Frequently Asked Questions

Loudspeaker Selection & Placement

What size speaker should I use for Surround Sound?

The Axiom line of loudspeakers contains a selection of specialized surround speakers called 'Quadpolar'. Two sizes of Quadpolar speakers are available; the QS-4, which is designed for most standard-sized home theater equipment; and the QS-8, which is optimized for high-powered home theater systems.

Can I order samples of the finishes?

Yes. You can order samples of the finishes. Please contact us to do so.

How much should I spend?

While there are low-budget loudspeakers available at multiple sources, you must realize that you will not get the performance you desire from these products. The loudspeaker part of your AV system will give you the most 'bang for your buck'. Extra money spent on loudspeakers will yield a much higher performance gain per dollar than any other piece in your system. As a rough guide, 50% of the Audio part of your Audio/Video home theater equipment budget should be spent on the loudspeakers. 

What is the wattage handling on my speakers?

See the online manual and spec charts for wattage information. If you do not already own a loudspeaker, but are looking for new speakers, the correct wattage should relate to your amplifiers. Always keep in mind that low wattage amplifiers are the normal cause of speaker damage. All amplifiers when pushed to their highest volume limits will go into a state called clipping. This state damages loudspeakers very quickly. 

Where should I place my surround speakers?

Ideally, surround speakers should be either wall-mounted or stand-mounted to either side of the couch or primary listening area, from one to six feet higher than seated listeners' ears, and slightly forward or rearwards of the listening area if you wish. Axiom's Quadpolar surrounds are especially versatile and can yield excellent performance with stand or wall-mounting to the rear as well as at side locations. (see our dedicated stands for the QS Surround speakers in the Store). Rear center speakers for 6.1 and 7.1 installations are intended to go on the rear wall at about the same height as the surround speakers.

How far apart should my stereo speakers be?

This is best determined in relation to your room size. As a general rule, allow six to 12 feet between your main left and right (stereo) speakers. If you would like, email us your room dimensions and listening area, and we would be happy to make recommendations for you. As with most things, experiment with your favourite piece of music and a variety of positions, until you find the best sound for your taste. Why not take a minute to see some placement options our existing customers use on the Axiom Wall'O'Fame?

Looking for more information? Check out the following articles:

 

Ordering, Shipping, Guarantee

What kind of ordering security do you offer?

Axiom uses the latest in SSL encryption and firewall protection to guarantee your security and privacy every time you order. We will never sell your name or any information about you to anyone, at any time. We require your email address simply to keep you informed of your order status -- it will never be passed on from us. Any other information we collect from you is only used internally at Axiom to increase our service and improve our product for you. It is never shared. Guaranteed. 

How will my order be shipped?

Axiom uses FedEx, Purolator or DHL to ship products the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and Purolator Courier or FedEx within Canada. Your order is delivered in 3-6 business days to your door from the time of shipping. Need it sooner? Call 1-888-352-9466 and ask an audio expert about overnight shipping. APOs are shipped via post. All American and Canadian shipping costs are included in the price you see. Shipping, handling and taxes are included in the United States. Shipping and handling are included in Canada, but taxes are extra. Special finishes are custom-made to order and take 4 weeks or less to prepare.  

Do you have any dealers?

Axiom is an internet based direct to consumer speaker manufacturer enjoying over 25 years of manufacturing award winning products. Eliminating the retail dealer network allows us to offer you the best price/performance products available.

Axiom offers a 30 day in-home (what better way) trial to audition the speakers with return privileges. Your time, your tunes, your room - the best way to determine if Axiom speakers are right for you.

What if my shipment is damaged?

Please email us for information on returning loudspeakers. We will arrange a pickup with you, to get your loudspeakers repaired and or replaced as quickly as possible, so that you can enjoy your Axiom speakers to their fullest with your home stereo or home theater equipment.

What if I don't like my loudspeakers?

We are so sure that you will love your loudspeakers that we offer a 30-day trial period, so that you can evaluate our speakers in your home, with your own stereo or home theater equipment. If they do not meet your expectations in any way, we will refund the cost of the speakers to you. Special matching finish charges are not refundable; all regular vinyl and real wood finishes are refundable.

If you decide you would not like to keep our speakers during that 30 days, please contact us to find out how to return your loudspeakers. Please be sure to keep all original packaging for returning your loudspeakers. If you do not have original packaging, please contact us. We will provide you with the customs documents you need to return your speakers. We have locations return shipping locations in:

  • Canada
  • USA
  • China
  • England
  • Japan
  • Australia

Please note that return shipping and brokerage fees are your responsibility. Upon receipt of your loudspeakers, in their original condition, we will credit the cost of the speakers back to your credit card. For approximate return shipping costs in the USA, click here.  

What if my speakers arrive damaged?

Upon delivery of speakers inspect for shipping damage, report the damage to the courier then call our toll free number with the damage report.

Do you offer financing?

Axiom is pleased to offer financing via Ebay and the PayPal Buyer Credit program.

Step 1. Create a PayPal account, or log in to your existing PayPal account.

Step 2. Apply for PayPal Buyer Credit (not the PayPal Credit Card, but the Credit Line financed with G.E.).

Step 3. Call our toll-free number at 1-888-352-9466 and give us the details of the system you would like to finance.

Step 4. We will post it in our Ebay store under your name, and send you a link.

Step 5. Click to buy the system through Ebay, and select PayPal as your payment method.

Step 6. Log into PayPal to pay us, where you will select PayPal Buyer Credit as your payment method.

 

Do you have a LayAway Plan?

Lay Away Plans are perfect for those that want to spread their payments out over a 2-12 month period. Lay Away is an advantage if you like to plan ahead and then budget your payments without the interest charges of credit cards. To use the Lay Away Plan, your Order must total $300.00 or more.

