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

225 mm.

I just noticed in my previous post I said "I'd say 1 is the very useful start of the range but some may say even lower.". I meant 10 Hz is the usable start of the range for an 800v4 or a 600v4.

A1 Thank you!

The M5OW are here. The M5OW are here. In walnut bordeaux. 2 days early.

Like their bookshelf counter-parts, these M5OWv4 are wonderful speakers. Full range for almost all music, well-balanced across all bands, highly dispersive with a holographic soundstage at all volume levels. Beautiful finish and very well-packed.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gyUJk93f2iYezoLeXBc64X0_xyS7cAx2?usp=sharing

Compared to my M2OWv4, they are longer, wider and deeper as you can see in the photos above. They're also about twice as heavy. Hanging beside a bow window is still not a problem though. They produce deeper lows and more bass and mid-range detail (texture) and are more dispersive than the M2OW. Soundstage, like my M2OW, is the entire width of my front wall and the soundstage depth of the M2OW is preserved. The M5OW can hit 5dBC higher peaks before I start to object to the woofer distortion. At 12 feet away, that's about 105dBC. To summarize, the M5OW sound more like the real performance compared to the M2OW.

I just want to say a bit more about the dispersiveness. In the piece below, you ought to be able to hear a trumpet and trombone on the left. Now look at my room photo above. That trumpet and trombone appear at the far left wall where the light is. That's six feet away. My M2OW do this as well. But there's a big difference with the M5. When I turn my head and look in the direction of those images, the effect slightly collapses with the M2OW. Not so with the M5. The image is solid!

https://open.spotify.com/track/7a2Bn6l0huPgPxDAtm7iT1?si=sxUojzRpREG5Z66B2a9l4Q

There's a catch to all this. To achieve the above with various flavors of music and various volume levels in my living room, I had to cut the bass. I mean, I had to REALLY cut the bass. First, I tried stuffing the twin ports on the bottom. I've never liked how that sounds although I know others don't object. So I took the stuffing out and cut the bass as much as I could on my Chromecast Audio. That didn't work completely. So then I cut the bass on my Pioneer all the way (-10). That did it. I had to cut the bass on both devices all the way!

From that baseline, depending on the piece of music and the volume level, I had to adjust the bass. This is something I don't have to do with the M2OWv4. Frankly, it's a real pain. But, and this is a big but, the music that comes out is oodles more emotionally involving than M2OWv4 for that extra pain.

I will say, in my living room, with the speakers mounted on the long wall to give me that wide soundstage I so much love, if I could not or did not want to cut the bass, I would take the M2OW over the M5. Recognize however this is a room mode thing. With the M5 bookshelves in my living room, I had even bigger bass problems; I could not cut the bass enough. My FWB bought M5 bookshelves for her more spacious living room and they sound wonderful in there completely uncorrected.

They are emotionally involving with the bass cut and without a sub. But what about with subs? With the dual EP125v4, they are even more emotionally evolving. No big surprise there.

Do you need a sub with the M5OW? Even if your room is "good" or the EQ correction is good, a good sub adds emotion. If you can't buy a good sub, then don't bother. If your room is bad, a sub will give you bass management options - particularly if you have EQ software.

How about against M2OW/dual 125v4? With or without a sub backing the M5OW, this is a very difficult choice. Consider what I've said in the past. Friends and family are blind-folded while listening to M2OW. When the blinds come off, they look around the room to find the speakers and are shocked to discover only two diminutive M2OW. I get the same sense of wonder every time I listen to them. Then also consider what I've said about bass response in my room. If you can't or are worried about managing the bass, M2OW is the way to go. Then there's always the aesthetic aspect. I love equipment and I love Axiom speakers but it does look like the M5OW footprint may be too much of a good thing for my room. The M2OW fit in just right. Right now, I am very biased towards the M2OW/dual 125v4 system.

How about against M5 bookshelves? This is no contest in my room. The M5 bookshelves get in the way of themselves from a bass stand-point and also from a soundstage width perspective. No one in their right minds would choose anything but M2 or M5 on-walls in my set-up. Maybe they'd choose M3OW but I can't say because I've never heard them. I've already said I take the M2OW over the active LFR1100 in this living room. But if you have a place like my BFF, the M5 bookshelves will give you music that is more real.

How about against M3s? M5s all the way unless you like more mellow, less detailed sound with a less neutral presentation. Although I have not tried M3OW, I have compared my M3 bookshelves against M2v4, M5v4, M50v4, M80v2 and M100v4. I expect the M3OW will give you a very similar soundstage as M2OW.

What am I going to do? Am I going to keep the M5OW or go back to M2OW? I really don't know right now. I suppose that tells you how good they both are.

Update: the short of it is the M5OW are staying. They sound terrific. But it took some work.

I had to move the two EP125v4. They are now on opposite corners of the room, each firing along the length. They are set to 80Hz with the gain on each at 4. This may sound quite high but recall they are being fed from my Pioneer's pre-amp outs. And the bass to them is cut all the way.

The M5s are playing with the bass cut completely on the Pioneer. I then use the bass on the Chromecast Audio to adjust depending on volume level.

I find now for my normal listening level, I don't have to adjust the bass. But if I'm grazing around in the kitchen and I want my 'nads to feel it, I turn it up and then I have to attenuate the bass.

It's worth noting that in this set-up, if I had a Transformer, I would not be able to use it because it doesn't have a bass control. If I didn't have the bass control on my Chromecast Audio, I'd have to go back to M2OW and return the M5. If my Chromecast Audio dies, I'll be in a bit of trouble for sure.

Some photos for Rebulx. Another reason for not upgrading the 500s is the walnut natural satin. Just look at it!

BTW, audio equipment is more important than chairs. My seating cost me 140 beaver dollars. It's more comfortable than theatre seating. I wish it came in walnut.

I forgot to post an important detail.

Eagles Farewell Tour is a completely different experience. I can get dance club levels in here and it's clean and totally visceral!

love your pics mojo!!! Those are some pretty nice lawn chairs! Although when you mentioned them in your last post I envisioned you sitting outside in a field wrapped around with Axiom speakers... because lets face it, it's what we do!

btw, watching the farewell tour as I write this, very nice, thanks.

I had my M100s in the yard this summer. Neighbors hated it. I said "Suck some vortex ports, grandmas. Uhh yeah!"

Oh the filth that came out of their dentured mouths. They called me all kinds of vile stuff. So I mooned them!

I can't wait until I'm really old. I'll be a real shit disturber and laugh my saggy ass off. No one's gonna beat up a grandpa. Especially not an armed one. LOL!