Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Anyone done comparisons between Ascend and Axiom?

I am starting to do some research and put together some speaker packages, I want new fronts, two surrounds and a center; I already have an HSU STF-2 so I am good in the sub department. My budget is 1,200 (give or take a few) and internet companies seem to offer the biggest bang for your buck here. I am currently torn between Axiom and Ascend. For Axiom I am looking at M22ti’s for fronts, QS8’s for surrounds and a VP150 for the center, which would cost $1220. For Ascends I am looking at CMT-340M for fronts, CMB-170 for surrounds and the CMT-340c for a center, which would cost $1216. I have heard many good things about both Axiom and Ascend, however I have heard more negatives about Axiom that I have Ascend, I have heard of Axioms being bright and that their centers are not very good, I am not a big fan of “in your face speakers” so the bright part scares me a bit. Also all of Ascend speakers also have either a perfect or near perfect reviews on audio review.

I understand that I am asking this on the Axiom forum (also posted it on the Ascend forum), so people will favor Axiom here but I am wondering if anyone has had a chance to compare Axioms to Ascends and what the outcome was. I understand the best thing to do would be to order both the M22’s and the 340’s and do A/B comparisons to decide myself which one I like better, and then be 100% confident that I made the right decision. But Axiom charges return shipping (does Ascend?) and I would rather not make this speaker purchase more than it needs to be. I understand that everyone has different tastes when it comes to speakers and what sound good (this is why I am a bit scared about Axioms, because I don’t like bright speakers and have heard them referred to as such). But I think if I read a few comparisons about what people thought it may still help me. Thanks.

Have you checked if there is someone in your area with Axioms? That seems like your best bet.I have never heard the Ascends but have read a lot of positive reveiws on them.

I have not compared Ascend to Axiom personally, but I can say that Axiom speakers are definitely NOT bright. However, they are definitely accurate. If the recording is well mastered, they will sound marvelous, but if the recording is a bad one (such as much of today's pop that boost ~2-7 kHz to make the music sound more "present"), it will sound bright. I have a pair of M60s (and I used to own three M2is which I used in conjunction with a sub), and I can truly say that with a good recording, the speakers are incredible.

I typically ignore audioreview (as the people who post there have no credentials). I generally stick to professional reviews. Look at how much the M22's have been praised:
SoundStage! (Probably one of the most respected reviews out for the M22)
Audioholics
Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity
Audio Video Revolution
On Home Theater
Byte Sector

The M22's and various other Axiom models have received many awards such as this one:

(SoundStage Reviewer's Choice honoring the M22ti Se.)

Spiffnme and Curtis should be along shortly. Spiff has M60s, M2s, VP150 (right?), QS8s, and used to have M22s. Curtis has CBT340s and 170s (I think). They've compared each other's speakers, so they have some pretty good insights on them.

The CMT-340m and M60 are more comparable (M60 has more bass extension though), and the CBM-170 and M22 are comparable.

Spiff and I have not directly compared the two speakers...but we talk about doing it.

In Austin this weekend, one thing that was reinforced, is that people truely hear and appreciate sounds differently.

We directly compared those speakers, and others, in Austin this past weekend. Regarding the treble in the 340's vs M60's, and the 170's vs M22's, some may call the Axioms brighter, some may call them more distinct/defined, one thing is for sure, the treble between the two companies is presented different and it is something that is tough to leave to interpretation.

I say get a pair of M22's and a pair of CBM-170's and compare. Sending the pair that you like least back will cost you no more than $30.

Good advice Curtis.

Just curious, will their be a post of impressions from those that attended the Austin Weekend, either here or elswhere?

Thanks, Jag

In reply to:

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I say get a pair of M22's and a pair of CBM-170's and compare. Sending the pair that you like least back will cost you no more than $30.

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It's been a while, but I believe this is the exact comparision I did (we had a couple of different review sessions). There is a thread on hear about it if you search back, but from what I recall the Axioms were more detailed and the Ascends were fuller. Both were good speakers, and it depended on what song we were listening to for which we preferred.

Honestly I think that both the Axioms and Ascends will both be great speakers and I think it comes down to personal preference, and if you like your speakers a bit more forward and detailed or a bit more laid back. Therefore I think the only way will be for me to order M22’s and 170’s and decide for myself. Also I have read this review http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/axiom_millenniam22tise.htm and I do not think that you can give a speaker a better complement than this “But be warned: if you use a pair of M22Ti SEs while saving for your dream speakers, you are going to have a very hard time justifying the added expense when the time comes to move up -- you may already be there.” Thanks for the input guys.

Took me awhile...but here I am.

I wrote up my thoughts here

Hope this helps. But as was said already...if you can, buy both the 170 and M22's and listen to them in your own setting. Return shipping won't be much.

I also did the research, listened to what I could, and then bought the Axioms. Very satisfied that I did. And I might have been just as satisfied acoustically with the Ascends, but I will never know. The reason that I will never know is because the Ascends are so damn homely I wouldn't audition them. True, we buy these things for the sounds they bring us. Some will say that appearance doesn't matter, and all this being truly subjective, it may not matter to them. But ugly speakers are a peeve of mine. It doesn't cost all that much to pay some attention to asthetics, so I'd rather buy a good-looking speaker that sounds wonderful than an ugly one that sounds wonderful.

Along similar lines, Dr. Hsu are you listening? By all accounts, you make wonderful subwoofers. But I'm about to buy a similarly wonderful SVS. Not for aesthetics alone, but I can get one of thier comparable products in four colors. Why not one of yours? Seventy years ago Henry Ford offered cars in 'any color you wanted , as long as it was black'. That philosophy from Hsu is being met the same way it was met from Ford - people will buy elsewhere.

To Ascend and Hsu - it doesn't have to be ugly and it doesn't have to be black. Axiom and many others offer good-looking products with some degree of choice, at a competitive price. Aren't these things sort of obvious to the average marketing person? Obviously not.