Can I go wrong with Axiom Audio M22'S

[dc6]

I am going to upgrade my speakers this fall (many years of waiting).I have done a lot of reading and have decided to give the M22's, Sq8 and the VP150's a go.. My room is not huge and more of a rectangular shape.I know it gets good reviews on the Axiom site but I was just curios if anyone else out there can give me their opinion on them.Sub will be bought later..probably Svs

 

[mike c]

speakers are highly subjective. you should make an effort to hear them first, i'm sure they have a customer map of willing axiom owners who can let you listen to them before you commit.

 

[exlabdriver]

You could only go wrong if you don't like them, ha!

I have a pair of M22s that I've used in my medium size HT for about a year and are paired up with a couple of 10" Velo Subs along with a VP100 CC and a pair of QS4 Surrounds. This modest system is a very satisfying setup that works just fine for me - very articulate and able to rattle my room when required.

If you can afford and have the space for a bigger CC, the VP160 with its more conventional and 'accepted' driver layout would probably be best. Unfortunately, I have only room for the VP100, but it performs well in our main listening area and I'm happy with it despite its WTW design.

I run most movies at about the -10 Db Level on my Denon AVR. It produces plenty of quality sound so I feel no need for bigger gear in my HT of about 2400 cu ft...

TAM

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

In particular Axiom VP150 received much critique due to some bad engineering decisions
I would recommend to look else where, there are plenty fish in the sea

What's your total budget for the upgrade and what component do you have now?

 

[gtpsuper24]

I am going to upgrade my speakers this fall (many years of waiting).I have done a lot of reading and have decided to give the M22's, Sq8 and the VP150's a go.. My room is not huge and more of a rectangular shape.I know it gets good reviews on the Axiom site but I was just curios if anyone else out there can give me their opinion on them.Sub will be bought later..probably Svs

Sold my M22s for a set of Arx A1 bookshelfs and couldn't be happier. Spent a number of months demo'ing a number of current offerings from Boston, HSU, Aperion, and several others and I guess you could say they was all "similarly good" but the Axioms was the most expensive. If your actually set on going with Axiom go with the VP100 or VP160, I ran the VP150 for several years and never realized how bad a center it was until I went with the traditional MTM center. A user on AVS replace the VP150 with a $90 Polk MTM from Amazon and was kind of amazed at how much better the dialog was from the Polk compared to the Axiom.

The VP100 and VP160 don't have those issues.

 

[gene]

I am going to upgrade my speakers this fall (many years of waiting).I have done a lot of reading and have decided to give the M22's, Sq8 and the VP150's a go.. My room is not huge and more of a rectangular shape.I know it gets good reviews on the Axiom site but I was just curios if anyone else out there can give me their opinion on them.Sub will be bought later..probably Svs

This is a good reference for you when shopping between ID speaker brands. As you will find, some of the less expensive options on the list actually wind up being the most pricey when you factor in premium finish and parts upgrades. There are many great brands out there and some even offer FREE return shipping both ways if you don't care for the sound / look of the products in your home.

Internet Direct Speaker Brand Comparison | Audioholics

 

[TLS Guy]

I think you just got dropped a hint "You can go wrong."

 

[gene]

If you can afford and have the space for a bigger CC, the VP160 with its more conventional and 'accepted' driver layout would probably be best. Unfortunately, I have only room for the VP100, but it performs well in our main listening area and I'm happy with it despite its WTW design.

A WTW design when properly executed is still a viable design and in some aspects has advantages over W(T/M)W designs. An MTM has significantly less off-axis lobing errors than a TWWWT design which isn't used by any other commercial manufacturer that I am aware of other than Axiom. However if the listener is sitting directly on-axis, the TWWWT can still work too though IMO doesn't have any notable advantage over a conventional MTM using a single higher power handling tweeter.

Pros & Cons of Various Center Channel Designs | Audioholics

 

[billy p]

Yeah...you could be happy with the M22's....IMO the 22's are likely one of the better designed speakers from the Axiom line up. I had the in wall version of that speaker and went through a lot of work installing them and getting them properly set up only to go in another direction after about 6 months...in the end I wasn't totally satisfied with how they sounded and went with another speaker which I was also demoing in home...the only caveat was the other speakers where more costly. There should be plenty of Axiom owners in BC..heck...exlab is from there...drop him a PM set up a demo or audition them at home.

