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Trigger pulled...
#261627 05/28/09 02:52 PM
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I am transforming my library (which was also used as "dump" for a while and as secondary sleeping quarters by my cat) into a "revision room" with a full size table, a nice working chair (very nice) and a lot of other pieces of furniture to store excess stuff (expecting NINE pieces of furniture this Saturday) and my cutting/binding machines.

In addition, I was planning to eventually add improved audio. As ground work, I had moved my old speakers from a closet to that room and my old Yamaha coupled with my current unused Soundbridge. Although teh old speakers are not bad at all, they are cumbersome as they are big cross-fire towers and the damaged woofers is OK until 85db max. So I was planning on replacing them with M3 or M22 wallmounted (high sensitivity + no need for a sub). During the week, I decided NOT to replace them after I am settled in the new room, but rather before or during!

I have just placed a order for 2 M22s (Boston Cherry to match the rest of my system, just in case) with 2 wall brackets! I am not planning a sub for now as that room is not soundproofed and I'd rather not flood the downstairs neighbors with a EP400 or something like that. The M22s seem to have quite enough bass (from the specs and comments from JohnK) as a secondary system that I will listen to more casually (I can just move my butt into my living room when I want to listen to a full blown system or pipe organ!).

I've always wanted to try the M22s, including trying them as back surround and even as side surroung for multichannel music. With the NINE piece of furniture I have to assemble, I am not certain I will be able to do much testing soon, but I will eventually add my own 4 cents into the never ending "comparision" flow.

Hopefully, they will be on their way soon enough (all my previous purchases, using stock finishes, have been completed within 24 hours; let's keep the streak going Noreen!).


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Re: Trigger pulled...
EFalardeau #261647 05/28/09 04:10 PM
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Have you informed the cat of your plans? \:\)

Re: Trigger pulled...
dewd #261661 05/28/09 06:09 PM
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axiomite
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Sounds like it will be a wonderful place to work.

If it makes you feel any better about the cat, I ran over ours on Sunday. He was resting in the shade under my Jeep. He is alive and doing well but I'm not so well after paying for having his broken ankle bones rebuilt.


With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
Re: Trigger pulled...
Murph #261681 05/28/09 08:12 PM
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Shipped! What a company!

Last edited by EFalardeau; 05/28/09 08:16 PM. Reason: And I just learned I may have family passing in town so I might not be able to properly play with them until Monday!

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Re: Trigger pulled...
EFalardeau #261718 05/29/09 09:54 AM
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 Originally Posted By: EFalardeau
And I just learned I may have family passing in town so I might not be able to properly play with them until Monday!


Jeeez... it's only family. Lock your doors, pull down the blinds and make pretend you're not home! We're talking new Axioms here!


::::::: No disrespect to Axiom, but my favorite woofer is my yellow lab :::::::
Re: Trigger pulled... (images)
MarkSJohnson #261799 05/29/09 10:20 PM
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Well... They arrived at 13h47 this PM.
Very first impression: they look so weird. There are amazingly slim (I have handled M3s in the past) and quite tall. Like a model-kit M80!

Still in the box:


On the table (with and without grills):



Stacked on the M80 for test comparison (not ideal as the v-position was wrong, but it was all I could do today).




THE BEFORE PICTURE:


Now the next picture could be construed as bizarre. As I mentionned in the first post, the goal was to wallmount them so I could free some valuable space in that room. The backwall is an external wall of an old house. I could not hang the speakers (the owner of the house is in construction so he might be able to do it for me later on). So I had to put them on the shelf. The angle did not sound right. And putting something under the speaker was making them a bit dangerous.


So I despaired and them put them on two benches (which used to hold my back QS-8 until I bought higher and better looking furniture for them!). Sound was much improved, but when I realized I had just re-lost the space I was going to free... it felt like 600$ poorly spent (on that aspect only!). Then I tried to mount them on the side. Unfortunately, the "full metal bracket" is not appropriate for M22s as they are too tall and it reduces dramatically the possible angle.

And then, the light! All I had to do was to inverse the room and make it that (when the new furniture comes in tomorrow), my "worktable" faces the other wall! Duh! Eventually, I will have to swap them again as there is no place for a TV on the wall where they are now. Note the right speaker as it seems to be floating.




The I moved the "English books" bookcase under the right speaker (the new armoire is way too tall to fit there now).



The big hole(s). This will need to be furnished... The two pictures are hiding the holes I created trying to fit the speakers!



The AFTER picture for the original wall.



The electronics (no picture) is a bit in the way. Since I get two new armoires to store stuff, I will empty the clost between the speakers and probably remove the door (or get a new RF remote control or just a new IR blaster for my 890). I will definitely get a new SqueezeBox as my Soundbridge is doing its old "electronic noise" problem and it is more annoying now with the M22.


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Re: Trigger pulled... (sound)
EFalardeau #261801 05/29/09 10:38 PM
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I will not report long as these speakers have been described in details and at length and I did not have a lot of time.

I am very pleased with them. For the application I have, they are an overkill, but what the heck! They are much closer to the M80s than the M3s my brother has. Also, they play better at lower volume than the M3s. However, nothing compared to the M80s at low volume. At regular volume, they are pretty impressive.

For HT applications, I switched a few times between the M80s ) and the M22s (in full 7.1)(even without re-calibrating to compensate for the 2dbs of sensitivity). At some point, I forgot which ones were playing. I would need a heck of a lot more testing, but so far if someone only wants TV and movies, M22s are quite sufficient with the rest of the 7.1.

For music, the M80s were shining a lot more. However, the placement of the M22s on top of the big towers was not fair to the bookshelves. Tests were short as I had to work in the room so most of my listening was done in their final destination.

The final hanging and angling (they are more inclined now than they were when I took the picture) gives a slightly peculiar sound stage, but it is what I was hoping. The room fills up as if it were two as large and airy. The musicians sound as if they are on a stage because of the positioning on the speaker. But, placing myself as I would be when working there, it felt "right".

Imaging is excellent and the bass is impressive. I was had a little something nagging me about the M3s. Now I am pretty sure it is the small artificial bump in the bass. The M22s sound a lot more natural. Of course, pipe organ is lacking a tad, but I'll just limit myself to the living room. Cellos and double-basses are slight weaker in the lower octaves, but it is not "annoying" (in the sense of detracting attention).

Overall, for the price, they should be used more often as main speakers in systems where quality is very important but budget is a bit tight. They have become what I will recommend more often from now on for mostly-HT setups.

NOTE: As I am typing this, I am listening to the Audiobytes. I am pretty much full circle. Some Accents for the bedroom, maybe?


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Re: Trigger pulled... (sound)
EFalardeau #261803 05/29/09 11:18 PM
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One thing, though. Dialogue was a little bit more sibillant (when I tested stereo only). Most of the time it was perfect, but once or twice, some "s" and stuff became a tad harsh. Switching to the M80 did not have that.


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Re: Trigger pulled... (sound)
EFalardeau #261810 05/30/09 01:30 AM
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J
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Congrats and welcome to the M22/M80 owners club Eric. The M22 is an amazing little speaker. You now know why I don't hesitate to say the M22 doesn't lack bass, just low end extension.

Are you driving them with the A1400?


Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
Re: Trigger pulled... (sound)
jakewash #261818 05/30/09 02:45 AM
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Very cool, Eric! I'm glad you like the M22s. You're lucky, you've been able to listen to a fair assortment of Axiom offerings! I'm jealous.


***********
"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
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