Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Out with the old and in with the new

Keep in mind, the M3's are V4s vs V2 M80s. Listening levels are also important.

I can drive the M80v2 to 110dB and M3v4 to 105dB at 3' distance. Beyond those levels, I detect distortion with my Onk and dynamic compression. I sit 11' away and those levels are too loud for me (I had earmuffs on). The M3v4 sounds better than the M80v2 and just as full. It really is freaking amazing! If you can't afford the money or space for the M5HP, you can set up a great A/V system with the M3v4 and an EP500. An EP350 may even be enough. But once you hear the M5HP, you just can't go back to the M3. You don't even have to listen critically to hear the difference. These speakers put Totem, Polk, Klipsch, KEF to shame - they are audiophile quality with wide, deep, tall and accurate soundstage, sharp images and micro and macro dynamics. My ADA-1000 feedback will be coming soon.

Nice! My plan to use M3v4's for surround/Atmos duty sounds completely overkill now.

Not over-kill at all. There's a lot more coming out the surrounds than most think. Its just that tjey cant hear it because their gear sucks or they're deaf.

Those with QS4s or QS8s need to upgrade to QS10HPs. I had no idea what I was missing until I did. Wow!

I still like the idea of having full range speakers (or subs with hi level outputs and otherwise capable surrounds) used at every position.

The QS8s are pretty much full range. Audyssey crossed them over at 40Hz and I have usable bass well below that but I haven't quantified exactly how much. It's a very stark difference to the QS8s!

I've taken the M5s off their Axiom stand and replaced them with the M3v4. I haven't recalibrated yet.

They're 12'4" apart and I'm 12'4" away on the diagonal. The tweeters are about 5" below my ears. The M3 backs are 4' away from the front wall and sides are 6' away from the side walls. I'm seated 5' away from the back wall. The 800v4 is on and crossed at 80Hz. I'm at -15 on my Onk listening to Calcutta Blues by Brubeck on Spotify Premium.

The soundstage is wider than the speaker width. It's DEEEEP...deeper than my front wall...and appropriately tall - no difference in height compared to the M5 or M80v2. The drums are wayyyyy back there! Imaging is amazing! I can say that while the M5s disappear, the M3s disappear better! The mids and highs are not as crisp and transparent and the bass is slightly thicker than the M5 but over-all it's good - really good! The soundstage is soooooo much better than my M80v2.

I never thought I'd say all this about the M3. I'm wondering now if the M22v4 (which I've equally despised since I heard the M22Ti) would improve on the M3 while disappearing just like the M3 does. Are you reading this, Alan? I'm praising the M3. Can you freakin' believe it?

The builds are terrific BTW. The M5HP has a window brace, and a thermo-formed mid-woofer enclosure. Both have nicely laid out cross-overs and decent components, generous polyfill, excellent vinyl and heavy tweeters.

It's obvious that everything Axiom learned on the LFR, M100 and Model T has trickled down into the rest of the line. I think Axiom has really screwed themselves though. With the M3, M5HP and maybe the M22, who needs floor-standing speakers?

I would take the M3v4 over my M80v2 any day.

Listening now to I don't get it from The Trinity Sessions. Craig Chase was telling me what this should sound like but I could never achieve it with my M80v2. I hear the width, incredible depth and crisp imaging with the M3v4 as he said. No...I don't need LFRs with this. It's holographic enough for me.

Now I'm afraid to re-calibrate from the M5s to the M3s because I might lose this.

Listening to the 2005 remastered version of La Habanera...still on the M3v4. The truck in the beginning starts off on the extreme left and crosses the entire 24' stage seamlessly! Its walls of sound with each wall ahead of the other leading to believable and easily discernable layers of depth. The macro dynamics are all there; the microdynamics and air not so much as with the M5. There are no discernable speakers in the soundscape - just well-positioned and delineated vocals and instruments. All this from the M3s! My M80v2 could never do anything like this.