Re: Bill

 

[shadyJ]

The problem is, for a dual woofer design, why wouldn't you go with a MTM design rather than a TMM? TMM, as far as I understand, just introduces lobing that doesn't have to be there with a MTM. But I guess it doesn't make a difference when even your basic TM has such a poor FR that lobing probably wouldn't even be the biggest problem.

 

[gtpsuper24]

The problem is, for a dual woofer design, why wouldn't you go with a MTM design rather than a TMM? TMM, as far as I understand, just introduces lobing that doesn't have to be there with a MTM. But I guess it doesn't make a difference when even your basic TM has such a poor FR that lobing probably wouldn't even be the biggest problem.

The M2 and M22 are IMO vastly superior speakers to the M3 but IMO its totally unacceptable for a company that takes pride in anechoic chambers and engineering to sell a speaker like the M3 that is as bad as it is, especially for the price. There is dozens of better designed, better sounding 6.5" 2ways out there that has none of the issues the M3 has and some are same or cheaper with better standard options.

 

[exlabdriver]

I own & use all 3 Axiom models almost daily. They all sound absolutely fine - the M3s have a slightly different sound signature from the M2/22s but work wonderfully without the need of a sub in my ambiance system in my large room. They play loud as well.

The M3 is exponentially better than described above - a plethora of reviews over the last decade bear this out...

TAM

 

[vardo]

I owned the M2 (not the M2 v3) for about 6 months. That was about 7 yrs ago, so things probably have
changed. The build quality of the speaker was nice (not real veneer, but certainly looked like veneer).
The thing I didn't like about them was that they had a bright sound. Not that "bright sound" is bad, some people
love that sound, and the detail. To me they were to fatiguing to listen to. I sold them to a guy in Michigan, and
he emailed me and said he loved the detailed sound.

The QS-8's from Axiom are about the best surround speaker I've owned, and about the only Axiom speaker I really like.
But everyone has different tastes.

vardo

 

[exlabdriver]

To each his own As with all speakers and people - likes and dislikes in sound signature are wholly subjective. My M2v3s certainly don't fatigue me but they are quite revealing with poor recordings; however, like any small bookshelf speaker they do need to be paired up with a quality sub or two to make them shine.

I use mine in an audio only system that is driven by an Integrated Tube-Amp and SACDs. Thankfully, many - but not all - of my SACDs are properly recorded and mixed giving a very pleasing audio experience...

TAM

 

[gtpsuper24]

One really can't appreciate the differences in speakers until you've actually taken time to listen to a wider range of speakers other than just a single few models from the same brand. I never thought the VP150 was a bad center until I listened to several others and then the flaws was very apparent.

 

[Wid]

While I do like my Axioms (M80) I also had the chance to live with some Ascend 340s. Had the L/R/C hooked up for a while. For the money the Ascends are an outstanding value imo. If I were to buy a set of speakers today (I've had my Axiom for 10 years) I would have to give the 340s a serious thought. They were a bit more laid back than my Axioms and lacked a bit of the bass but over all they sound just as good for a third of today's price of the M80s.

 

[exlabdriver]

We're getting off on tangents here. M22s were the focus of the OP's original query...

TAM

 

[Wid]

We're getting off on tangents here. M22s were the focus of the OP's original query...

TAM

Well then, I guess a person could go wrong with any speaker if it not to their liking.

 

[exlabdriver]

True. That's the main problem with ID purchasing - the auditioning and deciding part with the distinct possibility of having to pack them up & ship them back. That can be a daunting task if the boxes are large, heavy and perhaps with an international border involved...

TAM

 

[gtpsuper24]

True. That's the main problem with ID purchasing - the auditioning and deciding part with the distinct possibility of having to pack them up & ship them back. That can be a daunting task if the boxes are large, heavy and perhaps with an international border involved...

Well then the OP should stick to B&M brands like Paradigm, PSB, Klipsch, Monitor Audio ect..... No worries about shipping huge boxes back.

The auditioning and deciding parts is NOT a problem with ID purchasing. Its a big benefit to actually listen to the speakers in your own room for several weeks. It gives you great insight on the differences in speakers instead of relying on "similarly good" can't go wrong with any of them.