Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Deciding between M60 and M80

I take it you are putting the M100s along the long wall?

That's how I have my M5s set up in the living room. They're 10 feet apart and I am 10 feet away. They have 5 feet of breathing room on either side. They have about 2 feet from the front wall (to the back of the speaker). The sphincter holes (you'll see what I mean when you get yours) are wide open and no sub. Even with only 2 feet to the back wall, I get nice depth. Some songs have instruments and voices right out my front window (which is situated between the two speakers). Clarity, bass...everything actually...is top notch. I could easily melt my brain with an ADA-1000 if I wanted to and I'd die in bliss...LOL!

My furniture was getting in the way so I pitched it out my front door and over my fence into my neighbor's yard. His mice now have nice homes. Try it. It's very liberating!

I couldn't live like that, man. I'd extinguish my pain by finding out.

Mojo, your setup with the M5's are exactly what I need to do I will have the M100 against the side walls but about 3inches from the front wall unfortunately that's what I need to do or else I won't have a living space lol, if I need to I could always plug the rear ports and leave the front open as nothing will be blocking for up to 3.5ft away. I just worry that I am going to have an awesome speaker but can't use it to it's full potential forgive if I am wrong though

My living room living space consists of speakers, electronics and a comfy chair. Off to one side I have a wall adorned with all my "edged tools" that I can admire. They'll come in handy in a zombie invasion as I dispatch the soul-less to the blazing sounds of my M5s.

You may not be able to hear it at its full potential but what you will hear will be amazing nonetheless and so much better than what you've been used to. You're doing your brain a big solid.

At some point you'll find yourself itching to improve your room and do what I did. Maybe you'll even tear down a few walls.

hahaha I will probably resort to knocking down wall lol, I like your idea of a zombie invasion I think i'd do the same thing blast them out of there misery with detailed tunes. I honestly cannot wait to hear the m100's I can tell its going to be amazing just by what I've heard from you, Deb and Ian.

Thank you again for all your help and input I greatly appreciate it.

Well...I don't know about Deb and Ian. I think Deb has hers stuck up against the front and side walls and as for Ian, he apparently has 8 ADA-1500s connected up to two LFR-1100s for a total of 2400 Watts average, 7200 Watts per side. I think that means he melted his brain a long time ago. Ahahaha...I want to do that too...LOL!

Apparently Andrew can't build amps big enough for him and Ontario Hydro has to build a few more transmission lines to Dwight to keep up with Ian.

I have had a pair of M80. I now have the LFR1100. But I also have a pair of M3 computer speakers.

Yes, you can tell the difference between the M3 and the LFR1100. But I will say it is in the point of diminishing return. I have had friends over and were totally blown away with the sound from the M3.

I bring this up as you are likely overkilling yourself with the M100 as you are kneecapping yourself by putting them 3" from a back wall. NO NO NO NO !!!!!! Did I mention NO!

Get a smaller speaker like the M5 or even the M3, and then put an EP500 to the side. You will get far better sound in the room. Mojo might like to give out all the techno babble about wattage and compression and it is total bullshit when it comes to actual sound. You can be right in theory, but never have it happen statistically.

If you are coming from a set of Cerwin Vega then you just haven't heard good clean sound. It is great to say you crank them loud, but until you get a good responsive speaker you just can't understand.

It's your money. I would get on the phone with Ian and tell him that you want some speakers that you can put 3" from the wall, and he will likely sell you something totally different that what you ordered. He knows his stuff and knows what will make it sound the best.

The M3s are terrific but they will compress at 105dB. Justin said he likes it at 95 to 100dB average. That implies 115 to 120dB peaks. He just doesn't have the headroom with the M3s. Remember he is 12 feet away.

I've never heard the LFRs. However, I own the M3s and M100s, both v4 (and the M5). The soundstage is similar but larger and more enveloping with the M100. Images with the M100 are more defined with more space between them. The images are also larger and more developed. The quantity and quality of bass (even with a sub), and the quality of the rest of the audio band is significantly better with the M100 over the M3. It is the M5 that is the sweet spot in the line up. Unfortunately it's not up to the task for Justin's listening habits.

BTW, the M3, M5 and M100 are all compromised in similar ways when they're up against the front wall.

The dual tweeter is a necessity in its respective speakers for two reasons. The first is power handling. The second is spectral balance given the multiple woofers and mid-woofers. I proved out the second point myself on the M100. With the top tweeter blocked, the highs weren't as clear. On the M5 however, with its single tweeter, they are crystal because one tweeter is enough given one woofer and mid-woofer.

When dynamism is present in a recording, statistically speaking, it will want to be reproduced 100% of the time. If the speakers compress or electronics in the audio chain saturate, the peak will never get reproduced. When this happens, the experience is ruined 100% of the time - statistically speaking. You can see there's a lot of statistics in here, Matt.

I recently reported on this experience and it was an eye-opener for me. I always thought my Onk was so awesome but now I realize it soft-clips at a level far lower than anyone would expect. The reason for the lack of dynamics is puny reserve power.

Now I'll say this. If Justin listens to Metallica: Death Magnetic all day long at 100dB, I agree he can go with M3s. That is so dynamically compressed, there are no peaks.