I would like to suggest that Axiom put out a subwoofer between the EP350 and the EP500.

Before the introduction of the EP500/600, subs from SVS and HSU were considered a better value with better performance than any of Axiom's offerings. I'm sure this point can be debated, just my observations.

Something like:
400 watt amp
DSP controlled.
drop XLR and line level inputs (RCA only)
extension to 20Hz

The current EP350 and EP500 subs are said to share the same driver.

I sure many people are not considering an EP500/600 because of the cost; they are high end subs.

The introduction of something like an EP400 at a price point of something around $750US would blow away anything from the competition.

Thoughts?

BarilkoBart

Sounds like a good idea to me.

You might have to drop the DSP to make price point, unless the DSP is built right into the digital amp and is able to replace some of the other circuitry. Maybe just a bigger amp and a lower tune point on the EP350 ?

My recollection was that the driver in the 350 was "similar" but not "identical", ie probably the same cone and surround but different voice coil and possibly magnet assembly, so it might not have the same power handling capacity as the driver in the 500 and 600.

I'm guessing that just the lower tune point (ie the slightly larger cabinet and port from the EP500) would be a real good start even if nothing else changed. With the larger cabinet I bet the current EP350 would give a VTF-3 a run for its money.

I know I've read that the 500 and 600 share the same driver, so from that I didn't believe it was the same driver in the 350. It seems hard to believe the 350 and 600 have the same driver. I certainly don't know for certain.

I got the info that the EP350 and EP500 now use the same driver from a post here:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=tech&Number=80658&page=&view=&sb=&o=

I like the idea!

As a matter of fact, I liked the idea here !

I certainly missed that thread. Thanks.

The use of the same driver in the EP350 and EP500 was also confirmed in the audioholics review of the EP500:

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/AxiomEP500reviewp3.php

"Thanks to the benefits of lower cost with high volume, Axiom was able to incorporate this same driver design in all of the 12” subwoofer systems including the EP350. "

Not to raise a question; but I am curious....

Some of the high end speaker manufacturers routinely take a stock driver from their supplier, and do some final modifications and tweeks to it to have it better fit the design requirements of a particular speaker configuration. One driver "design" may have a number of different itterations.


(Fer instance.....My new sub driver is the third version of an NHT clone....same design, wildly different)

Also check out the pics on the EP350 product page. They show the 500/600-style driver. When I bought mine late last year the pictures had the old-style driver with the dust cap. The sub I received had the clean-faced driver. I remember the dust-up on the thread mentioned above.