Trade my Polks for Axiom?

[Johnny Canuck]

Hey guys. Need an honest opinion. Not looking to get flamed. I can sell my Polks and get pretty much any Axioms i want. I have the Polk RTi12, RTi 6, Csi 5 and Csi40. I will keep my Hsu sub, the STF 3.

Question is, what does Axiom make equivalent or better to what I have and are they any better than what I have? They are more efficient I see for sure. Or am I just reading too much stuff about Axiom on this site and doubting my gear? From what I see, the top of the line Axiom is not as much as I paid for my Polks and I know a few guys who would gladly take my Polks and give me enough to buy any Axiom speakers.

Thank you.

 

[muncybob]

I honestly think only you can answer this question only by giving the Axioms(or any speaker for that matter) an audition in the same room as the Polks are currently. Why not take advantage of their return policy and give them a try? While you're at it get the Ohm Acoustics a try(120 day return policy)....I would like to hear about your experiences since I have a front sound stage of Polk's(a vintage pair of SDA floor standers and a slightly newer center {CS-400 I think} along with some Axiom rears on stands. The Polks still sound good to me and I'm considering updating the tweeters ans x-overs but if you are absolutely blown away by the Axioms(or whatever you try out) maybe I'll save the $$ and make a total change.

 

[BJP]

Johnny, you should demo the M80's, VP150 and the QS8's. I find myself doubting my system aswell and have often thought about Axiom, PSB and Energy.

I have only demoed the VP150 and I prefered the CSi5. It sounded dull and weak.

I'm sure you'll notice an improvment with the QS8's over the RTi6's as your surrounds. The QS8's have got some great reviews.

I have not heard the RTi12's, but have read that they can be a little bright/harsh. The M80's tend to be clean and smooth.

 

[Nick250]

I know where this leads, at least in my head. If you try the Axioms because they have a good return policy, then of course you need to try the Ascends as well. I have done neither so far because once I started auditioning speakers locally, I would come home, listen to my Studio 20's think, damn, these speakers sound awfully good and the upgrade fever would grow less.

Nick

 

[littleb]

I know where this leads, at least in my head. If you try the Axioms because they have a good return policy, then of course you need to try the Ascends as well. I have done neither so far because once I started auditioning speakers locally, I would come home, listen to my Studio 20's think, damn, these speakers sound awfully good and the upgrade fever would grow less.

Nick

It's funny that you should type that. I've had the very same experience with the Axiom M22s.

 

[xboxweasel]

The problem with in home audition is that if you don't like it you have to pay for the return shipping costs. For example: the Axiom Epic 80-500 5.1 setup. How much do you think it will cost to ship 250lbs and insuring that for it's retail value ($3000US). A few hundred dollars. There could be customs / brokerage charges too. That's why I went with a locally sold product that I could touch/taste/ and hear before I gave out any of my money. I think there are too many choices out there. And you should be happy trying locally available products first. Just my 2 cents worth. Happy hunting.

PS: If in doubt do like me; buy multiple set of speakers. [muhahahahahaha]

 

[speakerman39]

The problem with in home audition is that if you don't like it you have to pay for the return shipping costs. For example: the Axiom Epic 80-500 5.1 setup. How much do you think it will cost to ship 250lbs and insuring that for it's retail value ($3000US). A few hundred dollars. There could be customs / brokerage charges too. That's why I went with a locally sold product that I could touch/taste/ and hear before I gave out any of my money. I think there are too many choices out there. And you should be happy trying locally available products first. Just my 2 cents worth. Happy hunting.

PS: If in doubt do like me; buy multiple set of speakers. [muhahahahahaha]

Good point BUT I would try to find a demo first and foremost. That way, nothing has to be returned. In the event that a demo is NOT possible then maybe order a set such as the QS8's or even just the VP150 to see which speakers sound better. Of course, this is all subjective as what sounds great to me may sound like sh*t to someone else and vice-versa. As long as the rest of the package is ordered within 30 days(I think) then Axiom will still give the additional 5% discount of ordering (5) items at a time.

 

[Sheep]

Hey guys. Need an honest opinion. Not looking to get flamed. I can sell my Polks and get pretty much any Axioms i want. I have the Polk RTi12, RTi 6, Csi 5 and Csi40. I will keep my Hsu sub, the STF 3.

