B&W 683 vs Axiom M60 For HT use

ogs rex · 06-19-09, 06:12 PM

Hello There,

I am starting to shop around for my home theater set up and I have picked these two speakers as a starting point...

I figured by picking the main speaker first I will than be able to pick the rest of the system based off the choice...

I am just curious to which would you choose?

I understand that the 683 is a more expensive but I dont mind the pricing difference as long as its a superior product.

For the board member who had experience with either can you share your thoghts on this?

I am planning for a 7.1 Home theater set up...

I havent been following on home audio in quite sometime and I am a bit rusty...

So any help is appreciated...

Thanks in advanced

Jeff

Knucklehead90 · 06-19-09, 09:42 PM

I wouldn't choose either of those. But thats just me.

I would make sure the matching center channel speaker is available for whatever you are looking at to ensure you have a decent timbre match across the front. The surrounds are much less important in that regard.

Either speaker choice will do well in an HT environment.

Emig5m · 06-19-09, 11:05 PM

I have the 683's. They rock whether it's music or movies. They're also very versatile - they sound great with everything from rap and R&B to heavy metal. Very detailed. Can throw fine details across the room like you would normally only hear from headphones. This can be a downside with poor recordings as they will show every flaw just like a HDTV will show every flaw from say, compressed or poorly encoded video.

If you wanna play at higher volume and not crossing over to a sub, a separate poweramp is highly recommended (I kept throwing a Yamaha RX-663 into protection mode). I went with a Emotiva XPA-5 power amp for my B&W 600 series system. The little bookshelfs will also blow you away - they sound just like full size tower speakers! They can handle some power too! They take 275 watts per channel in stereo mode like nothing... Some say that you get a lot of tech for the money trickled down from the higher end models with the 683 (FST mids as one example). Some say that they're even more punchier than the flagship 800 series equivalent (804s).

I have no experience with the other speaker so I can't comment on that. I in-home demoed my B&W's just for fun and even told the salesman I just wanted to try them for fun and I would be bringing them back (they have a 7 day in home demo policy) and not only was I blown away with the 684, I wound up stepping up to the 683 and getting the matching center and rears. I wasn't even prepared to spend any money on a set of mains let alone an entire surround system - that's how much I liked them!

In home demo is really the only way to know for sure... as that's where it counts.

grunt11 · 06-19-09, 11:38 PM

If money is not an issue I would choose the B&W 683s. I A/B compared the B&W 703s and Axiom M80s and felt that the B&Ws had an all around better sound however not better enough for me to justify the difference in price so I went with the Axioms.

OTHO, both my friend who owns the B&W 700 system and I preferred the Axiom QS8 surrounds to the B&W DS7s. In his room it was no contest here as the QS8s in 5.1 produced a better surround effect than the DS7s in 7.1.

Unless you really need or just want towers I would consider getting identical bookshelf speakers for mains and center. I think you can get better HT sound by getting even better bookshelf speakers than you could towers and crossing them over to a good subwoofer which you’re going to want for HT anyway.

Additionally having a center identical to your mains is IMO the best way to go if you are sensitive to hearing any sonic differences between speakers. For the same reason you don’t see people using mismatched left and right mains an identical center is best if you can swing it.

Also, if you like the detailed sound of B&W and Axiom you might also consider Focal. That’s the brand of bookshelf speaker I would have gotten if I didn’t prefer towers for 2 channel music.

You will get all sorts of opinions as to what’s best so as was said above the only way to really know is to listen in your own room.

Knucklehead90 · 06-20-09, 12:00 AM

Three of these just might help you forget those other speakers. A few owners have reported that they compare very well to Salk Song Towers.

Nels07 · 06-20-09, 12:49 AM

when i auditioned the 683s i listened to them on 2 different amps and they sounded great on the high output amp but when on an SC-07 receiver was very disappointed thought the eD 6T6 towers performed better in a worse listening environment with a 90 watt yamaha receiver but just my opinion

Big L · 06-20-09, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grunt11

I would consider getting identical bookshelf speakers for mains and center.

You will get all sorts of opinions as to what’s best so as was said above the only way to really know is to listen in your own room.

Two very good pieces of advice.

I've owned both brands. I had Axiom M40s and a VP100 up front and M3s as surrounds. My current set-up is B&W CDM 9NTs and CNT up front with no surrounds (though I do have the matching SNTs, just not hooked up).
I was VERY happy with the Axioms and would probably still have them except that I made the mistake of listening to the B&Ws...

