Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners speaker finish choices

No one at Axiom has any time to post some trivial photos. I mean come on...they have all the Bryston and Axiom workers out in Dwight right now clearing the forest to make way for the expanded factory. Can't you hear all of them singing the lumberjack song?

Looking for some input on distance and how wide to put m2ow for height speaker's. M100 and,VP180 two ep500's in the front and QS10'S FOR back and side surrounds.

Thank you RJ

Hey RJ, how are you doing?

Not sure you'll hear anything beneficial with heights for any Axiom v4 floor-stander. Even the M50s give me a tall soundstage.

Maybe you want to use those M2s for width instead?

If not, the recommendation for heights is above the fronts or just to the inside.

Oh great, now I have the Lumberjack Song stuck in my head, thanks Mojo!

Yeah...I had that damned song stuck in my head all summer as I was chopping wood. I let it out a few times, perhaps a bit too loud...LOL!

Check this thread out guys.

https://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php/topics/439791/new-finish#Post439791

Pics and all in that thread, no question about it, the new boston cherry is light years better than the old. The pics do not do it justice, or show the shine in the finish, and those were NOT high gloss. Still they were miles better. The old ones look and feel like a vinyl. The new ones look and feel like a much higher quality speaker and seems like real wood.

Ok so i'll be posting a raft of colour swatches. They were photographed with a Pixel 2, some without flash, some with flash. I was too lazy to pull out the DSLR.
The first set were photographed on the main floor with a picture window behind me, indirect light, partly sunny day.
The second set were photographed in the media room (basement) under LED light (4100K 60W bulbs in wall sconces).
Did my best to pair the samples with the original Boston cherry vinyl wrapped speakers as well as putting them against some other speakers in the house.

The only thing i'm not sure about is the final finish. Ian mentioned that very very few speakers go out the door in a glossy finish (i get that considering the extra cost) but i really would love to see how these wood veneers would look with a strong gloss shine (think it would seriously make the walnut grain stand out in a big way more than a matte finish).
On the other hand, satin does have a bit of an eggshell sheen to it, but i'm not sure how many coats of satin finish were put on these colour swatches. It seems to me that the final finish should have more "pop" to them. It almost seems like there was only one quick coat of satin finish on the colour swatches before being sent out. I could be wrong, but if so, expect the speakers to come with a very 'wood' like finish (not super smooth which multiple satin polyurethane layers would provide).
In the samples you can see some of our other speakers in the background (the more 'orange' coloured, cherrywood Tannoys which have a nice smooth satin finish).

See the labels below with the pics.

Continued

If you like the color of the pine I'd suggest you might consider natural maple and white washed maple instead (unless you or sig. other are really into knots ). The color is somewhat similar It's just a nicer cleaner wood IMO. I have maple in my family room and really like it.

I have the natural walnut in satin on my subs and surrounds ... it looks just like your sample ... not much of a sheen. I have them in the HT and choose that color to blend in a bit ... in hind site I kind of wish I went with maple (just because I like it so much).

On the gloss ... if the speakers are going in the front of the viewers you might want to think about refections ... They might be distracting while watching a movie ... the light and reflected movement tends to draw your attention.

We were looking at buying the refurb LFR presently up in the Deals which are in natural pine which is why we got those two colour samples. I am a fan of the whitewashed more as is the wife. For the media room it will still be Boston cherry. Just like that colour. Unfortunately the natural pine is too yellow, country cottage look for our living area.

That wood would be fantastic on our main floor. The wine cellar ledge is an American Black walnut and has the same colouration, grain pattern. I've always liked it and i'm pretty sure i finished it in a semi-gloss (if it was satin, the sheen is more than i expected). Having this walnut grain on a bigger surface, bigger speaker, it would look outstanding as per Mojo's pics of his. I agree though that the satin stain seems fairly simple, not many coats perhaps?
I have satin on the Tannoys and they have a nice smooth finish that is definitely not high gloss, but looks very professional, very high end if you will.

I've seen the Monitor Audio Platinums up close and that gloss just makes the wood grain pop, but yes, in a bright room, you will have more reflections. So a 'mirror' finish for an extra $1000+ cost which looks like a piece of art or a subdued satin finish, less eye catching reflections with a more real wood feel?

I guess worst case one could take the speakers out to the garage and spray them with a coat of whatever gloss level finish they wanted. Look at Trevor's project and how well that came out. I have a local friend who has recoated a few of his speaker sets during refurbishing and they turned out well. Just need decent equipment and a good space without dust, controlled temp.