Question is, what does Axiom make equivalent or better to what I have and are they any better than what I have? They are more efficient I see for sure. Or am I just reading too much stuff about Axiom on this site and doubting my gear? From what I see, the top of the line Axiom is not as much as I paid for my Polks and I know a few guys who would gladly take my Polks and give me enough to buy any Axiom speakers.

Thank you.

What part of the Polk speakers do you not like? Maybe the Axioms don't have what you're looking for either.

Go audition.

SheepStar

 

[sahihai]

Agree highly with the auditioning part. And if its available locally, nothing like it. In case of Axioms, the shipping is free and if you order from their outlet store, its 10% cheaper. That way even if you have to return it, the cost of kinda covered. Axiom has posted approximate return shipping rates...check out this link http://www.axiomaudio.com/faqs.html#Ordering

 

[Johnny Canuck]

So after extensive reserach I have made the conclusion I will not be "upgrading " to Axiom speakers.

Axiom is equal to Polk. No better. There isn't a speaker they make as good as the RTI8 never mind my RTI12.

My research was done on many websites, many personal opinions from users, and most of all, I left the Audioholic pro-Axiom site to get a different perspective.

Axioms are far brighter than Ploks. The brightness is what my problem has been but it's not my RTI 12's, it's the small room and lack of power my system is pushing.

Build quality of the Axioms gets ripped really bad on other sites and chat rooms. Peeling of the veneers, cheap, very light speakers. But right now they will upgrade to wood

While I keep doubting my RTI's because of what I read on this site, the only upgrade worth it I see is going to the Lsi series. Axiom is definetely not an upgrade. As much as people here seem to think. This is the only site on the net I really see that raves so much about them.

And who wants to pay shipping and all the hassle for a "free trial".

Again, I stress when purchasing gear, read lots. Not just one site and it's supporters.

 

[Sheep]

Axiom has a local auditioning network. Why don't you see if there is someone neer you? This way you can hear it for free (or the cost of some beer) and not have to worry about buying without hearing.

SheepStar

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

JC,

The two things you need to do to tame your system is increase the power or better eq the signal to the towers so your bass drivers see more current in relation to your tweets, and get some room treatments/area rugs.

You can also pick up a pair of bookshelves equivalent to your RTi6's and bring them back to your place. Do an A/B using the RTi6's and the others you buy to demo as your "mains." That way you can see if the Polks are truely bright speakers, or if all speakers are bright based on your room/amp. I did this with the Insignia "whizzer" type bookshelves everyone was raving about, and quickly came to the conclusion they couldn't hold a candle to my RTi4's. The RT series really is a well built, great sounding speaker. They just need some tweaking at the pre amp level.

As you know, I run a similar setup as you, but with the RTi10's. My room is as dead as a doornail, and i need to eq "up" my highs. The room makes all the difference in the world. Have you considered possibly running a Behringer eq between your cd/cable box and receiver in two channel mode? I find the flexiblity awesome for tv and take advantage of DPLIIx Cinema eq'd.

 

[Haoleb]

So after extensive reserach I have made the conclusion I will not be "upgrading " to Axiom speakers.

Axiom is equal to Polk. No better. There isn't a speaker they make as good as the RTI8 never mind my RTI12.

My research was done on many websites, many personal opinions from users, and most of all, I left the Audioholic pro-Axiom site to get a different perspective.

Axioms are far brighter than Ploks. The brightness is what my problem has been but it's not my RTI 12's, it's the small room and lack of power my system is pushing.

Build quality of the Axioms gets ripped really bad on other sites and chat rooms. Peeling of the veneers, cheap, very light speakers. But right now they will upgrade to wood

While I keep doubting my RTI's because of what I read on this site, the only upgrade worth it I see is going to the Lsi series. Axiom is definetely not an upgrade. As much as people here seem to think. This is the only site on the net I really see that raves so much about them.

And who wants to pay shipping and all the hassle for a "free trial".

Again, I stress when purchasing gear, read lots. Not just one site and it's supporters.

Pretty strong views for someone who has never seen or heard them in person. There have been some folks who've ordered axioms and sent them back for various reasons. For the most part the customers are very pleased. Yes, One of the things that does seem to come up alot is them being bright. While most of it is hear-say from only a few people I can understand how some people get that impression. Unfortunatly most of the people that buy them are using recievers and dvd players etc, They dont always offer the best sound. Some cdp are just downright harsh sounding.

