Does anyone happen to know the original retail cost of the Axiom AX500a sub-woofer? (400w 10" sub).

The only info i can find is through the vintage link :

http://www.axiomaudio.com/vintage.html

but that doesn't list pricing.

I have one, but i think i'm going to upgrade to a newer one so i'll be looking to sell the AX500a. I'm just trying to gauge how much it's worth now, and knowing the original price could help me work out a fair price.

Any ideas?

If it were me, I think I'd give the nice folks at Axiom a call and ask them. They'd be glad to hear from one of their early supporters, I'm sure.

Subs have probably come a long way, so perhaps a better idea of price would be to compare it to similarly spec'd models from today's market?

Subs have probably come a long way, so perhaps a better idea of price would be to compare it to similarly spec'd models from today's market?

Or, may you will find some axiom collector that will pay top dollar for nostalgic purposes?

Hello Rui,

For the record, I looked up the Axiom AX500A sub in the October 1998 Audio Annual Equipment Directory (I was an editor at that magazine at that time).

The suggested selling price was $999.00 Its frequency response was spec'd at 20 Hz - 120 Hz, +/-3 dB. There wasn't a mention of the internal amplifier power.

Regards,
Alan

Rui,

Update from the Audio Sleuth. I went back to the Canadian Sound&Vision magazine "Audio/Video Preview 1996" (I was editor before I moved to "Audio" mag in New York) and checked the Axiom listings.

In 1996, there were two different versions of the Axiom AX500 subwoofer. One was passive (no internal amp) and listed at $599. It used the 10-inch aluminum-cone woofer.

The other Axiom AX500 was active and the internal amplifier was spec'd at 130 watts; that model listed at $899. That was typical power output of subwoofers of that era. Paradigm's largest sub in 1996 had an internal 120-watt amp.

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan!

it is a bit strange.

I just checked the sub and it says it's 165 watts. Perhaps they bumped up the specs after 1996? Strange that the 'vintage axiom' link lists it at 400 watts.

Anyways, anyone have any idea what a reasonable asking price would be if i sell it used? Seeing as the powered versions used to retail for $899-$999? I should also mention the amp on the sub makes a very low humming. You can't really hear it unless you're a couple of feet away, and i wouldn't consider it a serious issue, but obviously it would knock a few bucks off the asking price. I was thinking maybe $350??

I'll have to call axiom and get them to help me set up this sub with my new yamaha amp. I previously had it set up with a pioneer amp and i was happy with it, but i can't seem to get it matched with the yamaha. One of the reasons i was thinking of upgrading to a new sub was the new yamaha amp doesn't have a powered switch so i have to turn the axiom sub on/off manually....which is very annoying. i still don't understand why new amps axed the powered switch!

I honestly don't think you're going to get anywhere near $350 for it.

I agree, you can get much better for $350 nowadays. I would suggest to keep it if you like it and use it on another setup in another room.

I agree. Subs have come a long way in the last 10 yrs and comparatively speaking, the prices have pretty much stayed the same, but you are getting far more value now for the $$.

so what would be a reasonable asking price?

?

Rui, perhaps you have misread the plate on the amp and the 400W is the maximum AC draw rather than the output?

You can buy subs of comparable quality for $250-350 brand-new very easily. Since yours is quite old and has a suspect amp, I think you'd be very lucky to get $100 for it even in excellent condition.

I would agree, $100 would seem to be a resonable asking price, but I wouldn't expect to get much more than $80.

the 400w came from the "vintage audio link" that axiom has. The faceplate on my sub states 165watts.



Are they actually of comparable "quality" or have comparable "specifications"?? I would think there's a huge difference between those.

$100 would be insane. it's worth much more than $100 IMO. I guess i'll just list it for $250 and see what happens.

No harm in trying it higher and you never know

I just repaired the amp on my ax500A powered sub and id like to see the 350$ sub that pounds like this thing. The reason its 165 watt with the amp and 400 watt when in passive setup is because with the powered model they only use one voice coil on the sub. On the passive model they run dual voice coil.

Any idea what the impedance is per coil? Is it a dual 4 ohm or dual 8 ohm? Since the internal amp is only running one coil, I basically want to know if the amp sees 4 or 8 ohms.

I had the same sub I paid $799 for it in 1999 as it was none new stock.
Mine said 165w also.
I had the same humm issue. I sold it last year $120

It sucks, that electronics depreciate so much in value. I paid $2000 for a Pioneer SC1527 two years ago and got $900 for it this year.

Anyways that said, I just bought Two Energy ESW-10 subs for $249 each on sale at Futureshop a few months ago.

Plus the fact you can get a new EP-175 which is comparible for $550. With new technology and **new** no humms with warranty also I think $250 is a bit much.
It is kinda of like buying a $75,000 hummer and asking $35,000 for it 15 yrs later

Good luck though.

PS To you it is worth more to others not so sure it will be that way

LOL OOOPPPPS I just saw that post was two yras old and was just bumped lol

I wonder if it did sell and what he actually got fo it ?

Your pricing is just about right though. For vintage collectable items (things that were good for a reason in their time), they can hold value reasonably well.
A $300 1970s receiver can still be found for $100 or more these days.
But with so much audio out there, i've experienced on average a 10-30% drop in price from retail for a used item within the first few years. Something older than 5 years i won't often consider a price higher than 60% of its original retail.
Price is also very much affected by condition of the unit.