Here you go, Sam, created a thread for you. This'll make it easier for others to help you.

Hey,
THANKS again!
Hope everybody can cope with me as virtually any technical stuff is pushing it for me.
Thanks again and look forward to any and all response.
Sam

Hey, no problem Sam. I'm trying to come up with some advice for you, but, unfortunately I'm at work and it's hard to set aside some time.

Be patient. Others will definitely chime in with good advice.

I've only had experience with Axiom M3s and M40s (which are now discontinued, but close to the M50s). These are considered a bit more laid back than other speakers in the Axiom line-up, such as the M22s and M80s, which are generally considered more "accurate." I think the jury is still out on the M60s with recent member reviews. Since I haven't heard the M22s, M60s, or M80s hopefully others will jump in.

Hey Sam, welcome. Axiom speakers are great value speakers with excellent customer service and forum

Here's a link Speaker Wizard that may help you with speaker choice.

As for receivers or seperates (in your original post) to match with Axiom, this has been discussed many times here. Most common response is that no amp will make a speaker brighter or change the sound characteristic unless using a sound format like Rock mode, Jazz mode, Concert mode, etc. When it comes to seperates though not a common consenseus. With some forum members recently purchasing the new Axiom digital super amp there has been more believing that there are differences between receivers and seps. Such as, tighter bass/mid, faster response and overall more realistic.

I would look for something that has the functions you want, in your price range and a decent power supply with min. 100 watt/channel. From what I've learned, I would much rather put my money towards great speakers. As long as they are being run within the capabilities of the receiver they will rock. You can always add on a 2 channel amp if needed down the road.

Good luck.

Well having been one to directly compare all the posibilities except the M50s I break it down as the M80s if you can afford them , then the M60's and then the M22+sub, but you will want a sub anyway for movies.

The M80s have a more spacious/open sound at all volumes while the M60s needed a bit of extra volume to attain the same sound. The M22s are a great bookshelf but lack a certain something when compared to the floorstanders even when paired with a good sub.

Hi Samiam and welcome.

I'm betting you will get a couple of good suggestions here. Also, you might want to start reading some of the great articles in the Axiom Learning Center off of the main page. There are some great explanations and tips on how to get started in HT. I bet you will then have lots of more detailed questions we can have fun digging deeper into here.

I suggest starting with these as they are well written, even if you are not super technical, as you suggest.

Home Theater Basics

Home Theater Buying Tips

As a Stereo Guy, you probably don't need this one as much but just in case, it will keep you from getting burned by buying overpriced speaker cable.
What's in a Cable

Finally, since again you mentioned being a 'stereo guy'....
Loosen up Stereo Guy! You just might enjoy Music in 51.
If nothing else, you get to read about Alan Loft's self proclaimed crankiness. In his defense, he seems to be very patient with us.

With out knowing anything else but your room size and listening habits, I think starting with the Epic 60 HT system would be a good starting point and you can work your way up or down from there with further discussions here. Budget and many other factors will tell the tale in the end.

I wasn't sure if you meant you wanted to avoid brightness and more accurate sibilance or that your hearing required help with it. I don't think you will have to worry about any of these speakers being too bright but they are very accurate and neutral, as you desire. If you actually do need a little more annunciation with the shriller noises and "s"s and stuff, M80 and M22s in a bookshelf are probably the most accurate in the extreme highs and could help there.

If you are sensative to this in a bad way, then maybe back to M60s as first choice. Thier accuracy is still amazing but just every so slightly less sensitive in those areas.

Please note, I own two pairs of M60s but have never heard M80 myself. So I should let you know that I am basing the above advice on what is always common consensus on these boards and from the specs you can view.

Anyways, planning and deciding on this stuff is half the fun. Enjoy.

OK people are not aloud to post ahead of me when I take too long to write long babbling posts. LOL

But your post think was more helpful than my quick little one.

The experts have already chimed in with lots of helpful stuff, but as a relatively new m60s owner, I can tell you that the difference between them and my old speakers (a not-too-shabby set of athenas) is night and day. Instrumental Jazz and acoustic guitar tracks sound especially amazing.

