AV123 x-mtm Tower Speaker Review

[admin]

AV123 is one of a handful of internet direct companies manufacturing quality loudspeakers at affordable prices. The company's Onix line of speakers has changed a bit, and they have dropped the Onix nomenclature. After having a pair of the x-ls monitors in my home for several months, I was excited when they shipped me a pair of the brand new x-mtm towers. After living with them for a couple of months, I'm ready to report to you my findings on what is surely a highly-anticipated speaker for many who are looking for a lot of bang for their buck.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/av123-x-mtm-tower-speaker-review/image_thumb

Discuss "AV123 x-mtm Tower Speaker Review" here. Read the article (http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/av123-x-mtm-tower-speaker-review).

[mazersteven]

A friendly, safe review. :D

[gus6464]

A friendly, safe review. :D

I'm having a hard time figuring out if they got a good or mediocre review.

[gene]

I'm having a hard time figuring out if they got a good or mediocre review.

Having heard these speakers in my own room, I think they are decent for the price. They are almost worth their asking price just for the cabinets alone. Though they are SUPER huge so be prepared for large boxes as the pics online don't really convey that.

I will warn you however that they are power hungry as they managed to clip the amp we were using when playing "The Chant" by Fourplay. If you are running them full range in a large room, I suggest a good 200wpc or more amplifier.

If you have good room acoustics, plug the ports and/or use your receivers bass management combined with a dedicated sub or two, you have quite a nice speaker system that looks better than anything on the market at double its price.

The fact that AV123 is scheduled to upgrade the tweeter and some crossover components is icing on the cake.

[Seth=L]

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful short review. With the kinds of music I listen to and movie watching (and space) I think these would fit in well in my home.

Gene,

When you say power hungery are you saying the rated efficiency given by AV123 is not accurate or rather the impedance is prone to fluctuate?:)

[gene]

When you say power hungery are you saying the rated efficiency given by AV123 is not accurate or rather the impedance is prone to fluctuate?

I have no reason to doubt their specified sensitivity. Since I didn't measure impedance/phase, I can only guesstimate that they must be a difficult load. I forgot to mention that when the amp was clipping, the woofers were bottoming out like mad so you definately shouldn't drive them so hard. The woofers in these speakers and especially in the xls bookshelf can't take much punishment which is why they need to be bass managed and mated with a good sub or two.

[autoboy]

Sounds like a good party speaker or a good tower for HT if you can't afford a sub. I'm really disappointed in the imaging and midrange. I was hoping these would be good speakers at at any price and the value would make them great.

[gus6464]

Sounds like a good party speaker or a good tower for HT if you can't afford a sub. I'm really disappointed in the imaging and midrange. I was hoping these would be good speakers at at any price and the value would make them great.

Yeah it's as if Gene wanted to give them a good review but he just couldn't because of their shortfalls in the SQ department so he commented most on their build quality. I guess you can take it as them getting both a good and bad review depending on how you look at it.

[gene]

Yeah it's as if Gene wanted to give them a good review but he just couldn't because of their shortfalls in the SQ department so he commented most on their build quality. I guess you can take it as them getting both a good and bad review depending on how you look at it.

Actually J wrote the review not me :)

[gus6464]

Actually J wrote the review not me :)

Ohh sorry I guess next time I should read where it says author of article. :) I just assumed you wrote it because you were responding in the thread lol.

[avaserfi]

I wonder how these compare to the X-SLS. I have heard the other floor standing model av123 puts out doesn't have the same boomy issues of the MTM which might help many of the problems J had with the MTMs like the muddy treble or extreme room dependency.

[birdonthebeach]

I have not heard the x-sls - I would be curious how they sound.

[billnchristy]

I would think if you want an MTM with sound quality and can live without all the booty bass, then a set of X-CS on stands would be the way to go.

[silversurfer]

I would think if you want an MTM with sound quality and can live without all the booty bass, then a set of X-CS on stands would be the way to go.
Well, that is if you want to stay with AV123. There are other MTM's with better sound quality. The Ascend CBM-340SE comes to mind...but it is more expensive, and does not look as good, but it is also not quite as big.

[billnchristy]

Yeah, I should have said "If you like the X sound"

[j_garcia]

I found the X-LSs sensitive to room and placement as well, so the comment in the review doesn't surprise me. Overall, the X-series seem to be great speakers, but they are intended for a budget audience so you can't expect them to have perfect response AND maintain that ridiculously low price.

I like the Ascends a lot, but they are certainly not perfect either.

[silversurfer]

I found the X-LSs sensitive to room and placement as well, so the comment in the review doesn't surprise me. Overall, the X-series seem to be great speakers, but they are intended for a budget audience so you can't expect them to have perfect response AND maintain that ridiculously low price.

How do they compare in that regard to your GR Research speakers? They are suppose to be quite similar.

