Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Out with the new and in with the newer

This is my last post in this thread until Axiom has made improvements to the active LFRs and then that might trigger more changes.

--- History ---

I started the upgrade to v4 in 2017, 10 years after buying v2. I kicked it off with the 800 replacing my 600, then the 160 replacing my 150. Both were a revelation and I decided to give the M5s a try and they proved to be vastly superior to my M80v2. Two QS10s were next and they totally trumped the QS8v2 in my 4200 cu. ft. space. In the process, I also tried M3, M50, M100 and M2 bookshelves and on-walls. Not sure how the heck that happened...it was all a blur. What I discovered however is all these v4 speakers came from the same secret sauce rendering the same soundstage and imaging. The "only" differences between them were the spatial resolution and clarity (accuracy), frequency extension and dynamic range and SPL.

Ian tried over this period to move me to LFRs and I resisted because I heard the passive LFRs and didn't hear any difference over M100s. Then the actives came out and I saw, from what Axiom published, they were clearly different. So I went with them and two 500s to boot.

--- Living room ---

I've tried all of the above speakers in almost all rooms in my house except for the on-walls. In my 4200 cu.ft. room, they all work very well. In my 1900 cu.ft. living room, the M2OW are the stand-out winner with the M2 bookshelves a close second. All the other passives sound too boomy in every room. The actives sound immaculate throughout the entire spectrum (no sub needed) but they get in the way of themselves and affect the width of the soundstage. The M2OW offer a deep and wide soundstage and are clear without being fatiguing. Anyone considering M3s, think twice. The M2s are one of Axiom's closely-guarded secrets.

--- Main room ---

In the 4200 cu.ft. space, for music only, I could actually be very happy with M2 bookshelves and my subs. Using M5s or M100s makes absolutely no significant difference and that includes movies also. I've also discovered my coveted 160 isn't needed and off-axis listeners actually preferred a bit of a shift in the center image because they say it sounds more natural. At MLP, I like movies and music (even in PLII or Neo) without the 160. I never expected that to be the case but I am glad I kept my mind open and tried it.

Until I got the actives, I didn't think the fronts matter for movies. I've discovered this is where the actives matter the most for me. Their center image is more diffuse and more natural-sounding and the accuracy and dynamics add a new dimension to movies. The dual subs fed off the DSPs instead of the .1 channel make a big difference for both music and movies and complement the 800 very well. The 800 is now relegated to the LFE and handling below 40Hz for the QS10s.

So I've moved from a v2 7.2 system to a v4 4.1 active system. I've gotten rid of my ugly cabinet up front and arranged my equipment on and underneath a 6 foot wide, 2" high, 20" deep rough pine shelf. It sits on industrial-looking, steel legs. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

As a final note, the actives truly are incredible and prove to me that everything Toole et al researched is indeed accurate. In every room I tried the actives in, I had no need for EQ of any kind. I never thought I wouldn't need EQ in my main space. There is absolutely no difference in 2.1 with or without Audyssey XT32. 4.1 is a bit of a different story but it's not like one couldn't live without it.

Hello Tex

Those LFR1100 Actives are pretty spectacular.
I hope you don't wait until Ian and Andrew improve the LFR1100As to keep going with this thread.

I followed your advice and ordered a gaggle of M2OWs. I can't wait to get them into my system.

Best regards
Stay safe and healthy

Mojo, great read as always. That's good news on not feeling the need for the center. It makes me feel better about my choice. I can't imagine I'll ever have the money or the space, but I would still like to experience a matching center behind an acoustically transparent screen. I've only ever had horizontal centers or an M22 between M80s. It would be interesting to hear LCR Actives, and if you're going that extreme, may as well have Actives as surrounds too. Ian, you should set up a room that way just to say it's been done, see just how far you can push the movie audio experience.

Think Craig is doing an quad setup (remember the 70's) with Active LFR in front and Passive LFR in the rear ... not sure if he reported on that setup yet but we may all be going there at some point

Charles, I tried a matching M5 center when I had the M5s set up in my main space. I didn't like it. Maybe if it was behind a screen it would have been better.

Philip, as I reported in other posts, I had to cut the bass on my M2OW. I use dual subs to take over at 80Hz. This is most definitely a room interaction. You may have to do the same thing. The M2 bookshelves, which I had 2.5 feet out into the living room, needed no such adjustment and didn't need subs. They did get in the way though. Now the living room looks real clean. A real pleasure to sit in that room and work or space out. It took me 6 long years to make it mine!

Do you have an AVR capable of Dolby Surround processing?

My Onkyo tx-nr818 can't do that. What would that give me? Is it like the quadraphonic on my uncle's Realistic receiver ?

Lol. Knew you’d be around quick. The Dolby Surround Upmixer is really impressive compared to other stereo spatializers of the past.

I really think your next step is a new AVR with Dirac on board. Next level Sir.

Cant wait for the content to pour our way. Go on. Get going....

Visions had A T758 they were giving away for 1000$ last time I was there in the 32 NE location... The amps in it suck though.

I don't know why I'd need Dirac now that I don't even need XT32 with the actives. Certainly if I was thinking of going Atmos that would make sense. Admittedly I don't know enough about Dirac so teach me . I am so happy with what I have right now I have absolutely no desire to change. Of course if my Onk dies then I'll have to think about things.

If you are happy stay put!!!

Take it from me, perfection stays an inch out of reach no matter how many times you reach for it.

From a guy that literally has explored every practical avenue and learned more than is reasonable, and normal for a hobby:

“i’d trade it all for a little more” - C. Montgomery Burns

There is no stay put for us .

What’s next after Jedi?