Terms

1. Payments may be made over a 2 to 12 month period. Lay Away payments are limited to pre authorized credit cards and the payments will be taken out automatically on the schedule that is agreed on.

2. A minimum 10% down is due at time of Order Confirmation

3. If you cancel your Order once you have begun making payments, you will receive an Axiom store credit for the money paid.

4. To use the Lay Away Plan, ask the phone support staff at 1-888-352-9466 about Lay Away as your Payment Option at the time of your Order. You will be contacted by e-mail to finalize the method of payment and the number of months you wish to spread your payments over. In the additional information box, specify the number of months you want the payment spread over.

5. Your Order is shipped upon completion of the Payment Plan.

Where do I send my Axiom loudspeakers for service?

Any Axiom Loudspeaker that cannot be fixed by replacing the fuse, or by simply mailing in the woofer or tweeter, should be sent to:

Axiom Audio Canada
ATT: Debbie Swinton
Highway 60
Dwight, ON Canada
P0A 1H0

Before sending in speakers for service, please note the following:

  • If there is trouble with one speaker, such as noise, cutting in and out, etc, check the speaker wire and the amplifier. To do so, try switching the left and right speakers. If the trouble persists, try switching just the wires on the speakers. If that solves the problem, you just need to buy new wire.
  • If you know that a tweeter or a woofer is the problem, just remove that part and send it in. This will greatly lessen the possibility of cabinet damage caused by handling if you mail the whole cabinet in. We will be happy to give you instructions on how to do so.
  • Please do not send your speaker packed in clothes or rags. These are not an effective insulation material, and we will definitely not wash your clothes for you! Get some bubble wrap or ask your courier to help you package the speaker.
  • In less than 1% of the cases, the crossover is the culprit. Therefore, it is likely that your woofer or tweeter needs repair if you are having trouble. If you aren't sure which, give us a call, or send us both. We'll send the good item back to you along with the repaired or replaced item.
  • Crackling, no sound, buzzing, or cutting in and out at high frequency usually means the tweeter is the culprit.

    In all cases, if you are not sure what needs to be replaced, call Axiom toll free at 1-866-AXIOM-88 (1-888-352-9466). We're happy to help!

 

Where can I sign up for the newsletter?

Newsletter sign-up is in the footer of our website. The newsletter is issued monthly, around the 20th day of the month.

 

Technical Questions on...

What is the impedance of my loudspeaker?

The impedance is listed on the back of your Axiom loudspeaker. Answers, in ohms, are as follows:

  • M2 - 8 ohms
  • M3 - 8 ohms
  • M22 - 8 ohms
  • M50 - 8 ohms
  • M60 - 8 ohms
  • M80 - 4 ohms
  • VP100 - 8 ohms
  • VP150 - 6 ohms
  • QS4 - 8 ohms
  • QS8 - 6 ohms

How do I adjust the volume on my subwoofer?

The volume control allows you to balance the output of your amplified subwoofer to the rest of your system. Once you have positioned your subwoofer in your room, use the volume control to set the level of bass desired in relation to the rest of the system. Once the volume is set, it should not be necessary to adjust it again. If it is necessary to turn the volume on your subwoofer above HALF to achieve the desired amount of bass, the amplified subwoofer system could be too small for your system. We would strongly recommend the use of the a bigger subwoofer in this case. 

What is the correct wattage for my amplifiers?

Amplifier wattage is a factor of room size, listening preference, and speaker efficiency. As a basic rule, as speakers get larger they also get more efficient. This being said, the efficiency of all Axiom loudspeakers is designed to be as high as possible while not in any way compromising performance. The formula below will give you a good general rule for power selection. Starting with 30 watts as the base size, add 10 watts for every 100 square feet of room. Add up to 30 percent to this for small or inefficient loudspeakers. Double this number if you like action films or high dynamic music. 

What is the crossover frequency?

The crossover frequency control allows you to adjust the internal electronic crossover from 40 Hz to 150 Hz. 

What is the Audio/Video EQ switch?

When placed in the video position, your amplified subwoofer system will automatically boost output in the very low frequency range. Experiment with this setting to achieve the most desirable effect for you. 

Fuse?

Should your amplified subwoofer system fail to operate, remove the fuse and check prior to calling for service. If blown, replace with a fuse of the same amperage rating. If you would like us to send you a fuse, contact Debbie Swinton in our service department. 

What is 'Phase'?

Your amplified subwoofer system comes from the factory wired in phase with the PHASE switch in the 0 degree position. Depending on your room, and the placement of your amplified system vis a vis your main speakers, there is a possibility that you will have more bass if you switch the PHASE switch to the 180 degree position. We suggest that once you have set up your system, you experiment with this setting.  

What is 'Line Level In'?

This is the low-level input for use with your designated subwoofer output on your surround sound receiver or from a pre-amplifier output. WARNING!! Do not hook up both the Hi-Level In and the Line- Level In inputs at the same time. 

What does the Hi-Level Input do?

This is the high level input for use with speaker wire outputs from your amplifier. WARNING: Do not hook up both the hi-level In and the Line-Level In inputs at the same time.

What does the Hi-Level Output do?

This is the output to hook up satellite speakers from your amplified subwoofer system. In order for the Hi-Level Out to operate, you must use the Hi-Level In input to drive your amplified subwoofer system.

What is the Vortex Port?

The Vortex port is all about the elimination of port noise. The airflow through a port, particularly near the sidewalls, will create little eddy currents upon exiting the port. These eddy currents become audible puffing noises, which are undesirable. The Vortex port design increases the surface area of the sidewalls of the port and thusly reduces the strength of the eddy currents. This coupled with a curved entrance and exit from the Vortex port eliminates the port created noise.

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