<font color='#000000'>I love Axiom speakers. I had a pair of Infinity Composition Overture 3 towers, very expensive, very highly recommended by the Circuit City professional salespeople. I thought I had a nice sounding system, Harman Kardon AVR 65 receiver, Infinity CC3 center, RS3 side surrounds, big Velodyne sub.
On a whim I picked up a Merak MC6H center channel speaker from uBid back when you could get incredible deals on interesting items. To say the $39 Merak absolutely blew away the Infinity CC3 is an understatement. This trapezoid shaped speaker with a pair of 6.5" drivers and a great big horn tweeter (7"x3"
was in a totally different and superior class than the expensive CC3.
I realized I was totally ignorant about equipment, and had assumed a quality/price relationship. The Merak destroyed this simple paradigm.
I got on the internet and did some research - the Merak is the lower end line made by Axiom. I ended up picking up a pair of Axiom M3Ti's and had my first pair of true audiophile speakers. I finally heard the music instead of a stereo. I picked up a pair of M22s, which knocked me out, and then a pair of M50 towers. Loved them all.
Of course, I blame Axiom for my long, dark slide into audio upgraditis - I wanted to hear music reproduction so accurate it would sound like a live performance in my living room. (With some recordings, especially female vocals, I've succeeded, but more on that later.)
Then I found the Michaura speakers. Cruising ubid, last year, I noticed a picture of these Michauras and thought the drivers looked like the ones in the Axiom M22. I grabbed a pair of M55s for $19 each. Holy Moly!! I contacted Michaura and sure enough, Axiom made these speakers for them. I grabbed as many of these M55s as I could. They are gorgeous rosewood finished, M22 like speakers with a pair of 5.25" drivers and a smaller 0.75" Titanium tweeter (Axioms use a 1"
.
These M55s have hexagonal shaped cabinets, look 100% better than the Axiom M22s and sound, in my opinion, much, much better. I had never in my life heard such crystal clear, extended highs, the mids are beautiful, better to my ear than the M22, but not as 'round' as what the M3Tis put out.
So, I grabbed some Michaura M665s, similar to the Axiom M60 towers, twin 6.5" drivers, single 0.75" tweeter. Unbelievably good sounding speakers.
I stayed away from Axiom subs, never heard one, but figured I'd go with subs from folks who specialize. My quest ended up with an SVS 20-39 for the Home Theater system, but this sub, although it puts out incredible amounts of accurate bass, looks like a large water heater or maybe a naval nuclear reactor. Not wife friendly at all.
Anyway, I've listened to some very expensive systems with Thiels, Mirage, Definitive Technology, etc. and I can tell you that the Axioms (and Michauras) don't give up that much to these wonderful but very expensive efforts.
Here's a recommendation for a killer, relatively low priced system guaranteed to embarrass many extremely expensive systems:
Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT 5 watt per channel tube integrated amp in single end triode mode, 15wpc in pentode (stay with the 5wpc triode setting) about $750, can be had for less.
A pair of $400 Axiom M22Tis, or if you can find them (Michaura went belly up) a pair of Michaura M55s (can be found occasionally on ebay for about $150.
A Vance Dickason Titanic 10" subwoofer from partsexpress.com - delivered for $350. It's a kit that even I could put together.
Ah! Njoe Tjoeb CDP - upgrade to either Seimens ECC288 tubes, or Ediswans and the Burr Brown Op Amps - about $650.
This system will fill your soul with the purest, sweetest music.
Anyway, Axioms are great. Try them, you can't go wrong.</font>
