i have a rotel rmb-1075 thx amp. looking at a 5 or 7 channel thx rotel preamp as well. was planning on doing the following:
b&w 703 fronts, htm-7 center, ds-6 thx surrounds. my brother is basically ranting that i am a nutjob for wanting to spend that kind of money. i can get the 703's local pick up for 2100 from a previous owner right now.

axiom seems to get great reviews, not sure if there is any place around here (far nw chicagoland suburbs) that i can listen to them though. i am wondering of your opinions of them and them vs. b&w if you have experienced both; is b&w clearly a difference or is the difference very slight? do you have plans on keeping your axioms or eventually upgrading them to something else? doesn't seem like an easily available used market as b&w's has, but for a swipe of a card through this website and a chunk less money i can have a complete system sent to my home. i am wondering if i would be as satisfied with the axioms as i would b&w. i plan on using them for plenty of movies and music as well. i want to be able to turn them up and fill a pretty big room for music as well. i have pretty varied musical tastes as i can listen to tool one minute and some country the next... i suppose i am particularly in bass response of both the sub and the m80's. as well as the highs, i am also fond of women's voices, piano, violin. any listeners with wide experience in speakers please let me know your thoughts ! the b&w vs. the epic 80 system. thanks for your time.

Here are several threads which deal with the same or a similar question.

M60 compared to B&W speaker?

I finally got to demo some M80s (long

I'm going to audition a receiver...also B&W questn

what are the competitors to the M60's

There is a sticky thread with a list of Axiom owners willing to give you a listen. Looks like at least two in the Chicago area :

http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/newreply.php?Cat=&Board=HT&Number=74079&page=0&view=collapsed&what=showflat&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1&vc=1

I have heard 703s and M60s but not at the same time so I can't give you an honest comparison -- but I did buy M60s for what that's worth. People who have heard them together tended to feel they were "comparable" but not identical in sound.

y'know after reading the other links i am pretty much sold the axioms, at least for the front. similar in budget (maybe cheaper) if i mix up some of the stuff too...

m80ti l/r
vp150 c
b&w thx ds-6 dipole surrounds
paradigm pw-2200 sub

any comments on this? am i putting too much stock in '96 thx surrounds or an older but well known sub?

Take a look at Hsu Research subs and Svs subs they both offer a great product for a great price.

Mike - if I was to offer one valuable piece of advice this year (thank God there is lots of time ) it would be this. Eliminate those B&W dipoes from the mix. Axiom's QS8 surrounds are absolutely the jewels in their offerings. You never actually hear them - the sound simply envelopes and washes over you. The B&Ws (which I auditioned) can't compare - period.