@ParkerAudio
Dean, what other speakers would you compare the M80 Axioms to?
I would say the two I heard that were closest were the B&W 703s a friend from the UK owns and the Paradigm Monitor 11s I heard in a store. I only heard the 703s and M80s together in the same room. I never heard a direct comparison with the 11s.
Since I heard them together I feel comfortable saying that the 703s and M80s were very comparable. Both sounded dynamic and accurate with a slight edge going to the B&Ws for sounding a little smoother through their full frequency range. However, in my opinion it wasn’t enough for me to justify the additional cost.
Since I didn’t hear the Paradigms and Axioms in the same room it’s hard to make a direct comparison but I want to say that the Paradigms seemed to emphasize the highs as opposed to just sounding accurate. However, this could just have been do to the different listening environments.
And if you had to do it over again, would you buy the Axioms again?
Absolutely! For the price vs performance these are definitely the right speakers for me. And I do plan to buy more.
What finally convinced my to risk the return shipping and try the Axioms was their employees’ and forum members’ honesty when replying to my questions as compared to the irritating hard sell attitude and misinformation several of the brick and mortar salesmen gave me (I played stupid to see if they would BS me and to some degree they all did.) However, both the Axiom rep and forum members separately talked me out of getting the EP600 subwoofer for the EP500 instead suggesting I could always add another later. Some of the forum members also suggested SVS and HSU implying more bang for the buck. They also both talked me out of getting a 7.1 setup saying that I would see little improvement from a 5.1 setup with the QS8s in my room. In both cases they were spot on. My friend from the UK who has a 7.1 B&W system thinks my 5.1 with the QS8s has far better surround sound.
And if so would you buy the Axiom VP150 again?
No, I would not! I would only suggest it to someone who couldn’t fit either another M80 or M22 up front as a center. I know that part of it’s problem is bad room acoustics around the 100Hz to 500Hz range but even when trying to compensate for this the VP150 just sounds anemic sitting between the M80s. Even the Audioholics review said:
The minor gripe I have is the ability of the VP-150 center speaker to keep up with the M80ti tower speakers. In addition, their effective crossover point of 80Hz made it a little difficult to select the best crossover setting for the system…I recommend that two of the VP-150's be used with the M80tis in large rooms that intend to use front projection systems or very large displays.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/axiom-audio-epic-80-600/page-6/?searchterm=axiom epic 80
Note that’s even the M80ti not the newer M80v2 which every comparison review I’ve seen says are even better.
I think the VP150 ruins the sound of 5.1 audio either simulated or discrete, and is often distracting in 5.1 movies when dynamic sounds pan across the front. Perhaps I’m being to critical as no enclosed center can stand up to ported towers but that’s what I hear in my room.
Presently my workaround is to run the M80s using a phantom center for most things. I tired the VP150 in the back as a rear for a 6.1 setup and found it blended seamlessly with the QS8s. However, the QS8s sound so good by themselves I didn’t notice any overall improvement unless playing discrete 6.1 or 7.1 disks and since most of what I have is 5.1 I put it backup front for when I occasionally need it to boost the center channel.
Sorry for being so long winded.
Cheers,
Dean
