Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners M3 Powered vs KEF LSX Wireless?

Hey Guys, Costco has KEF LSX on sale for 999 and just in time I was looking for something powered for my computer/work setup at home. Conventional wisdom says that 6.5" drivers on M3 vs 4.5" drivers on KEF says go for M3 and maybe even save a few hundred bucks.

I have Axioms M80 towers since 2013, best thing I had heard until recently when replaced my car audio system with ARC audio AMP and Focal speakers (forget the exact model), those in car Focal give M80 towers a run for their money, and honestly beat them, they aren't as loud as M80 but treble, seperation and puchy bass far outweighs M80s. So honestly got me asking, should I go Axiom again or try something again.

So in that what are your thoughts between KEF LSX vs M3. I hate to just order both and return one even though both Axiom and Costco have great return policies; so thought throw this out here.

All in all, my car audio system and M80s convinced me to throw away my crappy logitech (although ont he hgigher end of logitech) thats been my computer staple for past 10 years.

Don't go wireless for either brand. Get these and a decent sub for the office. I use them with a cheap, Sony 12 inch sub and love them. Save money over the other options and it will sound better.

https://www.axiomaudio.com/bst-46

are you looking at the M3 computer speakers that Axiom sells? I have a pair of them and the only big issue that i had with them was that the volume control for the unit was on the back of the speakers.

I have both a PC and a Mac. if you hook the speakers up to the PC, then the windows volume control works just the way you'd expect it to. But on my Mac, the volume is looked at 100%. so the digital output is sent at full volume and the Mac expects the speaker itself to do the volume control. This is what you'd expect if it was a digital usb output to feed a stereo receiver that is connected.

Other than that, the speakers actually sound amazing. I ended up re-purposing them for speakers that I can take outside when I have friends over. hooked them up with a raspberry pi and volumio and they work great.

If your using the DAC in the Mac or PC ... i.e. analog out then the volume on the either computer should work.
If your connecting to an external DAC you want to control the volume at the DAC. You don't want to use a software volume control and send the digital signal at less than full volume. You'd loss quality.

Perhaps there is a way of controlling an external DAC's volume from the computer ... it would make sense that some standard might exist.

Thanks for the adive guys.

Matt, yes I was looking at the computer speakers. Infact I got the KEF delivered today and am debating if I should also get M3 Computer to compare. KEF do sound great, I think they need a sub but still have no context on how they compare with M3 Computer.

I remember being rather intrigued with KEF and their putting the tweeter inside the mid/woofer driver. I can remember them doing this back int the 1990's so it's not something that is new for them. How it has improved over the years I don't know, but I do know I have listened to them years back, and concluded it wasn't what I liked. At the time, I went with Celestian speakers over the Kef.

3-4 years ago, I bought the M3 Computer speakers after getting and liking the sound from Axioms M80 and later he LFR1100. I am not a sound speaker reviewer, not a trained professional sound engineer. I am just a regular person who happens to really like music and am willing to pay a bit more to get good sound if I can.

The M3 computer speakers really did give some impressive sound. I think they are a great compromise to give a good feeling of bass that many smaller bookshelf and computer specific speakers that I have tested before lacked without adding in a sub woofer into the mix. I also found that many of the speakers even if you did add in a sub, didn't allow for a good crossover mix as to be totally honest, a computer setup isn't the best acoustically designed space for listening. You have the speakers rather close to you, or likely more closer than you would in a seated listening setup. You have a hard surface desk with your computer on it that messes up how the sound travels to you. I found that a sub under a desk at close proximity didn't mix well with any speakers that I tried. What the M3 did do was give enough of a bass bump in a pleasurable range to give me a sound (that likely wasn't accurate at all) but was very pleasing to my ears with just enough added bass that you didn't feel you were missing something but without any harshness.

If you are listening to your Kef and as you have said, you think they need a sub, then clearly they are running well in the mid/tweeter higher frequency ranges, but don't have enough of the lower 120-85 power that most people feel is bass. I am sure I will be totally flamed by some of the other regulars on this forum for my opinions. They are mine and free for anyone to take them at face value.

Thanks Matt, How is the imaging on M3, LSX feel really good, I can visualize vocals in front, percussion to left or voilin to the right of vocals. If imaging is as good as these KEF then M3 are a winner, below why I must return these KEF.

One of those things no review covers, they cut out during placback for 100-200ms couple of times a minute and then it will be fine for hours, then it starts again. Its not a wireless issue either as they have an option of connecting L/R channel via signal wire, which is what I have done. Its completely unacceptable. Some forum said wifi causes that issue so I got them hooked via ethernet, same thing.

I freakin' advised you dude to not buy anything wireless. It don't matter if you've connected it up via ethernet. The shit don't work and I knew you'd have problems. I also advised you to get the less expensive M1 computer speakers with a sub. The M2 will also work but they're more expensive. And a sub. However, it's pretty darned clear to me that you are an explorer, and that's OK. You will have to discover for yourself I suppose. The M1 and M2 will give you clarity, soundstage and imaging. The M3 is less clear, imaging is more fuzzy and the sound is thicker which some prefer. The M3, depending on how you place it, may boom due to the upper bass bump in the amplitude response curve. Trust me. I own almost everything Axiom.

I'd love to pick up the m2s and a sub for my computer set up but way too many other things to get first. If they are anything like the m2 bookshelves they would sound incredible.

According to Axiom, they are identical. So get the M1 to enjoy some variety. Smaller and easier to place too.