Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners M60/M80 vs. Energy Connoisseur C-9?

Yet another Axiom vs... XXXX post. I've searched the archives and didn't see anything, so here goes.

Visited my favorite home audio store this weekend with the intent on listening to the energy Connoisseur C-5, as at roughly $750/pair they're at the same price range as the m60's. Didn't like them much at all, too muffled and weak. But I really liked and my wife *loved* the Connoisseur C-9's, even better than the Veritas models they had - and we almost bought them on the spot. Except at $1,300/pair, M80's are cheaper!

I now have to convince my wife that either the m60's will sound just a good or that the m80's would actually work in our smallish (20x15x8) home theater room (and with our Pioneer Elite 43TX, which the manual only says can handle speakers down to 6ohms...). Up until this weekend I had her just about convinced that m22's + VTF-2 or an SVS sub was the way to go. Now she's basically okayed the budget increase for something a little more drastic .

So, anyone out here in Axiom-land ever have a chance to listen to the Energy Connoisseur C-9's? How does the sound of the m60's/m80's compare? Generally I'd hit up audioreview.com for some advice but the C-9's don't seem to exist in the DB. I've only found one review of the C-9's online and it was very positive, but still only one review.

We brought along Norah Jones' CD to compare and the vocals were simply mind-blowing. The clarity was amazing, and there was just so much more depth and strength in her already beautiful voice. Also listened to a wide range of Jazz, Classical, and Rock while we were there, and those C-9's could handle anything. They just seemed so perfectly balanced. Strong bass but not boomy, beautiful highs but not piercing, etc..

Thanks for the advice, you've all given me so much already I almost don't want to ask for more. I really appreciate it all.

Peter Chenoweth

I've listened to the entire line of Connoisseur speakers. I own the M60ti.

The C-9 can't touch the M60ti's clarity in the mids, detail in the highs, or tightness in the bass.

I find it very odd that you thought the C-9 sounded better than the Veritas though. ????? What did you like about the C-9 better than the Veritas 2.2 or 2.4?

We listened to the 2.4's, but last-year's 2.4. They didn't have the *new* 2.4's in that listening room. The C-9 just seemed to have a much richer sound to it. The 2.4 just sounded slightly weaker in comparison. Norah's voice wasn't as smoky and rich, the piano sounded more like a recording of a piano and less like a real piano. In a jazzy drum solo on a different CD, you could really feel the snares hit on the C-9's, sounding very much like a live band, whereas the 2.4's were almost harsh and simulated sounding.

Don't get me wrong, they both sounded really good, the C-9's just sounded better to us. Heck, they both sounded much better than the B&W's (don't remember the model, smaller $900ish pair bookshelves - is there a blanket over the speakers?) and Klipsch speakers (large towers - fingernails on a chalkboard highs :eek:) we auditioned.

I think it may have had something to do with placement, as they had all of their speakers arranged in an arc in front of us, the Veritas being about 6 feet apart, us sitting about 8 feet back, the C-9's being about 12 feet apart, us sitting about 8 feet back. It could also be a power problem, I suppose. All our listening was done through a Pioneer Elite 53TX receiver though, which is basically the same, power-wise, as what we have now.

Thanks for the reply, spiffneme. Impressive indeed to hear that you prefer the m60's to C-9's, nevermind the M80's!

I demo'd the C-9's and Veritas 2.2 and 2.4's when I was at my local shop and found the clarity of the Veritas VERY appealing. (I believe you're correct that placement issues may have marred your listening experience of the Veritas).

The C-9's upper-bass region was very muddy. The bass was not clean and tight in comparison to the Veritas. I ended up purchasing a pair of the Veritas and home deomo'ing them against the M60ti. Even the $1500 Veritas couldn't hold up against the clarity and detail of the M60's.

I honestly feel that if you really liked the Energy C-9's, you'll be literatly blown away by the M60 or M80's. I've always been a big fan of the Connoisseur speakers myself, but they really aren't in Axiom's league.

Good luck in your shopping.