Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners M2 vs M3 computer speakers

The 'B' string on my 5-string Electric Bass is approximately 30Hz.

On Xmas day, I played TELARC's 'The Many Moods of Christmas - Robert Shaw, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus' CD (CD-80087) through my tube amp to my M2s on FMS Stands in my living room. I previously had never heard them without assistance from my EP-400s. This time I did not fire up the subs but just sat & listened to this dynamic & glorious CD for a while.

This vintage CD (1983) is comprised of many Xmas favourites that are performed by a large symphony orchestra & choir. I must say that I was quite astounded by the 'full, smooth' sound that these diminutive speakers produced on their own. I couldn't believe that the EP-400s weren't in there doing their thing.

I'm now more impressed than ever with these little guys...

TAM

Yes, I'll grant you the six-string bass has lower frequencies. But the majority of bassists--rock or pop or classical players-- play the standard 4-string bass, which is why I didn't get into the non-standard models.

On the subject of the grand piano, there is a special model, the Imperial Concert Grand, made by Bosendorfer, an Austrian builder now owned by Yamaha, which has additional keys added in the lower bass, so that the lowest note is around 14 or 16 Hz. It has 97 keys, rather than the standard 88 keys. The piano is not commonly used in concert or for recordings, and the fundamentals of the lowest notes are weak-- so the 2nd harmonics (28 Hz, 32 Hz) are stronger and any speaker capable of some response to those frequencies gives a convincing account of the lowest notes.

Alan

I would think that if you got the M2 they are far more flat but fall off with the lower frequency tones. The M3 have the ability to carry the lower frequencies, but will get a bit more muddy in the mid tones if you push the volume. But as you said. You are playing these not at high volume, so I doubt that you would ever exceed the 6.5" drivers ability to create the mid tones, but gain in the surface area to make the lower tones.

just my take on it. I have the M3 but have not tried the M2 so I have no point of reference.

Hi FosterCO,
This is a somewhat confusing notion you describe about "not matching the bass tones". The very nature of "high fidelity" includes, ideally, loudspeaker response from the lower limits of human hearing (about 20 Hz) to the upper limits of hearing and the musical spectrum (around 15 kHz).

If you want to hear the electric bass line, then you want the speakers you are using to provide reasonable bass extension to 40 Hz with some output down to 30 Hz. It's easy to do in good headphones like your Grados, but not so easy in a compact speaker (or one with tiny drivers, which is why the tiny speakers in your computer don't output deep bass).

I have the M2s, and if they are sitting on your desk, the bass reinforcement of the desk will help the M2s to produce a good account of the bass line that you'll be able to hear, given that the bass line on the source material is well recorded and mixed. Lots aren't, even on modern recordings. The M3s have an artificial bass "hump" built into their response, and, as Mojo pointed out, they can sound a little muddy or bloated on male vocals at higher volume. The M2s are very linear, with no exaggerated "hump" in the bass frequency response.

So, to summarize, if you want to hear the bass player you are trying to "match" the bass tones. It has nothing to do with separation.

Regards,
Alan

Nicely said oh aged but wise one!

Alan - well I'm not really a high-end audiophile, so perhaps I am not understanding/making any sense to you learned fellows.

I guess I didn't fully understand the initial comment towards me that I would need a speaker that can do 40Hz in order to hear all the bass tones. Maybe I'm still not understanding. In my mind, the counter to that statement was that currently, on my little 2.5" speakers, I can hear and learn basslines from about 60-70% percent of songs I try. So I didn't understand why I would need bass response that low. Perhaps the exact tone/frequency is not produced by the speaker, but an Eb is still and Eb (except when its a D#).

Anyway - I re-bent some cardboard boxes to the size of the M2 and M3s. The M3s are just physically too big for the situation. So I am ordering some M2s. If I really don't get what I'm looking for - there's always the return program.

Thanks all!

An Eb is an Eb with distortion that may not be the best thing if you are learning by ear. In any event, if you had 2.5" speakers and were satisfied 60% to 70% of the time, I think you will be happy with the M2s. Let us know when you get them.

I guess it depends a bit on presence of harmonics in the signal from the bass. I find I can make out bass notes fairly clearly on speakers that have dropped *way* off at the fundamental frequency... that surprises me a bit though because I would have expected relatively few harmonics from an oscillating string. Maybe the pickups add harmonics ?

After all these years it's hard to believe I have never gotten around to plugging an electric bass into an oscilloscope.

The problem at hand is not if a particular speaker can make a note, but more to how efficiant that process is.

A set of headphones can make a whole array of sound as they are dealing with very little air that needs to be moved and a small distance between the diaphragm/cone and your ear drum. Pull a set of headphones away from your ears and all of a sudden the sound that was great becomes very tinny and hollow. The small speaker that once worked now doesn't.

The M2 is a great speaker and has more than the ability to produce a whole range of notes. The further you are away from the cones, or the more that you are required to crank up the volume, the ability of the speaker becomes more apparent. The M2 is a very flat response speaker. The M3 has a bump at the bass end as it uses a larger cone and it has a certain sound it it. Some like it better than others. Some actually like the sound of Bose speakers.

Who farted?