Besides, Axiom's return policy really is "hassle free," so there's no real risk whatever you decide.

Hello,
and a BIG THX thus far to all for taking the time to reply, oh and Murph,yes, I meant the hearing ain't what it tused to be. I guess I'm a little apprehensive since first getting into audio. I can recall buying a new pair of Infinity column 1A's and a KA-8300 amp.,anyway for the time and for my money/ears that little system just killed. Later on I got a HK Citation amp & pre which quickyl smoked the infinity's (literally)-OOPS! A salesman persuded (yes I was easily persuded back then) to by a pair of B&W 3000's. The end result the system did not sound as good as the 'ol Kenwood/Infinity combo. I borrowed an NAD amp from the store and patced it in to the H&K pre and the diff was like night and day. I've been out of audio for some time now...sometimes life does strange things. Nowadays there are more Elecronic and speaker companies than people in some of the towns I've lived in. Heck I'd go for the Axiom trial but I have not bought the electronics yet and without hearing either...I think a road trip is about due. Hell, I'm being log winded and I'm still not sure any of this makes sense.:^)

You originally stated you were looking for comparisons. Here's a Monitor 11 vs M80 thread:

Paradigm vs Axiom

You can search for the brand name to compare to either using the Search button (beside FAQ) or the custom search at the top of Water Cooler

A big THANKS!
This goes out to Mojo,Doormat,Hay, Murph and all...hope I'm not leaving anyone out. Pair a dime,( Sig 2 or Studio 40) PSB (Syncrony) were the others I was condsidering. The wall the stuff will be on is small and floor standers may look too ominus.
If a major sonic improvement is had with the floor speaks over the speaks on stands I'll go with the improved sound, that is if it's a MAJOR improvement. BTW,the Axiom Grand Master 500 is in the hunt as well.(a heck fof a lot less money than the Pair a dime's & PSB's!)

A quality floorstander will normally handily beat a quality bookshelf+sub. For my main system I would not stray from the floors. I use the M3s in my 'gym' and M2s+sub for computer speakers and they are great, but if I had the space and money they'd be M80s all around! Unless, of course, you intend on moving them a lot. That could be a pain.

Not trying to push PSB/Para, but you can usually negotiate a more reasonable price from the dealers. I got My Monitor 11s cheaper than M60s, although the Signatures, at least, would still be in a completely different tax bracket (never looked into the PSBs).

I agree with doormat, having 2 systems in my house and directly compared many different varieties of speakers with Mojo, the floorstanders always take first place. They just sound more real.

There has to be someone nearby that you get could an audition from, to help with the decision making. Have you looked in the Hearing things Forum?

THX DM & Jake,
well it seems the verdict is in as much as floor vs stand. I can live with that. Jake the nearest audio place that would have much of a selection is in Milwaukee I'm just south of Canada under lake Superior..it's about 5 hrs to Milwaukee and better than 6 to Chi town Illinois. I'll have to make a plan to check things out next time the VA's Magical Mystery Tour bus heads to the Hospital.

Not an audio shop but forum members with Axioms for you to listen to

Jake,
my town has maybe 25 people in it. Went to Iron Mt. and Marinette
Wi. today one shop had some pdime's but no way to really listen to them other than a small pair in the theatre room...other place dealt PSB's but had none in stock, they order 'em in as needed. Odd as most people want to hear them first. Even stranger neither dealer ever heard of Axiom. Perhaps a ploy to keep me from....?
Oh well, made it out of the house anyway.

Here's some (useless)trivia: The only authorized dealer I know of that sells axiom is Avery Audio...
http://www.averyaudio.ca/welcome.htm

Probably not so useful for you though Sam, it's in Dorset, Ontario, which is right down the road from the Axiom factory. Unfortunately, they're both squarely in the middle of nowhere (and I can say that because I'm from there).

Ha Ha!
Seems we are both in the middle of nowhere, but you are right next to the goods. Thanks man! I think? Maybe I'll fire up the Husqvarna and mod the B&W's.