Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Decision: M2 vs M3

I'm upgrading my fronts for better music performance. I was all set to order the M3s (space prohibits M22s) until I read Doug Schneider's (SoundStage) M2 review (favoring the M2's characteristics to the M3's). I need help from those of you who have listened to them for a recommendation.

One of the Axiom salespersons told me that the M3 was very similar in sound to the Paradigm Studio 20. Upon auditioning the 20s, the highs were adequate but the mids were less detailed. Diana Krall's piano ("I Remember You") seemed recessed or subdued.

The store salesman swtiched from the 20s to the LINN KATAN ($1000), which is between the M2 & M3 in size & with the same asymmetrical cabinet design. The vocals were slightly forward, great imaging, very open, wide soundstage, bass was meager but tight and accurate, detail was exceptional (I could hear Krall open her mouth before singing). Since I'm not spending $1000 for bookshelves, I want to order the Axioms that best approximate these same qualities.

My fear about the M2s is that, as a small speaker, they might sound too constrained (I have no way of knowing). Although, the KATANs were eye opening about what a speaker this size can do. I don't want to order both and return one.

If I keep the Axioms, I would also add the VP150 center (to match the fronts) and an HSU VTF-2 sub.

Other parameters:
20X20 room, speakers are 14' from listener,
50/50 HT & music, HK AVR 525 (w/Bass Mgt.)
Music - Jazz, New Age, Pop, Classical
Volume - moderate or background levels,
Bass preference - accurate, not pronounced

I'm sorry that this is long. Thank you for your help.

Probably want to do a search through these forums as this topic is covered. For me personally I used the reviews that summarized as this:

The M3 vs. M2 boils down to if you don't have a good sub get the M3 as it has better extension. The M2 was said to have better highs.

I got the STF3 (great sub) and am mostly home theater use so I wanted to get speakers that used the same 5.25 driver all the way around (VP150 uses the same driver as the M2 as does the QS8). Plus I had a WAF that required smaller cabinets.

That was my logic. I'm happy with the setup.

In reply to:

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20X20 room, speakers are 14' from listener

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That's going to be a problem. That's a mighty big room to try and fill with any bookshelf speaker. If you keep the volume at moderate levels you may be OK, but if you try to fill that room with loud levels, the speakers are going to strain. Any small speaker would.

Having said that, with the description of what you heard, and liked, I'd go with the M2i. It'll give you the clarity you desire. The VTF-2 will fill in the low end, and blend seemlessly.

Thanks.

Most of the forum info on this topic seems to indicate M3s are 'fuller' and M2s are more 'accurate'. In order to get a better idea, I wanted to get more detail about their differences. I guess that's why I gave so much detail, so that Axiom owners/personnel could best match my preferences with what they could hear from these speakers.

Hi turnron,

Whichever Axiom salesperson told you the M3ti was similar in sound to the Paradigm Studio 20 (not I) got the wrong Axiom model. It is NOT the M3ti. It's the M22ti that is virtually indistinguishable. I have both the Axiom M22ti's and the Studio 20s. On instantaneous comparisons, I have to look at the switcher to be certain which one is which. I prefer the M22 to the Studio 20s because it has slightly clearer and more detailed mids and highs and a more 3-dimensional soundstage. The Studio 20 also has, like many Paradigms, a slight hump in the 100 to 200 Hz region, which gives male vocals a slightly "full" character that becomes a bit annoying.

As to Spiff's recommendation, given your room size, I'd opt for the M22s. The M2i's are excellent value and very neutral (by comparison, the M3s seem rather laid-back) but the M22ti's have the edge, especially in smoother, more extended bass and cleaner dynamics at higher SPLs.

I'm suspicious of the Linn, although I haven't heard it. Linn's expertise was in turntables and (overpriced) electronics, not speaker design, and Linn speakers I've heard over the years have been colored, expensive, and not neutral. Maybe this one you heard is different, however.

Regards,

Alan...I too would opt for the M22's in a room that size. Actually in a room that size, I'd get my M60's again, or even M80's! But he stated that due to size constraints he has to choose between the M2i and M3ti.

Thanks, Alan.

Unfortunately, the M22s won't work since these speakers will sit atop 35" high built-in shelves that are on either side of our television. The good news is that, in reply to spiffnme, my current speakers are smaller than the M2s but seem to fill the listening area well (given the volume levels at which we listen).

As for the LINNs, I've noticed that their other speakers get lukewarm reviews; however, the KATANs (although not dynamic in sound) seem to be getting more respect. I preferred them to B&W DM600 S3, Sonus Faber Concertinos, Boston Acoustics VRM-50s, and the aforementioned Paradigms. The only speaker coming close was the Dynaudio Audience 40, but it was pretty forward.

Pretty much everything I've heard sounded better than the B&W 600's.

TR, the M2s should work well with the sub, but since you say that the speakers will sit "atop" the shelves, bear in mind that the M22s can be used upside-down.

That's an interesting idea, but the shelf on which they will sit extends from built in bookshelves (hard to explain). Hence, the M22s would create an aesthetic problem in an upright position. Placing them on stands in front of the built ins is also impractical.

I have considered using the M22s on their side, but I assume that their sound quality would suffer in that position. Given my application, I'm not sure that I would be able to position them adequately even in that orientation.

Does your reply about the M2 signify that you believe that I would prefer it's sound characteristics to the M3's?