Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Suggestions for New Axiom Speakers

pmb, I suppose with more than 12,000 posts you feel like you can speak for Axiom. You really presume too much.

Good point htnut. When I say that Axiom should target high end 'iconic' speakers, I don't mean they should match them in price or complexity. I hope and I don't know whether it can be done, that Axiom could match the sound quality of an Usher Little Dancer book shelf speaker at a much lower price. their msrp is about $2,700. I don't know what their markup is but they have at least one level of markup between the manufacturer and consumer. If Axiom could make a competing speaker for half that price, or hopefully less, I think the power of positive reviews would market these speakers.

VAF (http://www.vaf.com.au/), an Australian brand with a very similar outlook to Axiom. Their DC-X (similar to a M80) has a single capacitor as the "crossover"... because anything else they tried sounded, or measured, worse.

I was looking at VAF, but they don't make proper in-walls like Axiom do.

If Axiom made some super-premium product I could well be turned off because I'd always be wondering what I'm missing out on. I'd rather the company as a whole was targeted at my market/budget (as they currently are) and put all their effort into making me the best product they can for that budget.

The biggest problem with going high end imo would probably be that anyone willing to spend $5-10G (or more) on a pair of speakers is unlikely to purchase over the internet without a thorough auditioning first. That's where the dealer network takes over and hikes the price up another 50%+ (or whatever the markup is). The current pricepoint of Axioms takes much of the worry out of purchasing sight unseen (heard/unheard?) for many people. That doesn't mean to say that Axiom shouldn't experiment a little, say with an "Anniversary Edition" bookshelf or something like that, it might give them some idea about whether an 'upmarket' line would work, but it should certainly be done cautiously and not detract from their bread and butter lineup.

Have had the opportunity to directly compare the sound of the Usher 'Tiny Dancer' to any of Axiom's bookshelf speakers? I'm not saying it's true, but I bet you'd be more impressed with the M3s if they looked like the Ushers, had a beautiful crossover, but sounded exactly the same as the current M3s.

Since the Ushers are your paragon of bookshelfdom, why not save up for a pair?

I would like to see Axiom target speakers in the $5,000-$10,000 range, match their sound quality and come in at a much lower price.

Luke, I think the reason I like the sound of the M3s is because of the minimal x-over. The M3s roll off mechanically and the x-over just protects the tweeter.

The Reference 3a de capo speakers work the same way. I was able to pick up some de capo x-overs and modified them to work in my Frankenspeaker center channel project. I'll get a picture of one when I can dig it out of my garage. very high quality goods.

pmbuko, had a bad day, did you? If you have nothing constructive to say, why say anything?

How is that not a valid question? I have the same ones.

1. Have you ever directly compared the M3s to the Ushers? I'd ask if you did a double blind test, but I know that's not your thing.
2. If so, and you massively preferred the Ushers, why not get them?

There is no doubt Axiom would have lost most of the present owners if they were to target the "higher end" speakers. I wouldn't have gave them a second look due to the fact I simply could not afford them.

Plus with other ID companies there are far to many other choices.

What's that saying about the kettle and the pot?

Is it not constructive to suggest acquiring a pair of speakers you so clearly admire? I had a good day yesterday, and am having a fine morning today. Even pre-coffee.