Hey Leaf, SERIOUSLY consider getting yourself a few free samples of the standard finishes sent to and you'll see just how easy it is to peel the vinyl off. This doesn't mean the vinyl is poorly bonded on the speakers, but if you get the vinyl lifted along one of the edges then it does become quite an easy task to peel the vinyl off. This is why I mentioned that if I noticed the vinyl lifting off along an edge I'd be quick to glue it back down. Once the vinyl is off you are left with an almost smooth finish, just a very little roughness from the bonding agent. I got samples of all three standard finishes and I peeled the vinyl off on two of them with the exact same results.
I think it would be a bit more difficult to peel the vinyl off on a speaker that has a larger surface area but I think the results with the sample would suggest it is a reasonable task given a bit of patience and effort.
My concern with the re-finishing thing is how the speaker fittings ( grill post holes, ports ect...) are secured to the cabinet. If they are glued then it may be quite difficult to remove them, which I think would be a neccessity inorder to do a proper job.
Another possibility mentioned is the release of real wood veneer editions. I think this would be a far more likely thing for Axiom to do as an Anniversary release as opposed to completely new models as some have speculated. Why not ask Axiom if they are planning some special Anniversary Veneers. It may well be worth the wait if its that important to you.
Also don't forget that on all accounts the vinyl veeners are reported to look way better in real life than what is shown on Axiom web pages. There are also alot of beautiful custom veneers to choose from.
Unfortunately, to a large extent you'll never know how well re-veneering will work without giving it a try.
Anyone want to volunteer a speaker...
Cheers, Jag