However.... The problem I have with both systems is that, IMHO, the centers weren't/aren't able to keep up with the mains.
If I had to do it all over again, I would either get 3 identical speakers across the front OR a beefier center. In my case, instead of the CNT I should've gone with something like an HTM1.
The center is the heart of your system. Make sure and get a good one.

McStyvie · 06-20-09, 04:23 PM

I have had the 683's up front for a week and couldn't be happier. I am using a 685 as center and it does a fine job at it, even though I had to jury rig it a bit to get it in the middle hehe. I tested both the HTM61 and the HTM62 vs the 685 at home, and the 685 in my opinion won hands down.

The 683's rock for both music (and I haven't found a well made album from ANY genre of music that did NOT sound good on them) and for home cinema. It really is better than being at the movies for me (I have the theater set).

I am only driving them with a Denon 2309 and they sound super. They don't sound underpowered, or weak at all, though they can definitely take a lot more wattage.

From me a big thumbs up and a warm recommendation on the 683's and especially the 685's.

McStyvie

Edit--- 3x 685's up front and 2-4 in back as surrounds with a good sub would be stunningly good I think.

ogs rex · 06-20-09, 08:48 PM

Thank you all for the great feedback...

I really appreciate such thoughtful responses...

Reading through the responses I have a few question:

1) With the price range of the speakers I have listed in mind if you have another choice any recommendation? I am a bit rusty with home audio and I havent been following product so there are a lot of product which I may not know. Any recommendation is apprecaited...

2) From reading the posts above it seems like the HTM61 has a problem keeping up with the 683? For 7.1 Usage would 685 w/ subwoofer be a better mix?

3) I saw some suggest pairing different brand of speakers... My remember when I messed with HT long ago that the speakers should be voice matched is that no longer the case? If so I can mix and match diff speakers and that would sound ok?

I am going to take a listen to the B&W soon and I am just wondering for powering the speakers like 683...

Any recommendation on power? I would hope to be able to stay with receiver than a seperate amplifier... Any Recommendation?

Again thanks for all the assistance and I hope to be putting my theater togather soon....

Jeff

Big L · 06-21-09, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogs rex

With the price range of the speakers I have listed in mind if you have another choice any recommendation?

One company that springs to mind, especially if you're considering B&W, is KEF.
Something like their Q series might do the trick.

Quote:

I am going to take a listen to the B&W soon and I am just wondering for powering the speakers like 683...

Any recommendation on power? I would hope to be able to stay with receiver than a seperate amplifier... Any Recommendation?

The 683s (like most other B&Ws) are on the sensitive side: 90dB spl (2.83V, 1m). So any 'decent' receiver like an Onkyo/Marantz/Denon/Pioneer should drive them, no problem.

McStyvie · 06-21-09, 02:46 AM

Quote:

1) With the price range of the speakers I have listed in mind if you have another choice any recommendation? I am a bit rusty with home audio and I havent been following product so there are a lot of product which I may not know. Any recommendation is apprecaited...

I listened to Kef, Wharfedale, Mordaunt Short, Focal, Dynaudio, Piega, and all price ranges from Canton, Heco, + Jamo, to name a few before decidinig on B&W. I knew right away they were right for me. It is important to listen to a large variety of speakers before you decide on a brand. Some swear by B&W (me now for example) others won't touch 'em, it is all a matter of preference.

Quote:

2) From reading the posts above it seems like the HTM61 has a problem keeping up with the 683? For 7.1 Usage would 685 w/ subwoofer be a better mix?

If you mean 7x 685 and a good sub, yes it would freaking rock. The reason being that they are all exactly matched, and the 685 is a great speaker anyway. For music, it would not be as stellar as the 683's but the 685 still would not disappoint.

Quote:

3) I saw some suggest pairing different brand of speakers... My remember when I messed with HT long ago that the speakers should be voice matched is that no longer the case? If so I can mix and match diff speakers and that would sound ok?

Generally a bad idea. The reason most Home Theater in a Box sound systems work is because all five or seven channels are a perfect match. You get a seamless transfer of sound between channels. The quality of sound however cannot compare to a separately purchased set.
The 7x 685 + Sub would be excellent for the same reason, and would be a HI-FI HTIB so to speak hehe.

