Bookshelf speaker choice

[del]

<font color='#000000'>I have narrowed down my search for what I have found to be affordable quality bookshelf speakers. It is a choice between the Polk Audio LSi7... $550/pr  (also Polk is offering a free PSW202 Subwoffer with a purchase over $500) and the B&amp;W 602 S3   $450/pr.  Both sound great. I have a subwoofer to compensate for any lack of base in a bookshelf speaker.  Any suggestions?
&nbsp; Also, I have just been turned onto a speaker called the Axiom Millennia M22ti Bookshelf ($370). &nbsp;It appears to have received great (Unbelievable!) reviews by everyone, but they do not sell them in stores...so you can't test them. &nbsp;They do however have a 30 day money back guarantee. &nbsp;Help!</font>

 

[RLA]

<font color='#000000'>Hi
I would choose the Polk LSI over the others because of its &nbsp;tweeter
I think it is a modified Vifa XT 25
Cheers
Ray</font>

 

[love2listen]

<font color='#000080'>Hi,

I don't know about the B&amp;W's,but I've tried the Lsi 7,9 and the Axiom.If price was not an issue I would go with the Lsi9.The cost of the 9's is about 600.00.I almost got a demo pair for 490.00.The sound they give out is SUPER!!Next I would go for the axioms.There isn't that much of a difference between the 9's and the 22ti's,but the high's on the 9's is where it beats the 22ti's.The Lsi7 is a very nice speaker,but I would rank it 3rd.If price is an issue go for the 22ti,I don't think you will regret it.One other idea is to order the Lsi from a store that gives you 30 days to try them and order the 22ti which comes with a 30 day trial period also and do a side/side audition.It will cost a few dollars in shipping,but it is the only way to hear them with your system.Good luck and if you have any questions with the Lsi's or 22ti's feel free to email me.</font>

 

[del]

<font color='#000080'><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>

love2listen : Hi,

I don't know about the B&amp;W's,but I've tried the Lsi 7,9 and the Axiom.If price was not an issue I would go with the Lsi9.The cost of the 9's is about 600.00.I almost got a demo pair for 490.00.The sound they give out is SUPER!!Next I would go for the axioms.There isn't that much of a difference between the 9's and the 22ti's,but the high's on the 9's is where it beats the 22ti's.The Lsi7 is a very nice speaker,but I would rank it 3rd.If price is an issue go for the 22ti,I don't think you will regret it.One other idea is to order the Lsi from a store that gives you 30 days to try them and order the 22ti which comes with a 30 day trial period also and do a side/side audition.It will cost a few dollars in shipping,but it is the only way to hear them with your system.Good luck and if you have any questions with the Lsi's or 22ti's feel free to email me.

Thanks for all the help. I went with the Axiom M22ti.  I got them for $370 (includes a %5 discount for mentioning that I was refered to them from Audioholics- Thanks!) total delivered to the door in three days from Canada!  I have had them for two days and you cannot get me away from the system.  They sound umbelievable in comparison to the 11 year old Boston Acoustics HD 7 that they replaced.  I loved the HD 7s, but I feel now that I just didn't know what I was misssing.  Middles and highs are unbelievable!  I paired them with a Boston SW 10 subwoofer and I just cannot get over the sound.  I did an awful lot of research going into the purchase and let me tell you that it is a tough decision buying them without listening to them, but it was worth the chance.  Besides, Axiom offers a 30 day money back guarantee. If you are looking at a bookshelf, I would highly recommend these speakers and the price is unheard of for this quality.</font>

 

[Guest]

<font color='#000000'>B&amp;W is a better speaker system than Polk. However, you may be headed in the wrong direction... Check out the Paradigm Performance or Monitor series line up of speakers. Paradigm will out perform POLK &amp; B&amp;W at the same price points you are looking for.

Hank

P.S. I do not work for Paradigm.</font>

 

[RLA]

<font color='#000000'>Hi
Sorry to disagree &nbsp;but the LSI series is not your typical run of the mill Polk of old &nbsp; &nbsp;IMOHO it is much better than the B&amp;W or Paradigm or Axiom &nbsp;The tweeter makes this speaker
rise above the others &nbsp;infact I just heard the Polk and the
Vienna Acoustics &nbsp;in the same room and the Polk was almost as good you may want to look at what the reviewers are saying about the Polk before you jump &nbsp;you will have to
sort the hype from the honest reviews
here is a place to start
http://www.polkaudio.com/home....eeall=1</font>

 

[Guest]

<font color='#000000'>A bit off-topic perhaps, but it made me think... I do not see many rave reviews for specific B&amp;W products.  I hear how great their speakers are overall, but in each specific instance, someone always recommends something else on top of them.

This makes me a little nervous as I was thinking of getting the B&amp;W 603s up front, 601s in the rear, and LCR600 for the center.  Unfortunately, there's not much else around here for me to demo.  The Paradigms didn't seem smooth enough for my liking.

I wonder if the audioholics would be kind enough to test the new B&amp;W603s and the new Paradigm Monitors? </font>

 

[Audioholics]

<font color='#000000'>I'd vote for that shoot-off... I've always been a fan of B&amp;Ws, they have a smooth sound and are very pleasing to the ears - BUT after playing them side-by-side with other speaker manufacturers, I am less pleased with their accuracy and tweeter detail.

So now I have become an Axiom Audio fan as well as a Paradigm Reference Series fan... Couldn't be helped.</font>

 

[Guest]

<font color='#000000'>That reminded me, I forgot to mention that that B&amp;W / Paradigm faceoff should include the Axiom M60.</font>

 

[Guest]

<font color='#000000'>where did ya find LSI 9's for 600? I haven't seen any authorized dealers selling them for that much, more like 900......though i would be very interesting in getting them for 600 with the polk warranty still valid.............</font>