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Deep Dive M5
#437840 08/28/20 12:19 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
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This thread will be all about my purchase, setup and tweaking to the enth of some new M5hps in Rosewood with high gloss finish. These replaced some small bookshelves in my 2ch listening room setup that lacked the grunt to stir up the grin factory once I spun the room to fire with the long axis in the speaker setup thread.

I havent owned the M5s long enough to comment on their strengths and weaknesses yet properly, but I can say I like them and they are here to stay. They arrived sturdily boxed and in great shape. No issues with shipping in my area. Live in PEI? The FedEx depot here seems civil here. Good stuff. Order up!

Initial impressions- The finish is pretty good. Not stellar. The driver cnc routing is 1/32 larger than the woofer, I can see bare MDF barely up close. Mid and tweeter are snug. There is masking tape to be seen looking into the port on the rear of the front baffle. The lacquer finish orange peeled when curing. Of course, you can’t see any of these issues from the listening chair (and they dont affect sound quality) but out of the bag on the kitchen table I thought hmmmm.....

Upon initial setup I was less than impressed with them atop their shipping boxes. Too high! Duh. Definite bass exageration and treble shading. Typical for a vertical TMW config. All good. Using these as raised surrounds is a good idea if you want full range punchiness. With the woofer at eye level the tactile presence was undeniable!

I dropped them down onto a couple of bulk wire boxes from installs of approx 14 inches. A little too low but the balance swung to favour more treble. Aha! Height tweaking possibility to flavour balance later...

I grabbed some cinder blocks from the yard at work and unlocked the Axiom black bag hack. Listening happily now at 16” AFF for now. Going to build some stands later.

They sounded pretty grainy for the first few hours. Not sure if it was my imagination. I mess with different speakers all the time with installs. Dont think so. Not atypical either.... Out of the box speakers are like ball gloves. They work, but not quite double play material yet. Pretty normal I think (based on the setup of about a dozen systems from JBL, Tannoy, Mordaunt Short, ELAC, DefTech, Proficient, PSB, KEF, Yamaha, Yorkville, Leema, RSL, Polk, and some big Ole DIY towers and now Axiom.)

Anyhow, more to follow once I start dialing them in.

[Linked Image from imgpile.com]

[Linked Image from imgpile.com]

[Linked Image from imgpile.com]

Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437841 08/28/20 01:48 AM
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Nice room. Try them with tweeters 6" below your ears. Bass isn't too bloated in that room?


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437842 08/28/20 02:50 AM
Joined: Sep 2005
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Those speakers look amazing! great pics. And how to do they sound? Gainey?

Last edited by Rebulx; 08/28/20 02:52 AM.

Lots of speakers from many
manufactures...mostly Axiom
Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437844 08/28/20 09:06 AM
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Reblux, I would say they started off a little hard and grainy for sure. I would not have kept them. Much much better after a few hours. Sounding impressive now. Again, this is normal in my experience.

Will be recommending these for sure for future installs I do. A surround system with these all around and decent in-ceilings would be a great experience. 3 people are pending right now... likely winter. What strikes me already is just how good they sound at a distance. They dont fall off in treble or bass as you get further away or leave the listening axis. These would be great for a distributed audio install or surrounds located further than normal.

For the price they are a bargain for the performance you get. I have been a member here for a good while -never owning Axiom products. Next DIY project a time machine to buy them sooner perhaps.

Mojo, I will have to try out heights for sure. Going to get that figured out better before building new stands. This is far from over. crazy

Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437847 08/28/20 12:39 PM
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Ian did all the cross-over work on those puppies. They put my M80v2 to shame. They also soundstage and image far better than M100s in my rooms. The M100s sound more like real music though.


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437857 08/28/20 10:54 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
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local
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Trevor,
I would just like to comment here: 1/32 of an inch spacing on the CNC woodwork machining to drivers ?
Honestly, as a professional woodworking cabinet maker, we need that type of spacing on veneer products to metal parts. If you ever wish to change out a driver part, you will not be able to remove it with tighter fitment man. We are talking .031 inch spacing. It's perfect in real terms.

Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437858 08/28/20 10:56 PM
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And as a follow-up.... you should see Ian's Santose Rosewood finish in Satin. My Bryston Model T's are just fabulous.

Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437859 08/28/20 11:14 PM
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Slim, I wish I had your mad wood-working and machining skills, Real gifts!


House of the Rising Sone
Out in the mid or far field
Dedicated mid-woofers are over-rated
Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437860 08/29/20 01:01 AM
Joined: Nov 2017
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local
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If they ever lift the border travel limits, you are welcomed to visit the coast ... with Ian of course smile

Re: Deep Dive M5
aaaaaaaaaaaaa #437861 08/29/20 01:03 AM
Joined: Nov 2017
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Mojo, you should get the T's

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