[mazersteven]

Well, that is if you want to stay with AV123. There are other MTM's with better sound quality. The Ascend CBM-340SE comes to mind....

When I read some of the comments I have to laugh. :eek:

Someone please tell me what "Tower" speakers sound better at $449 a pair?

[silversurfer]

When I read some of the comments I have to laugh. :eek:

Someone please tell me what "Tower" speakers sound better at $449 a pair?
I am not understanding. Are you saying a tower speaker sounds better than a bookshelf?

If you want to compare tower to tower, I would like to compare the Athena F2.2 to the X-MTM. I have heard neither, but read good things on both.

[billnchristy]

I heard the MTMs in North Carolina but I didnt spend much time with them because I was trying to showcase my speakers which were in the room with the minis so I had to fight to get airtime!!

In the big room they were not too terribly boomy...in fact they seemed to lack bass, but I am sure it was the enormous room more than anything.

[mazersteven]

I am not understanding. Are you saying a tower speaker sounds better than a bookshelf?

If you want to compare tower to tower, I would like to compare the Athena F2.2 to the X-MTM. I have heard neither, but read good things on both.

I did not say anywhere in my question that towers sound better then bookshelfs. I asked "what "Tower" speakers sound better at $449"?

And IMO the Athena's don't even come close to the build quality, or sound quality of the mtm towers. Not even close.

[pbarach1]

I was puzzled by this review. I am not familiar with these speakers and I have no opinion about them. But I read the review and the reviewer said they were muddy, had an extreme bass emphasis, unclear highs, no soundstage. Sounds like the reviewer didn't like them at all. Then the review ends by saying that they were worth the $449/pair just for the cabinets alone. Together with what preceded, I read that statement as, The reviewer liked the cabinets but he didn't like the speakers.

I wouldn't want to pay even a relatively inexpensive (as audio stuff goes) $449 for speakers that sounded bad unless I knew that they were the best on the market for the money.

[gus6464]

I was puzzled by this review. I am not familiar with these speakers and I have no opinion about them. But I read the review and the reviewer said they were muddy, had an extreme bass emphasis, unclear highs, no soundstage. Sounds like the reviewer didn't like them at all. Then the review ends by saying that they were worth the $449/pair just for the cabinets alone. Together with what preceded, I read that statement as, The reviewer liked the cabinets but he didn't like the speakers.

I wouldn't want to pay even a relatively inexpensive (as audio stuff goes) $449 for speakers that sounded bad unless I knew that they were the best on the market for the money.

That is exactly what I have been thinking ever since I read the review. I mean thats like if Bose were to put their drivers in a nicer cabinet, would you recommend them?

[nuttz565]

When I read some of the comments I have to laugh. :eek:

Someone please tell me what "Tower" speakers sound better at $449 a pair?

Well since you asked, for $50 more you can get a pair of Polk Monitor 60'S from crutchfield. Now I have not heard these speakers so I really can't compare, but my guess is the Polks are as good or more than likely better.

[mazersteven]

Well since you asked, for $50 more you can get a pair of Polk Monitor 60'S from crutchfield. Now I have not heard these speakers so I really can't compare, but my guess is the Polks are as good or more than likely better.

Now if you would have said the RTi series I might have to agree. But the Monitor series, I don't know.

Plus you can get the RTi8's right now for $450 a pair.

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3724397

[3db]

The impression I got from reading the review is that they are an inefficient Cerwin Vega speaker with a cabinet upgrade, muddy bass, no highs, and just inaccurate sound. I rather buy a speaker that is ugly to the spiders inside but sound awesome. To me, its only about the sound.

AV123 is one of a handful of internet direct companies manufacturing quality loudspeakers at affordable prices. The company's Onix line of speakers has changed a bit, and they have dropped the Onix nomenclature. After having a pair of the x-ls monitors in my home for several months, I was excited when they shipped me a pair of the brand new x-mtm towers. After living with them for a couple of months, I'm ready to report to you my findings on what is surely a highly-anticipated speaker for many who are looking for a lot of bang for their buck.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/av123-x-mtm-tower-speaker-review/image_thumb

Discuss "AV123 x-mtm Tower Speaker Review" here. Read the article (http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/av123-x-mtm-tower-speaker-review).

[mazersteven]

The impression I got from reading the review is that they are an inefficient Cerwin Vega speaker with a cabinet upgrade, muddy bass, no highs, and just inaccurate sound.

This is a very good reason people need to audition speakers themselves. Your impression from what you've read is wrong. IMO

The highs are clean, and not harsh. Surprising for a budget speaker.

Inaccurate? What like you play Frank Sinatra, and out comes Guns & Roses? :rolleyes:

[3db]

This is a very good reason people need to audition speakers themselves. Your impression from what you've read is wrong. IMO

The highs are clean, and not harsh. Surprising for a budget speaker.

