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New Axiom Owner!
#419040 05/11/16 04:05 PM
Joined: May 2016
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Nikolai Offline OP
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Greetings Axiomites! I snagged a tasty refurb deal on a pair of M80 V4's, which are getting the HP treatment before shipping out next Monday. Kudos to Debbie for kindly meeting my various requests - Axiom's customer service has certainly met its outstanding reputation.

My M80HP's are replacing some Polk Monitor 70's, which were in service about 6yrs and were (probably by far) my weakest link 'til now. They'll be powered in bi-amp mode by a Pioneer Elite VSX-23TXH (older but fairly beefy A/B direct-energy AVR, weighing in at 30lbs), and movies will get help from a Polk CS2 center, Emotiva ERD-1 surrounds, and taint-tickling help from a HSU VTF-15H.

A few questions:
- I know the Pioneer AVR is 4-ohm stable, but will it provide enough oomph for the M80HP's to be a quantum leap up from the Polks? I've read a lot on both speaker models, each of which are great speakers for the money... But the Axioms are 4x the money!
- My home does not have a dedicated listening/HT room, so my speakers will unfortunately sit 4-6" from the TV wall, flanking my HT cabinet at roughly 7' spacing, 10' from the primary listening position... So they'll basically be quarter-space loaded. How many ports on the M80's should I plug to tighten up the low-end response?
- Timbre-matching is nice for HT duty, but the only Axiom center that would fit in my cabinet is the VP100, and for the $$ I'm not sure it would be much of an improvement over the Polk until I can go much larger with different furniture. In fact, the CS2 digs nearly an octave deeper than the VP100 to help match the M80's. Besides, the comb filtering debate raging over the multiple-tweeter center channel models has me wishing Axiom would offer something similar to the VP160, but with a more compact form factor. Perhaps a "VP170" with WMTMW configuration is in order, with rear ports and the MTM in a triangle layout that would both eliminate comb filtering while shrinking H/W to something like 9/22" respectively.
- I do have a Pioneer SC-1522-K AVR in the bedroom which likely produces more power with its Class "D3" topology. Although not in the specs, its sell sheet lists 720W "Multi ch Simultaneous Drive", which is similar to how the current Pioneer SC-95 is spec'd. The spec'd 4-ohm output is nearly identical between these models as well. I've been debating swapping these receivers, but am more likely to do so if the SC-1522-K would be a better fit for the Axioms.
- Where would my $$ be best directed next? Not that I'm itching to spend - I've been very happy with my setup as-is, but have thought it's time for some "big boy" mains for a few years now. I'm probably 50/50 HT/music and do some critical listening.

Looking forward to getting my M80HP's, and thereby hopefully reinventing my critical listening experience! Many thanks in advanced for your time and consideration.

Best,
Nick

Re: New Axiom Owner!
Nikolai #419041 05/11/16 04:50 PM
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Let me be the first to say "welcome." I would have to dig deeper into your specific model of Pioneer to better answer those questions.

Yeah, don't pair a VP100 with M80s. You will be disappointed. I've got a VP180 paired with my M60 fronts and it works really nicely, although I would have loved to try a VP160 instead to save some cash and for the different design, but the VP180 came out a few months before the VP160 was announced, and I was looking to upgrade from the VP150 to something else and made that leap. The VP180 is very impressive, but it is large.


Farewell - June 4, 2020
Re: New Axiom Owner!
Nikolai #419089 05/14/16 02:38 AM
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Nick, another welcome to Axiom. I'm sure that you'll greatly enjoy your M80s and that there'll be no problem powering them with the amplifier in either of your receivers. Their maximum output capabilities are essentially identical. The 23TXH is rated at 110 watts per channel(20-20KHz)and the SC-1522 at 130(1KHz). Allowing for the typical small reduction in maximum output at the frequency extremes compared to 1KHz, these numbers indicate the same capabilities(in any case, the difference between 110 watts and 130 watts is trivial, being less than 1dB in maximum sound output). That maximum sound output at your listening position would be on the order of 105dB per speaker, more than enough for peaks in the program material while listening at average levels safe for your hearing(keep the impedance at the higher default setting, not the lower one, regardless of any advice to the contrary in the manual. Setting it lower limits the maximum power capability without any significant benefit).

So, there's no good reason to consider swapping the receivers from the standpoint of power output. Incidentally, the reason that the 720 watt number advertised for the 1522 isn't in the official specs is that a total combined output power number isn't permitted by the FTC amplifier power regulations. The basic rating has to be per channel with two channels simultaneously driven. The implied result of that 720 watt number is that each of the 9 channels could supply 80 watts(rather than 130)when driven simultaneously at full power(a situation that can exist in a testing lab, but not in home listening with program material).

As to the center channel speaker, I agree that it would be helpful if Axiom had a unit with a vertical T/M arrangement(e.g., the present tweeter and 4" driver)between the woofers but that would be more compact than the excellent VP160. You might consider trying to listen to a "phantom center" created by the M80s when the center channel speaker is set to "none" in the receiver.

