaha family", I mean that most of the high end electronics that I have had a chance to use on a long term basis has been Yamaha. Although, you can see how loyal I am if I am willing to jump ship at the advice of a few forums.

I agree. I have a Yamaha 2400 and find it perfectly neutral. What does bright mean anyway relative to electronics. I can see where a speaker could be tipped up in the highs and I can see and hear where software can be engineered in the studio to sound "bright". But what does an electronics company do to make thier components sound "bright"?

In reply to:

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I have heard Axiom with both Yamaha htr-5250 and harman kardon avr-320. No contest, Harman Kardon win hands down...

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I have absolutely no intension to belittle H/K or blurb about Yamaha (I don't own either brand), but whenever I see a report like this one, I immediately start to suspect that the two receivers were not set up carefully and identically, or one of them were calibrated wrong or actually defective. There CANNOT be this much sonic difference between two "decent" receivers of today.

Incidentally, according to my own relatively brief auditions of various Yamaha receivers ($1000-ish MSRP and up) at the dealers, the "brightness" of the brand is unfounded, period. Yes, it's an internet legend IMO. Yamaha and H/K receivers are both just "neutral" to my ears.