Inaccurate? What like you play Frank Sinatra, and out comes Guns & Roses? :rolleyes:

What does what I play on my speakers have anything to do with my reading impressions? Why get personal?

Boomy bass is a bad thing and poor imaging which is partially a function of midrange and high frequency accuracy as well as dispersion is also a bad thing. Maybe more money should be put into the drivers and then the furniture that encloses them.

[mazersteven]

What does what I play on my speakers have anything to do with my reading impressions? Why get personal?

Boomy bass is a bad thing and poor imaging which is partially a function of midrange and high frequency accuracy as well as dispersion is also a bad thing. Maybe more money should be put into the drivers and then the furniture that encloses them.

Who got personal?

I'm trying to figure out your statement about "Inaccurate". I could care less what your music preference is.

[3db]

Who got personal?

I'm trying to figure out your statement about "Inaccurate". I could care less what your music preference is.

I never mentioned my music preference. You implied that with your Frank Sinatra sounding like Guns And Roses dig. I already alluded to inaccurate sound with the boomy bass and the inability for the speaker to image properly.

[mazersteven]

I already alluded to inaccurate sound with the boomy bass and the inability for the speaker to image properly.

And how do you justify this statement? Have you auditioned them? Some article you've read?

[3db]

And how do you justify this statement? Have you auditioned them? Some article you've read?

I can't believe you just asked that question given this thread is about the review on these speakers. Its clear to me that you have really taken the offensive position here. I'm just stating my impression of the review is all.

[mazersteven]

I can't believe you just asked that question given this thread is about the review on these speakers. Its clear to me that you have really taken the offensive position here. I'm just stating my impression of the review is all.

Offensive yes.

Like I originally stated, "This is a very good reason people need to audition speakers themselves".

Before you make statements from one review, you should gather your information from other sources, then make your assessment.

[3db]

Offensive yes.

Like I originally stated, "This is a very good reason people need to audition speakers themselves".

Before you make statements from one review, you should gather your information from other sources, then make your assessment.

And like I said at the very beginning, the imppression I got from this review...

I also am a firm believer in listening before you buy. Thats why I own PSB, not Paradigm or Polk or Axiom.

[majorloser]

I have no reason to doubt their specified sensitivity. Since I didn't measure impedance/phase, I can only guesstimate that they must be a difficult load. I forgot to mention that when the amp was clipping, the woofers were bottoming out like mad so you definately shouldn't drive them so hard. The woofers in these speakers and especially in the xls bookshelf can't take much punishment which is why they need to be bass managed and mated with a good sub or two.

I have to agree with the MTM's being power hungry. I ran them using a pair of bridged Berhinger A500's. They happily gobbled up the extra power.

The cabinet is large considering the drivers but not overly huge. If you have room for any towers then these will fit in as well. The speaker finish was superb and the cabinets were solid. My only beef with the set I tested was the grill. The grills were the old "snowman" style that I believe has been replaced.

As far as sound, they did quite well. I was only hoping for "brighter" highs. But I believe this is because of my bias toward metal dome tweeters. I had to remind myself that these were budget priced speakers. Can't expect high priced exotic components at this price level.

Again, as Gene stated, I too would recommend that these are used with a powerful receiver or amplifier to really get the most from them.

[Fancypants]

If these were to be used with a sub, or subs for that matter, and had the crossover set to 80Hz or so, would they still be as power hungry?

I ask because I am looking at several speaker options in this price range, and currently own an Onkyo TX-SR503 which is rated at 75W/ch @ 8ohm, would this be sufficient? or a bad idea?

I do plan on upgrading my receiver to a more modern receiver with HDMI switching, and possible pre-amp outputs/more power, but I really wanted to get new speakers first, and get the new receiver when I make a display upgrade into the world of HD.

[TLS Guy]

No, I have not auditioned them, but I have a couple of comments. Finicky in a speaker = trouble in a speaker. From the description, sock in the port etc, I would suspect the bass is misaligned as well. I regard the review as poor, and if I was in the market, that review would not tempt me to put it on the audition list.

[3db]

No, I have not auditioned them, but I have a couple of comments. Finicky in a speaker = trouble in a speaker. From the description, sock in the port etc, I would suspect the bass is misaligned as well. I regard the review as poor, and if I was in the market, that review would not tempt me to put it on the audition list.

I agree with you. I would put them in the same caliber of speaker prior to my PSB upgrade; those speakers being Technics SB-T200 . They were almost identical in configuration, excpet they used 5 1/2" drivers instead of 6 1/2" and they had a port in the front and one in the back.

[jcPanny]

FYI,
The currently shipping X-series "Encore" speakers have an upgraded tweeter and crossover. This improves the performance of the MTM and other X-series models. There will als be an upgrade path for owners of the "classic" X-series speakers.