Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Polk lsi speakers?

Hey what do you guys think about this post. This guy says the polk lsi7's are way better than the Axiom m22's. It's from hometheaterforum.com:


"now, if u are asking about the polk lsi (7 and 9 bookshelf speakers).... then i will tell you this. i own the m22s, but i ordered a pair of the lsi7 - this has a high probability of REPLACING my m22s.... yes, they are THAT GOOD!

i listened to the paradigm reference studio 20 (and the signature 2s ~$2300/pair) and i still found the lsi7 better than either. i found the polk lsi to be better to my ears than the BW nautilus 805 bookshelf and far better than the m22s.

the lsi's secret is its VIFA 25xt ring radiator tweeter. yes, the same tweeter on the onix reference and krell speakers! the highs are not as bright as the axioms but just as revealing and clear. the lsi are very transparent - maybe just a notch below the m22s (but i feel that this is due to the fact that the m22s have anemic bass response, even for a bookshelf.. so u only hear the mids and highs). the lsi's cabinets are far better constructed than on the m22s - real wood beats veneer ANYDAY. also, the woofers look far more massive than on the axioms, the surrounds are atleast 50% larger in measurement.

the lsi destroys.... i repeat... DESTROYS the axioms in soundstage reproduction. the lsi image very very well - in the same league as the paradigms... the center image is very very clear and present, the lsi EASILY disappears into the background and i found myself listening to the music as if there were NO speakers in front of me. switching back to the m22s, it was very apparent that the sound was coming from the two speakers in front of me.

pay attention, the m22s were spaced outside the lsi speakers in my audition and YET, the lsi still struck a larger lateral soundstage!!

i have read in many reviews that the m22s are a diamond in the rough... comparable to speakers many times its price. the truth is, in my humble opinion of course, it isnt. dont get me wrong, the m22s are very good speakers... but it lacks the qualities that make a great speaker, needless to say, they shouldnt be compared to the paradigm reference 20s like certain reviewers like to do... the ref 20s are far superior.

a true speaker powerhouse are the polk lsi 7 and 9 (even more so the 9). these are literally the best bookshelf speakers i have heard under $2500. yes, it is just not me, but my dad and my younger brother thinks so as well... they auditioned with me. "



Of course they also cost more. MSRP is something like $700. But I've heard that Fry's had them on clearance for $200 a pair. It looks like the tweeter is very good on them but this review says that the midrange was a bit bloated:

http://www.stereophile.com/loudspeakerreviews/795/

He even says that the Paradigm Atoms have a more natural midrange.

So have any of you guys compared Axioms to the Polk lsi series?

I haven't heard the M22s, but I have heard the lsi's. His review is well thought out and well expressed. I wonder if he isn't using hyperbole to come down too rough on the 22s, but his opinion is his opinions. And, yes, if you want to compare a speaker that costs twice as much as another speaker, you may very find some differences in build quality and componentry. He may be on to something - but I'm unwilling to spend $700 on a pair of bookshelves, much less the $2500 speakers that he claims beats both pairs. At $2500, we start talking about things getting ridiculous.

I need to be in a new tax bracket to get the entire polk setup. Why stop there, Then I would need to upgrade all of my components too.

Axiom is the best bang for the buck.

This thread reminds me a lot of This one.

MSRP is $809.95. It is probably a fine speaker. Only your ears should decide what your wallet likes best.

I believe that both reviews were written by the same guy; Joey.

I agree with the other comment that it was well thought out and written.

The reviewer does not have a good understanding of audio - believeing that speakers placed farther apart should have a larger soundstage.

I agree with the real wood part.

However, the reviewer obviously has a limited pool of experience and speakers to compare - by the statement of best below $2500. There are MUCH better speakers in that range.

Oh, and I like the part about "it is just not me, but my dad and my younger brother thinks so as well... they auditioned with me. "

Is that a positive, or negative???

I gave the $2500 Polks a listen at Fry's the other day. Don't know which model, but they were big towers w/ integrated subs. They're good (and they look fantastic).

I don't think any of us are under the impression that Axioms are the ONLY good speakers out there.

That guy obviously has an anti-Axiom agenda. His prominent mention of the Vifa tweeter is curious. Aren't there some other speakers, perhaps even direct rivals of Axiom, that use that tweeter.

This person(joey) made some compelling arguements for the m22's back in april when he first purchased them. Saying things like "also these speakers have an enormous sound stage- wow! i can sit back, close my eyes, and picture the musicians in front of me- with adequete spacing between instruments...no overlaps!", and "the amount of detail this speaker belts out is very excellent,not unlike paradigms- i think the m22tis compare favorable against the paradigm reference 20 or 40 bookshelves(albeit the lowend may not be as great". And finally, "overall if i had to do it all again- i would not regret, think twice, or even look at the other speakers i was looking at before- i would still buy my axioms... again and again and again." He has some very kind words to say about axiom in the above quotes.Yet three months later he says the axioms have a weak soundstage and you shouldnt compare the axioms with the paradigms because the 20's are far superior, even though he initially stated otherwise. A bit of contradiction there. I've never listened to the polks, but if that is his cup of tea then so be it. His opinion is just that, an opinion. If anyone out there is contemplating a speaker purchase, then let your ears decide! Or maybe your wallet to.

I read the review. I don't think he's coming down on the Axioms. He just said the lsi's are better.

Yes, I feel exactly the same way. Also, even if reviewers say that the Axiom m22's sound as good as speakers costing twice as much, it does not mean that it sounds better than ALL speakers costing twice as much. It means that the m22's are better than SOME speakers that cost twice as much.

For me its simple. It all comes down to best bang for the buck. There are definitely better & worse, cheaper & more expensive speakers out there. However, for the best balance between cost and sound, Axiom stands out from the crowd, and this is why Axiom has become so popular, not because they are the very best speakers in the world. With all the rave reviews and happy owners out there sharing their exicitment with their purchases its easy for others to develop unrealistic expectations and hence comments like these. We all know its easy to build the perfect speaker when cost is no object. Why wouldn't a speaker costing 2x's sound better? It bloody well should. The real artistry and accomplishment comes with building a great speaker at an affordable price. Another HUGE point to consider, that I think is often over looked, is the advent of multichannel formats. Traditionally we all compare speakers on a per speaker basis, which certainly makes sense, particularily for stereo, but with multichannel music/movie it becomes a question of the entire system and with Axiom it truly becomes a situation of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. This is why Alan made this comment:

"In all cases, multichannel music reproduction with neutral speakers continues to deliver rewards in realism over esoteric, high-end 2-channel systems. " (look under louspeakers )

The question is price for price what is the best performer. For me without question Axiom fits the bill.

Jag