axiom?

can anyone tell me if this axiom set-up would be a good for the money?
also i think i might be able to get a better sub for less than this one.
all suggestions/comments appreciated!

front: m80 v2 $1330 pair
rear: qs8 v2 $540 pair
center: vp150 v2 $408
sub: ep500 v2 $1230

total: $3508

Axiom

[Sonnie]

I know a lot of people that have been extremely happy with Axiom.

There may be others who believe you can make better use of $3500 though...

[nova]

Yup,... most of what I've heard about Axiom is positive. The exception seems to be their center channel speakers. I have also heard Axiom speakers described as bright or forward? Which may be a positive or a negative. Unfortunately all I can do is relate third hand info as I have not heard them.

[mike c]

i don't know about the speakers ... but i have the EP500 and it is overpriced and obsolete.

it's got a port tuning of 25hz, much too high for HT.

[Sonnie]

Yeah... I will agree... while their speakers are popular, their subs are lacking and way overpriced. Check out our Subwoofer Tests forum on their top of the line EP600.

Axiom EP-600 (1st test)

Axiom EP-600 (2nd test)

I will make no bones about it... SVSound subs are excellent bang for the buck subs... they are the king daddy when it comes to manufactured subs. Nathan at Funky Waves also knows how to make some good subs and often has specials.

$1250 will get you a lot more sub... Add about $300 more and with a PB13-Ultra or PC-Ultra!

[DougMac]

For that kind of money, you might want to look at other alternatives, such as SVS, Ascend, Hsu or even PSB.

I've spent the last six months doing research and if you're like me, it's easy to get befuddled. At one time I had decided to go with Axiom, but some between the lines comments in a couple of reviews in addtion to some user comments led me to continue looking.

It's so hard to know what to do with internet direct sales. I finally started to lean towards Ascends and came across a good buy on their HTM-200's the smallest of their speakers. I figured I could always put them to some use and they would give me some indication of the sound and build quality of the line. I've been extremely pleased and have decided to outfit my HT with Ascends, including using the used HTM-200's as back surround.

My research led me to conclude that Axioms are fine speakers (excepting their subs), but you can get the same or better performance elsewhere for a lot less.

Good luck,
Doug

[jakewash]

Well as an Axiom owner I can say that the M80s are a good speaker for the money (similar in sound to Paradigm studio 100s) as are the QS8 surround speakers, you can't go wrong with them. The VP150 center channel does have its share of reviews questioning it's off axis ability but most horizontaly oriented center channels I have heard have similar issues, a drop off of volume off axis. I do not find the off axis dialogue to be lacking clarity as listed in a couple of reviews. In my room I have only one seat that is far enough off axis for it to matter and I would guess most home HT setups are similar. Axiom does have another center, VP100, with a more usual WTW design that is very abundant in the HT center channel speaker lines which could be considered as an alternative if the VP150 isn't for you.

I do agree the Axiom subwoofers are overpriced in relation to what is out there in todays market place. If I were to buy an Axiom sub I would go for the new EP350v3, it is only $700 and plays nearly on par to the Ep500/600 for half the cost.

I would also recommend you look into Axioms Factory Outlet, you save 10% from there and then an additional 5% if 5 or more items are purchased. The FO speakers have very minor cosmetic blemishes on them and makes Axioms and even better deal.

To find out for yourself I would have you go to Axiom's own website and look in the hearing things forum for a possible audition of some Axioms nearby.

[mike c]

and did i mention that axiom doesn't even answer customers (me) respectfully on why their subs measure poorly?

EP350 specs:

Anechoic Resp. +/- 3dB 28 - 150 Hz
Room Resp. + 3dB/- 9dB 18 - 150 Hz

last time i checked -9db is practically nothing. fudge brownie?

28hz extension for 700 bucks? i'd go for velodyne DLS-R series anyday over that overpriced sub.

half overpriced is still overpriced.

[DougMac]

mike c wrote:

and did i mention that axiom doesn't even answer customers (me) respectfully on why their subs measure poorly?

half overpriced is still overpriced.

This may be unfair, especially since I haven't heard their products, but I can't help but wonder about their other speakers given the price and specs of their subwoofers.

As for respect, I've actually read a post from the owner of one internet speaker company heaping praise on a competitor's product and actually suggesting that for his purpose they may be the best choice. That goes a long way towards making me believe any claims for the poster's products, plus leads me to believe he's a stand up guy. His products were immediately added to my short list.
Doug

[jakewash]

DougMac wrote:

This may be unfair, especially since I haven't heard their products, but I can't help but wonder about their other speakers given the price and specs of their subwoofers.

Doug

Your right it is unfair, as their speakers really are top notch, would they be right for you, only you can answer that once you hear them. Axiom's subs might not test well but they sound pretty good to me when not stressed out. Even Ilka said the EP600 didn't sound bad. Are they overpriced in todays market, I think so too.


If you had a chance of avoiding bad publicity/reviews wouldn't you? Yes it was the honest thing to do but at the same time he was looking out for his company, a very smart move.