Quote:

Any recommendation on power? I would hope to be able to stay with receiver than a seperate amplifier... Any Recommendation?

When you go to your dealer to listen to the speakers, try to see if he can hook them up to a receiver you are interested in. Chances are though, your B&W dealer will have them hooked up to a Rotel, Cassé, high-end NAD, etc.

But you have to remember, number of watts is essentially unimportant. this from the net:

It takes 2 times the power from an amp to change the volume 3dB. In other words if an amp is producing 1 watt of power it needs to increase to 2 watts of power to make a 3dB change. This is a ratio of 2:1. By the same token if the amp is producing 50 watts of power it will need to increase to 100 watts to produce a 3dB change. 100 watts would take 200 watts for that same change.

So, to answer your question, what you should look for is a receiver with quality sound reproduction and not concentrate on power. The Denon 2309 is "rated" at 100W/Channel and it is strong enough to pump the speakers enough to annoy the neighbors.

Any of the recommendations from BigL would do the job, I recommend you try to listen to them all.

What I did, considering the B&W have a ten year warranty here in the EU, is I bought a receiver with pre-outs so that I can upgrade in a few years by buying just an external amplifier instead of having to buy a whole new receiver. Now, in the USA pre-outs start at the 2809+ for Denon, if I am not mistaken, but here in the EU at 2309+ . But honestly, you can run them just fine without an external amp, but having the option to add one in the future may also be a good idea.

McStyvie

ogs rex · 06-21-09, 09:12 PM

Mcstyvie and all thanks for the detailed info again...

A few last questions:

1) Speaker placement: In my new home I had 7.1 prewired... Unfortunately it is in set locations and all ceiling mounted spots in the living room area... The Mains of course will be on stands if I go with 685's and if 683 they will be on the ground of course. However the side surround and rear surround do they have to be ear level for best positioning? Or can the surround and side surrounds be ceiling mounted?

2) Subwoofer: If I do indeed go with B&W should I go with their subwoofer as well or can I match it up with other brands? I have been looking at a Velodyne DLS5000R... Since I heard it in person by chance and it was just rocking that room... Again any recommendations please feel free to fire away...

After reading everything I have decided tentatively until I listen to more things...

Main: B&W 683 (As much as I want a nice HT I do love music as well so I believe these will be better for both aps)
Center: B&W 685 (Think this will work out beautifully)
Surround: B&W 685 (But not quite sure if the DS3 is good) Or is it better to stick with 685...
Sub: Verdict is still out...

Again thanks for all the feedback...

McStyvie · 06-22-09, 03:02 PM

1. My surrounds are at ear hight, and not exactly to the side as they should be because of place but more behind us. Sounds great still.

2. If you live in the USA I probably wouldn't go with the B&W sub. The ASW610 sub is excellent, but you can get more for your buck in the USA with PSB, Hsu, maybe Velodyne, the others here can tell you more suggestions because I don't live there anymore.

I went with the B&W sub because here in the EU, we don't get the same brands as you guys do over there. It cost me around 400€ and for that price here, we don't get anything nearly as good IMO. So I got it, and am happy as hell with it, the neighbors not so

I would stick with the 685's for surrounds. Although it is almost a shame to "waste" such a good speaker on surrounds. Also, I am still surprised after 9 days how much I like the 685 as a center. Let us know what you decide to get and how you like it!

Good luck!

Browninggold · 06-22-09, 03:09 PM

Whatever speaker brand you are getting, make sure all 3 fronts match. Towers or bookshelfs forget the horizontal center channel. Unless that is the only thing that will fit in you center space. I went with all 3 Towers for a "seamless" front stage. I had a timbre matched horizontal center but the 3 perfectly matched speakers sound a whole lot better.

Browninggold · 06-22-09, 03:11 PM

Of course with all that being said you should check these out

http://www.aperionaudio.com/home.aspx

Fanaticalism · 06-22-09, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knucklehead90

Three of these just might help you forget those other speakers. A few owners have reported that they compare very well to Salk Song Towers.

What speakers do you own?

As far as comparing to the Salks? I think that is a bit of a stretch. There are some forum members who have demoed many speakers, including many of the ID speaker brands, and for the money, they are a great buy, but to say they keep up with other brands that have made a name for themselves, is wishful thinking.

mdaudioguy · 06-22-09, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Browninggold

Whatever speaker brand you are getting, make sure all 3 fronts match. Towers or bookshelfs forget the horizontal center channel. Unless that is the only thing that will fit in you center space. I went with all 3 Towers for a "seamless" front stage. I had a timbre matched horizontal center but the 3 perfectly matched speakers sound a whole lot better.