With internet forums being axioms main way to get new customers you can imagine what happens when one customer who goes to 12 different forums saying how his axioms were bright and falling apart does to their reputation. I personally dont have any complaints with axioms build quality. Could it be better? Yeah. When compared to Similar offerings from Paradigm or Rocket their speakers are heavier and built more solidly, but they also cost more. If putting in an extra cross bracing made a significant impact im pretty sure they would. Taking a speaker with a cabinet composed of parallel surfaces and bracing it up until it weighs 100 lbs is like putting a band-aid on the problem. Instead of combating it with genuine engineering.

Just like whats been mentioned already, The room makes a more significant difference on the sound that any other factor. Period. If you dont experiement with different speaker locations and seating locations, along with taming room problems you can make the best speaker in the world sound bad. I really believe that if you heard the axiom's in a proper setup that you'd be eating your words.

On the question of if they are any better than your polks or not I dont know. I have never heard them, your polk's list at a few hundred more than even axioms flagship so I should certainly hope they arent blown away. I find the M80's to be very balanced and smooth, There are no areas that are lacking or stand out in the spectrum, Which certainly wasnt the case with every other speaker i've owned. Regardless of what some folks will tell you about how all cd players and amps sound the same, They dont. The quality or your sources and amps will have a great effect on how the speakers can perform.

If i were in your shoes I would experiment more with placement and room treatment options. You might also want to look into different options for an amplfier for your main speakers, Im going to assume that your using the NAD to power them. Probbably quite sufficient for your needs although you said they are underpowered.

On another note, The people here who are constantly reccomending axiom arent doing it because they are on the payroll, Although in some cases commison is paid for in-home auditions etc, which result in a purchase. We reccomend them because they are good speakers with a company who stands behind them.

 

[Jack Hammer]

On another note, The people here who are constantly reccomending axiom arent doing it because they are on the payroll,... We reccomend them because they are good speakers with a company who stands behind them.

I think your post was spot on except for one part. While I'm sure that the people who OWN them recommend them because they like them, I've seen several posts from people recomending Axiom as a great speaker by people who have clearly never personally listened to Axiom speakers.

When people come to this sight looking for speakers most the experienced people here tell them to listen to several different brands of speakers to find what is right for them, yourself included. Many others tell them to pick up Axioms because lots of people here have them and they are supposed to sound great. There is a bit of cheerleading.

I'm not trying to start anything, my only experience with Axioms is with a reputable local shop who has m60's on their demo floor. They look poorly made. The veneer is peeling off and looks cheap. They said they only keep them there to show people how bad they sound. I wasn't able to get a demo because I saw them at the end of the day when they were closing. When I have time, I really want to go hear them for myself. I have no info as to when they were made, how they were cared for, if they are an older version, if anything was replaced, if they are knockoffs, etc.

 

[korgoth]

yeah well this site does seem to back axiom pretty strongly. maybe not for any monetary reason, but they definately support axiom. lots of reviews/ads/posts on axiom here.

they are great speakers though. they arent supernatural or anything but mine sound great. I would recommend them to anyone because the sound quality is as good or better than anything ive heard in their price range. build might not be quite as good, but im not complaining. ive had no peeling or anything like that.

to be fair i havent auditioned that many speakers, only mk's and paradigms, and other random speakers, but so far ive liked my axioms the best and they were the cheapest.

i plan on buying m80's to finish the speaker set up, and i also plan on buying the same system for a friend.

if you have good speakers already, i probobly wouldnt waste my time selling and buying the axioms unless you could make some money. Im pretty sure the change in sound quality would be minimal.

oh and btw i dont find them to be bright.

 

[Haoleb]

I'm not trying to start anything, my only experience with Axioms is with a reputable local shop who has m60's on their demo floor. They look poorly made. The veneer is peeling off and looks cheap. They said they only keep them there to show people how bad they sound. I wasn't able to get a demo because I saw them at the end of the day when they were closing. When I have time, I really want to go hear them for myself. I have no info as to when they were made, how they were cared for, if they are an older version, if anything was replaced, if they are knockoffs, etc.

Sadly enough, I have read stories about some people in the field who are just as bad as some car care places. Could be that they just beat them up a bit and did something to them to sound horrible, To try and keep people from buying them! No, im not in denial. It could happen!

