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Speaker Face Off Part II
#16733 08/06/03 04:40 PM
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Zarak Offline OP
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We are having round 2 of the speaker face off tonight. This time it is at Mark's place. He has the M22 and the Ascend 340 speakers and is trying to decide which ones to keep. His early findings are similar to what we found when comparing to the 170's in an earlier thread, but we'll see how it goes tonight.

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16734 08/06/03 06:05 PM
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I look forward to the reports!

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16735 08/06/03 08:02 PM
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same here!

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16736 08/06/03 08:06 PM
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How much do I have to pay you to "fix" the face-off so the M22s come out on top? I've got a lot of money riding on this one and my rent check will bounce if I lose...

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16737 08/06/03 08:52 PM
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Zarak Offline OP
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Just buy me a set of M60's

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16738 08/06/03 09:12 PM
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buff
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buff
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Note to self, don't use the word metallic.

Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16739 08/06/03 09:15 PM
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Actually...I want to know what you guys think of the CMT-340's. Even if you don't like them. Not many people have heard the L/R version. We've already done the M22/CBM-170 thing. Although...different place different equipment now.

Last edited by curtis; 08/06/03 09:19 PM.
Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16740 08/06/03 10:30 PM
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shareholder in the making
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Oho! You bet Adam, didn't you?


I am the Doctor, and THIS... is my SPOON!
Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16741 08/07/03 03:15 AM
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Fresh from 3+ hours of listening/comparing/philosphizing, etc...here goes...

Set up #1 - Pioneer 45TX in stereo mode without the subwoofer off because the sub would not work with the "B" speakers. We alternated listening to the Ascend 340 LR speakers and the Axiom M22s - occasionally listened to the Ascend 170s. Music - classical, Broadway, Dave Matthews.

Classical - Axioms displayed incredible detail and presence with strings, piano, sax, percussion (Sushi - we thought of you!), although if we blasted the sound at times it bordered on too intense for me. Ascends had a fuller sound, with horns especially. They also displayed a large amount of detail, only a bit muted. Both were enjoyable to listen to.

Broadway - score from "Big River", with a good deal of guitar, banjo and base. Axioms - as if the singers were in the room - a more forward sound. Would have liked to have added the sub to give a more full dimensional sound. Ascends - once again fuller, yet a bit more recessed in the singers voices. At higher volumes easier to listen to.

Dave Matthews Band - I don't remember the name of the song because I wasn't too familiar with his music. At times I couldn't tell whether the vocals were coming from the Ascends or the Axioms - however, with the Ascends the instrumentals sounded a bit muddy.

Setup #2 - Movies - Ascend 340 center, Ascend 340 LR fronts, Ascend 170 surrounds and HSU VTF-2. Axioms M22s, VP150, and Ascend 170 surrounds (didn't order the QS8s for testing).

We listened to the opening beach scene in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Much more resonant mids with the Ascends and more power behind the explosions, yet with Axioms more detail with bullets ricocheting off helmets or machinery. Both were enjoyable.

I am learning that I want the best of both worlds - fullness of the Ascends with the detail of the Axioms. My decision will be based on which is more important to me in the long run. I am a 50/50 movies/music person and listen to Broadway, Jazz, cabaret vocals, very occasional classical (although tonight has made me much more curious about that venue) - not any hard rock.

It is really not a question for me of which speaker is better - because I think both are very well built and an incredible value - it is which sound I prefer in the long run, realizing that there will be compromises with each. I can say that I prefer the detail of Axioms for Home Theater, yet some recordings on them sound harsh to me.

I need to decide by this weekend. Will stay in touch about where I end up.

Major thanks to John and Jason for coming down. We would like to find a way to take our listening sessions on the road. It has been a great experience for me because I have met two great people as well as begun to expand my musical horizons.

Also much appreciation to all of you on this board who have helped me along the way.

MarkT







Re: Speaker Face Off Part II
#16742 08/07/03 03:29 AM
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Zarak Offline OP
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I agree with most of what was said, except the Dave Matthews part. The song we played was Crash. We played it on the Ascends first and although I have heard the song through car speakers on the radio many times it was the first time hearing it on a "true" stereo/HT system. I felt like I was hearing the song for the first time! There was an extra fullness to the song that I really liked, and with either set of speakers we could hear a lot more detail that I was not used to hearing in that song.

Overall, I agree that both are good speakers, and it mostly comes down to detail vs. fullness. So the question for me is this...what Axiom speaker is fuller then the M22?

We always hear about the M3/M40/M50 being more laid back than the M22/M60. How about fullness? Will the M60's only improve bass performance, or do they add fullness as well? A speaker that could keep the Axiom detail and add the Ascend fullness would be the best of both worlds.

One final note....the listening environment certainly seems to make a difference as well. I just put in Wagner's "Ride of the Valkryies" on my home setup. On the M22's at Marks, it was getting to the borderline of what was considered harsh....on my system here just now(also M22) I did not get the same harshness.

Last edited by Zarak; 08/07/03 03:41 AM.
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