Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo The M40s vs. M60s

Ok Chess, darn it anyway, just tryin' to find some good "future news" from you Axiom insiders.

Like for instance, is there any truth to the rumor that for the 25th there will be at least two new speaker designs using a redesigned 6.5" in the QS10 and new VP160. Plus the ability to replace existing drivers in M3s M40s and M50s with user replaceable driver and minimum X-over to match the said new models?(unless there's a delta Vb) Rumor also has it that the M50 will be a new 2 1/2 way speaker design!

(Ok, ok, so I started the rumors, but if yer gonna dream....)

There's tons of promising possibilites here.
Outdoor speakers.
Wood veneered special editions.
And instead of in-walls, completely invisible cabinets!

Oooooo.....Invisible cabinets!!! (We called it Reduced observables technologies before we called it "Stealth") So, we(maybe)gave the technology to Canadair, and they gave it to NRC, and they....Cool!

Uh, unless, uh.....we aren't talking micro-mini-jewel-cubes, are we, for "Invisible"???

Guess I'll just have to wait and see, like everyone else!
Yeah, this is fun, too.

Well, we haven't got around to the tubie stuff yet, just some preliminary reports, but we do have a general consensus on the M40 vs M60 sound (3 auditioners).
Simply put, the M40 are a characteristic Axiom speaker, finely detailed, nice finish and builld, BUT in comparison to the M60, they fall short in our opinion.
Here is the pic of the A/B comparison:



Keeping things simple:
Soundstage: equal, nicely dispersed, room size dependant, sitting distance dependant
Low end: M60s take the cake, much more presence
Midrange: M60s much more detailed, the extra drivers make a big difference here
High end: much more similar but the more detailed M60 midrange make the high end feel liike it is more subdued on the M40s. Both are still nicely detailed but the M60s are a bit more forward. It is a shame Axiom has axed this model.

You CAN tell there is a difference in the speaker efficiency as the volume controls for the M60s had to be turned down about 2dB to equal the volume of the M40s for honest comparison. However, the M40s were cranked quite high on our Onkyo 797. Exact SPL were around 97dB but if anyone is interested in more exact measures, send me a PM and i will do more precise measurements.

Overall, the M60s are noticeably more detailed and have more bass, but the M40s are an excellent buy and a superb starter speaker for the beginner system. For the truly discerning listener, the M60s are worth the extra cash.
Fit, build and finish on each was dead equal.
If anyone was looking for a good starter speaker on a very limited budget, the recent sale on the M40s was the chance to get a fantastic deal.

Very interesting report. Thanks Chess.

Great post. I though the 60s were very detailed and punched out great bass. They had a great pure direct sound on my 3805.

Hi Chess,

Excellent comparisons. Your judgments of tonal balances exactly parallel those I made when I auditioned the entire Axiom line when I first joined Axiom way back in '01.

And that Electrohome is a real Canadian antique!
It looks a lot like an old Sherwood integrated amp (a company originally based in Chicago) from the late '50s or early '60s.

Regards,

Chess,

I can't vouch for the sonic attributes of the M40s except for the short audition I had of them when they arrived. At the moment Junior is punishing them, as I can attest while hearing them through a closed door. I can say that I can hear and feal the thunder, which I would call impressive for a speaker with a single 6.5 inch woofer.

The bass is great for its size littleb.
Unfortunately my reference speaker for comparison is the M60. I did plunk down some other speakers there today in another challenge. They were some older Angstrom Radix 200s. Not the best looking units and not well cared for by a previous owner, but quite sizeable.
I liked the M40s for their more detailed tweeter but both put out pretty equivalent bass. Considering the Angstroms are bookshelves, although large, that says alot.
A friend was using them for a computer office speaker. Not a bad choice.
Tomorrow i'm going to put the M40s up against the Tannoy Revolutions i have in my office, and then throw the Angstroms into the mix as well.

So far none of my speaker comparisons in A/B have matched the detail of my M60s. HOWEVER, i have yet to pair my big Tannoy Definitions against them. Perhaps this weekend...(more pics coming).

Hey Chess,

It would be worthwhile and of interest to include basic room information (dimensions, floor and wall covering, furniture) and maybe a quick blurb on your speaker placement.

I should have time in the next month to wire a remote for the A/B box and include level matching controls.

Maybe it's time to have the M60's over for a listen?? Since I'm in the process of moving, my audio area is now conducive to accomodating enough speakers to make a fun day of listening.

Cheers,