Axiom Home Page Forums Thread Like Summary - Just Put M80 V2s Back in System

Well, I got rid of the Marten Django Ls, they were represented as 'demos' but actually they had been repaired twice and I was the second owner. After a little back and forth, they gave me back my $6,000 and took the beautiful Martens back. I would never have been able to sell them for what I paid once I knew their history. It's good to be a lawyer.

I put a pair of Klipsch Fortes with the Bob Crites upgraded crossovers and titanium tweeter diaphragms into service. They sounded great. They were on Craigslist for one day. I sold them for $1,200, didn't get killed and met a very nice audio guy who had just moved to southern California.

I dragged my M80 V2s into the main 2 channel system. Boy, Doug Schneider was right in his Soundstage review of the V2s. They sound very good. Of course, they are driven by a pair of Balanced Audio Technology VK56 monoblocks (110 wpc), a VK33 preamp, an Audio Research PH9 phono stage, Dr. Feikert Woodpecker turntable, Koetsu cartridge ... they should sound good. A very decent sounding speaker!

I have them up for sale as well, along with the Audio Research phonostage. Got to fill the kitty for a new pair of Wilson Sabrina Xs in black diamond finish. They'll be here in 6 weeks. Someone is going to be very happy with this pair of Boston Cherry M80 v2s.

Ian sure knows how to design an excellent speaker. I am very impressed. I know the new ones sound much better, but they stand on the shoulders of their mature and excellent forbearers.

OK, no one else is interested. I don't care, I'm comfortable talking to myself.

So, tonight my friend Alex came over to return my EAR88pb phonostage I lent to him. I retubed them with Matsushita National 6DJ8s, a great upgrade from the tired JJs that were in it. He also brought over a $9,000 pair of Transparent Audio RCA cables. Go ahead laugh, they're not mine.

So, we listened to the Axiom M80 v2s with about $20,000 of amps and preamp, $6,000 phono stage, about $11,000 table, cartridge and 12" arm and about $12,000 in cabling. These M80 v2s are not likely to sound better than they do in this system.

How did they sound? REALLY GOOD. They sparkle, the mids are rich and accurate, the bass is good. Sounds like they go down to the mid 30s. These are accurate, excellent speakers. They are smooth, there is no noticeable discontinuity between the tweeter and drivers, they reproduce the timbre of instruments very accurately. These would be credible, entry level audiophile speakers that compete well with many expensive towers.

Listened to the Analog Productions 45 LP, Dream with Dean, one of the best recorded albums ever. All the songs on this album share pretty much the same pace and style. Dean's voice was rich, and sounded excellent. Then we listened to the Analog Productions 45 LP, Time Out, The Dave Brubeck Quartet. We were both very impressed. He has a pair of Marten Django XLs, and has a very high end system. Nevertheless, the Axioms sounded excellent and did not embarrass by the comparison. The timbre is right, they were accurate, and presented significant air around the instruments. The soundstage was excellent, instruments were where they belonged and did not move around! Finally, we listened to the Analog Productions of Rimsky Korsakoff's Scheherazade, Fritz Reiner conducting, and although this symphony was not a great test (lots of airy highs, mids, not a lot of orchestral bass excitement) The M80s sounded pretty darn good.

Did they sound as good as the Marten Django Ls ($10,000), no, they don't go as deep, the mids are not as rich, the highs not quite at that level, and they lack the bass slam, but for 15 year old, modestly priced towers, they sound very, very good!

Compared to the Wharfedale Elysian 4s ($10,000), the M80 v2s are a credible alternative! The Wharfedales do go a bit lower, have an AMT tweeter, are drop-dead gorgeous, but the M80s sound very similar. So much for the detractors of the titanium tweeter 2.0. I've never listened to the Wharfedales in my home, but have spent quite a bit of time with them driven by the glorious Luxman KT88 power amp and high-end Luxman preamp.

Anyway, this is a good reason to call Ian tomorrow and chat. Nice job Ian!

I still have my M80 TI's rocking the place..... Love them. They are getting a bit of love this winter with some Walnut veneer.

Kicked back last night, in the old Eames chair, after filing a brief, and listened to some music, Soundstage on Cox cable. Don't know why, but the cable music in my place sounds really good. Much more convenient than streaming and certainly much more convenient than vinyl.

Big BAT tube monoblocks' tubes giving off their dull red glow, taking the chill out of the room. Tubes, man! You must try them someday.

So impressed by the M80 V2s! Last night they sounded just great! They could use that last octave of bass, but, their bass is pretty pure for as low as they go. They are great speakers.

These are in a Boston Cherry vinyl finish, still flawless after all these years. Piano music is a real test for speakers. These old girls passed with flying colors! The key strikes are so pure! Very impressive. Strings? Oh my yes, they do those very well too. Cellos are rich, mids are really excellent! Horns are respectably blatty. Jiminy Cricket but these speakers are really good!

You know what it all boils down to? Music that moves you, that touches your soul. These speakers work. They bridge the mundane and the transcendent.

Still waiting for the Wilsons. I will report once I get those into my system.

The more the better Mr. Kodiak!!

Hi again Kodiak

I have a pair of LFR1100 Actives, 2xEP600 subs, 2xEP500 subs, 1 VP180, 1 VP160, 8 M2OWs, 2 x M22Ti's, 2xQS8s (somewhere, haven't seen them for a while), 6 gorgeous Michaura M55s (Love them!!!) 2 Michaura M66s and of course, 2 x M80V2s. I may have missed a few.

For some reason, the M22s aren't a great match with low power tube amps, they work fine with more powerful amps.

I agree with Mojo, the M5HPs would not be an ideal match with a tube amp. I tried them with a 60 wpc Conrad Johnson MV60se (uprgraded by CJ) and a Jadis preamp. They weren't bad.

I think for a bedroom, the M3s or M2s with a little sub and a tube amp would be ideal. I used to drive a pair of M3Tis with a 5 watt per channel Single End Triode KT88/12ax7 integrated tube amp and a little Velodyne 8" DSP sub. It was an incredibly great sounding system. In that room, it achieved the "wall of sound," and not just any sound, GREAT sound.

I had a pair of M100s in my main system. I think I was using the Conrad Johnson/Jadis amp/preamp. Just wasn't a good match for my room with those electronics. They sure were pretty in Rosewood high gloss.

2 channel, tubes, vinyl, reel to reel, the music will never die!

I had a beat up LS6 1970 Chevelle 454, 4bl carb, 4 speed "Rock Crusher" trans, posi rear gears....engine/trans were perfect...only car I have ever owned that when you dumped the clutch in first gear that the front tires would come off the ground as it accelerated....

I first started following Axiom because I really liked their design philosophy, direct to consumer pricing, and because I believed what was being said on this board. It all made sense to me ... Back then the V2 was in its hey day and the people here were raving over them as being high-end speakers without the high-end price.

Roll the clock forward to V4 and for a while one would think that the V2 was terrible from the way some on the board bashed them comparing them to the new V4s. Granted I'm sure the V4 was a big improvement (from what has been said a lot of the improvements has to do with better imaging and dynamics) but how bad could they be ... I mean a few years earlier they were the greatest thing since talking pictures, sliced cheese, and Elvis ...

Anyway ... It make sense that the V2 is still a very good speaker and I'm glad that people still love them.


P.S. I'm sure if V5s came out someone would start trashing the old V4s ... but knowing these speakers the improvements are going to be subtle ... at least till a new format comes out to blow away two channel music.