Since you're not "itching to spend", there's no need to throw money at a non-existent itch. Your money would be best directed at more important present needs or investing for your future.


-----------------------------------

Enjoy the music, not the equipment.


Re: New Axiom Owner!
Nikolai #419092 05/14/16 04:50 AM
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Welcome Nick!

I have a Pioneer SC 1523K and love it! Exceptional sound quality for music, cable and home theater.

Polk makes a very good speaker. I think you are going to be very pleased with the Axiom M80s.

I had a VP 150 (sold it) and now enjoy a VP 160 in one system and a VP 180 in another. They are awesome center channel speakers! Phantom center cannot compare.

Good luck to you with your upgraded system.


Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.
Re: New Axiom Owner!
Nikolai #419101 05/14/16 08:51 PM
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Welcome to Axiom good people on this forum!!!The M80's are a great speaker IMO you'd have to up the ante quite bit in $$$$ outlay to do alot better!!!! I've used the M60's in the past just traded up to the 80's v.3 & am shocked at the better sound quality which is saying quite a alot given the 60's are no slouch!!! Just as important is that Axiom is a 1st rate company to deal with from service to integrity point of view which is very unusual these days IMHO!!!Axiom has always made buying anything from them a pleasure the only thing that would make it better is if was free wink !!!LOL Hope you like your 80's!!! I'm planning to upgrade my AVR too....looking at getting a Anthem mrx-720..I'm using currently a Yamaha RXA-1000 just heard the Anthem today driving a pair of Paradigm monitor 9's & was impressed can't wait to hear what that AVR(Anthem 720) does with my 80's!!!!


Paradigm 800F,Paradigm C600,Axiom QS8 v3,Paradigm DSP-3100 Sub,AVR Anthem MRX-740
Re: New Axiom Owner!
Stereoguy99 #419108 05/15/16 03:41 AM
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Originally Posted By Stereoguy99
Welcome to Axiom good people on this forum!!!The M80's are a great speaker IMO you'd have to up the ante quite bit in $$$$ outlay to do alot better!!!! I've used the M60's in the past just traded up to the 80's v.3 & am shocked at the better sound quality which is saying quite a alot given the 60's are no slouch!!! Just as important is that Axiom is a 1st rate company to deal with from service to integrity point of view which is very unusual these days IMHO!!!Axiom has always made buying anything from them a pleasure the only thing that would make it better is if was free wink !!!LOL Hope you like your 80's!!! I'm planning to upgrade my AVR too....looking at getting a Anthem mrx-720..I'm using currently a Yamaha RXA-1000 just heard the Anthem today driving a pair of Paradigm monitor 9's & was impressed can't wait to hear what that AVR(Anthem 720) does with my 80's!!!!


I have the M80v3 and had a Denon 3806 and upgraded to the Pioneer SC 1526 I think it was $2400 reciever and then got the Anthem MRX500 and that was better than anything I had. I cannot imagine how good a 720 would sound with the improvements. Have a prepro Anthem MCA50 and AVM30 now, but will be going with a MRX 520 sometime soon. However, I am dropping the M80 for m22's and subs, just because of the smaller room.


Anthem MRX520
M5HPv4
VP160HPv4
QS10v4

Re: New Axiom Owner!
TroyD #419109 05/15/16 04:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted By TroyD
Originally Posted By Stereoguy99
Welcome to Axiom good people on this forum!!!The M80's are a great speaker IMO you'd have to up the ante quite bit in $$$$ outlay to do alot better!!!! I've used the M60's in the past just traded up to the 80's v.3 & am shocked at the better sound quality which is saying quite a alot given the 60's are no slouch!!! Just as important is that Axiom is a 1st rate company to deal with from service to integrity point of view which is very unusual these days IMHO!!!Axiom has always made buying anything from them a pleasure the only thing that would make it better is if was free wink !!!LOL Hope you like your 80's!!! I'm planning to upgrade my AVR too....looking at getting a Anthem mrx-720..I'm using currently a Yamaha RXA-1000 just heard the Anthem today driving a pair of Paradigm monitor 9's & was impressed can't wait to hear what that AVR(Anthem 720) does with my 80's!!!!


I have the M80v3 and had a Denon 3806 and upgraded to the Pioneer SC 1526 I think it was $2400 reciever and then got the Anthem MRX500 and that was better than anything I had. I cannot imagine how good a 720 would sound with the improvements. Have a prepro Anthem MCA50 and AVM30 now, but will be going with a MRX 520 sometime soon. However, I am dropping the M80 for m22's and subs, just because of the smaller room.



Thanks for the info Troy!!!


Paradigm 800F,Paradigm C600,Axiom QS8 v3,Paradigm DSP-3100 Sub,AVR Anthem MRX-740

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