If my speaker budget was bigger when I bought my speakers I probbably wouldnt have chosen axiom because there certainly are higher end speakers out there. On my first pair of M80's that I had bought in 2001 from the outlet store I did have the veneer peel back about 1/4 inch on one of the back corners. Simply gluing it back on fixed the problem and they have been fine since. I have new m80's now and they were bought A stock, So far they are impeccable.

 

[corysmith01]

I'm not trying to start anything, my only experience with Axioms is with a reputable local shop who has m60's on their demo floor. They look poorly made. The veneer is peeling off and looks cheap. They said they only keep them there to show people how bad they sound.

I don't own Axioms. Never heard 'em. But that sounds to me like sales tactic on the part of the store. How convenient:

"Hey, ya see here buddy? See what you get when you buy from those internet companies? Crap! That's what you get. Poorly made. Sound cheap. What you want...what you want is this (points to brand "x" that they sell). Sure, these cost twice as much, but you don't really want that do you?"

I had a similar experience. I asked a shop what they thought of all of them: Ascend, Axiom, Rocket, et al. It was hilarious. They bashed them mercilessly. Now, I'm no expert, but there's got to be something to the reports that some/most of the speakers, both from professional reviews and from forum posts, that legitimizes the notion that these are solid companies who build solid speakers. I think stores that do the above are pretty sketchy and certainly aren't getting my dollars.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I don't own Axioms. Never heard 'em. But that sounds to me like sales tactic on the part of the store. How convenient:

"Hey, ya see here buddy? See what you get when you buy from those internet companies? Crap! That's what you get. Poorly made. Sound cheap. What you want...what you want is this (points to brand "x" that they sell). Sure, these cost twice as much, but you don't really want that do you?"

Actually I was looking for something semi-decent to put in my bathroom. I noticed them in the used speaker section and asked the guy about them. He said they were part of a trade in somebody did. Then went about showing me other stuff. He didn't really say anything about them until I asked him what he thought of the Axioms while he was showing me some other speakers that were actually less at the time. That's when he told me that he thought they were overrated and basically said what you did about internet only companies in general. The only reason I paid any credance to him was he wasn't trying to sell me something more expensive and the shop has a very good reputation. Right or wrong, I think he really believed what he said.

Like I said before, when I get a chance I'll go listen for myself. It's the only way to really know how they compare to other stuff.

 

[Ron Temple]

I recently tried out some RTi8s and was very pleased with their performance, imaging and soundstage. I chose 8s because they were easier to drive and I have a nice sub. I decided to return them due to some content being just a bit harsh. It could have been room related and/or power. What motivated me was hearing some SDA 1Cs, that while vintage, were in great shape and in another world for imaging, soundstage and warmth (less money too). I scooped them up.

So since the OP is thinking of LSis to get the sound he wants, I'd recommend trying to find some used SDAs. They are generally 6 ohm, but very efficient. My 2 channel amp is ~ 105wpc @ 6 and is more than adequate (of course they'll take 500, so an amp is in the future). The SDA effect provides a huge, detailed soundstage and is excellent for 2 channel and HT.

Nothing against Axiom, but I've read the same things you have. I like the Polk sound and build quality, but I think other than the LSis, the best stuff they made is their vintage speakers.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

I am sure Axioms are good value. Like bluejeans cables, good for your money. I was just thinking they may be an upgrade to what I have after reading so much on Audioholics. Absolutely not true. While I have not heard them and can not say they are good and bad personally, word of mouth is how internet only companies survive. While some people may be biased to a certain brand, there is a whole lot of cheerleading going on here for Axiom. I was very surprised to read about their build quality issues. I read about noise resonating from the cheap vinyl vaneer cabinets. A three driver speaker should weigh more than that! Period! A man can not lift Polk RTi12's without straining himself.

Reading here about the RTi8's again got me thinking that may have been a better match for my Denon 3805. I use the NAD 200 on the lows only, biamping. It's only 100W with apparantly 4db of headroom, which is kind of like 400W if I understand. Is that true? Can anybody recommend a decent, high powered, not too expensive amp that will run these beasts? They can take 500W apparantly. I would buy used preferrably. Thanks .

I also could use a QSC or Crown DJ amp. Is that recommended? I read DJ amps are noisy and how would one hook that up to a receiver?