Couldn't agree with you more, Sushi. Any fool can put together a terrific system by throwing enormous sums of money into each component choice. As far as I'm concerned, the art of the hobby is finding inexpensive components which are almost as good as the incredibly expensive stuff.
Axioms fit right into this program! So, by the way does finding great used equipment.
For example, after posting with a visitor on our site here, a week or so ago, I decided to go out and find a big Onk - an Onkyo M504 2 channel amp. Found one for a very, very reasonable price. Tried it out in my big system which used an Anthem PVA 5 channel amp for the front 5, and a vintage Kenwood KA 9100 for the back 2. Well, my Onkyo 797 is having some kind of problem with one of the 2 back surround preamp outputs (I thought it was the Kenwood).
Hooked the Onkyo M504 to the front 2 channels, use the PVA 5 for the rest (single preout from the 797 into the Outlaw ICBM, a splitter out into the Anthem. Anyway, the M60 like Michaura M665s sound much better driven by the M504 than by the PVA5. Lastly, with 2 giant power output meters up front, and gorgeous polished walnut side panels, the big Onk is just drop-dead gorgeous.
So, to get back to it, trust your ears and go easy on your wallet.