As far as Mikes comment about taking the DLS 5000R over the 350, I wouldn't, as I found the DLS to be boomy, not tight like the Axioms, it didn't sound right to me for music and I didn't miss the extra little bit of lower end the DLS had when I compared the 2. Now would I take the 350 over the PB12-NSD I have, no way, the PB12 is much better.

[mike c]

boomy and tight could be a result of the room and placement. also, did you A/B them or did you have one at a time?

i've A/B'ed the DLS-5000R and the EP500. the EP500 was about 5% better for about twice the price. (it has slightly better extension, but it was less loud, and when exceeding 85-90db, the low end on the EP500 would disappear)

[jakewash]

I A/B'd them as best as I could, I do not have the fancy switches and stuff, just turn off, plug in and back on, as fast as possible by a helper, I did this through many different movie scenes and musical varieties. My results could have been due to room acoustics, but I did the same tests at a friends 4000cf room as well and we both agreed with my initial findings even in his room. We did an EP600, EP350v3 and the DLS-5000R at his house and the EP600 is definitely the best sub Axiom makes and that isn't saying much considering you can get the PB13-ultra for the same price(Hopefully I will get mine in a few weeks). The EP350v3 gives the big Ep600 a run for the money and wins because it is less than half the price which is why I said if I were toget an Axiom sub it would be the new EP350v3; it's the best bang for the buck from Axiom. It even gave my PB12 a run for the money sound wise, but you could tell the PB12 for $100 more is still the better choice.

The Axiom subs are dated in their technology and it seems Axiom is happy with the way they sound, which might be why they won't answer you Mike, they feel there is nothing wrong with them If they cut all of they're prices in half then they might be a reasonable choice. It is a sad state for such a good speaker company, then again look at what the rest of the speaker companies subwoofer offerings, not many offer really good subs either.

Like you said, and I briefly touched on, the Axiom subs do not like to be run loud, usuall listening SPLs work but when you want to really crank it up they are not the ones to do it with and lets face it, the max SPL they are rated at is lower than the competition. I know many of those with Axiom subs really like them, its just us bass heads that seem to not like them as much.

[mike c]

having a sub is ok (and selling them for gold) ... i mean, bose does it. but at least treat customers that paid for the product some respect, i didn't want a refund, i just wanted their side of the story vs. ilkka's test. and they said i was stirring the pot. that there is the instant I removed them from my IE favorites folder. no matter what product they come out with ... i will never consider them again.

it looks like they don't need the money or customers anyway.

but like you said, the cheaper PB12NSD will beat the snot out of the EP350. with super customer service too.
(and i do put my money where my mouth is ... i just ordered the PB12NSD, PB10NSD, SB12 Plus and the 25-31PCi - like i said, it feels good buying from people that give you good customer service)

[jakewash]

mike c wrote:

... i just ordered the PB12NSD, PB10NSD, SB12 Plus and the 25-31PCi - like i said, it feels good buying from people that give you good customer service)

Mike your crazy. The shipping charges alone for all that out to you must be about what I make in a year. I will look forward to your interpretations of the PB12-NSD.

[mike c]

yeah, im considering the PB12NSD as one of my stereo subs (i plan to set the fronts to large, and these guys would take over from 90hz and below)

if it's insufficient, next step would be ultras on their sides...

[warpdrive]

Back in the day when Axiom was the flavor of the month (before all the other ID companies really took off), I heard one set of Axiom floorstanders and it was appallingly bad. I really didn't like the sound at all.....it sounded wrong to my ears. I never looked at them seriously again. That taught me two things:

1) You must listen and judge the speaker yourself.
2) Don't believe everything you read in the forums. Many times people who buy these things recommend them without having actually compared them to anything else, or just repeating what they heard.

Since Axiom is Canadian, I would still choose Paradigm, PSB, or Energy speakers first as I have owned or heard them firsthand myself and liked them

Sooo....whether you find them a good value is only something you can consider. Maybe the only way to find out is to try them for yourself, but make sure you have a reference point to compare them to.

[jakewash]

warpdrive wrote:

Back in the day when Axiom was the flavor of the month (before all the other ID companies really took off), I heard one set of Axiom floorstanders and it was appallingly bad. I really didn't like the sound at all.....it sounded wrong to my ears.

That sounds like it might have been the original M80, the drivers went (from top down) TMTMWW. I have never heard it, but I know it didn't last long in that configuration and was quickly changed out to its present form. Alan Loft, a former editor of Sound&Vision who is affiliated with Axiom now, didn't like the original M80 design/sound, so he persuaded them to make the change to it's current form.

[Bent]

Axiom originally had these:
http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...1&d=1208959748

[jakewash]

Ya, those are the AX series. I wasn't thinking that far back as I felt the ID companies have only come into their own in tha last 6-7 years and I am pretty sure the latest style of Axioms have been around since 2000.

[Bent]

Axiom used to be sold retail too, I believe McCulloch Audio in Winnipeg sold them.