+1. I have three matching Polk towers (RTi10) across the front. I know they're not quite as refined as the other speakers mentioned above, but the effect of having all three match is quite impressive. Of course, you have to have the space available to do this, but a "seamless" wall of sound is a spot-on description. When we watch movies, it's as if I don't actually have 3 three separate speakers... the up-front sound seems to emanate from precisely where it should in relation to the on-screen action.

McStyvie · 06-23-09, 12:36 AM

Center channel speakers are a compromise on quality of sound for space. Of course, if I had a dedicated home cinema room, I would have 3x 683's up front. But I don't, and I don't.
Thus, the 685 for me is a compromise, but does a fine job anyway! If I didn't listen to so much music I would have gone for 3x 685 up front for th super cinema effect. But alas...

Knucklehead90 · 06-23-09, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fanaticalism

What speakers do you own?

As far as comparing to the Salks? I think that is a bit of a stretch. There are some forum members who have demoed many speakers, including many of the ID speaker brands, and for the money, they are a great buy, but to say they keep up with other brands that have made a name for themselves, is wishful thinking.

There are a few on the Emotiva Lounge that made that comparison. I only passed on the info I've heard about other people's comparisons. As on this forum, I take people at their word unless I have reason to believe otherwise. With one person that made that comparison I have reason to believe they know what they are saying.
As for speakers, I own Emotiva 8.3s with the ERD surrounds, and an AV123 RSC200 center - driven by an Onkyo SC885 and an Emotiva UPA-7 amp.

jakewash · 06-26-09, 01:25 PM

To the OP, have you had a chance to hear some Axiom's? If not check their website and forum for possible auditions in your area from owners, you get a chance to hear them in a home environment, granted not yours but this way you can still get an idea of what they offer for the money spent, before spending anything to get them into your house. Once you listen and if you like them enough you can order a set and if they do not sound good in your home simply ship them back, start with just the mains and then move on from there.

I do own Axioms and my personal favorite non ID line is from Focal, profile line up, as well as Paradigms signature series, but I can't afford those so I am sticking with my Axioms for now.

06-19-09, 06:12 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
ogs rex Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 17	B&W 683 vs Axiom M60 For HT use Hello There, I am starting to shop around for my home theater set up and I have picked these two speakers as a starting point... I figured by picking the main speaker first I will than be able to pick the rest of the system based off the choice... I am just curious to which would you choose? I understand that the 683 is a more expensive but I dont mind the pricing difference as long as its a superior product. For the board member who had experience with either can you share your thoghts on this? I am planning for a 7.1 Home theater set up... I havent been following on home audio in quite sometime and I am a bit rusty... So any help is appreciated... Thanks in advanced Jeff

06-19-09, 09:42 PM	#2 \| Link
Knucklehead90 Tired & Retired AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: State of Confusion - 98823 Posts: 3,845 Classified Rating: 100% (2)	I wouldn't choose either of those. But thats just me. I would make sure the matching center channel speaker is available for whatever you are looking at to ensure you have a decent timbre match across the front. The surrounds are much less important in that regard. Either speaker choice will do well in an HT environment. __________________ When the people fear their government there is tyranny - when the government fears the people there is liberty. -Thomas Jefferson

06-19-09, 11:38 PM	#4 \| Link
grunt11 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 265	If money is not an issue I would choose the B&W 683s. I A/B compared the B&W 703s and Axiom M80s and felt that the B&Ws had an all around better sound however not better enough for me to justify the difference in price so I went with the Axioms. OTHO, both my friend who owns the B&W 700 system and I preferred the Axiom QS8 surrounds to the B&W DS7s. In his room it was no contest here as the QS8s in 5.1 produced a better surround effect than the DS7s in 7.1. Unless you really need or just want towers I would consider getting identical bookshelf speakers for mains and center. I think you can get better HT sound by getting even better bookshelf speakers than you could towers and crossing them over to a good subwoofer which you’re going to want for HT anyway. Additionally having a center identical to your mains is IMO the best way to go if you are sensitive to hearing any sonic differences between speakers. For the same reason you don’t see people using mismatched left and right mains an identical center is best if you can swing it. Also, if you like the detailed sound of B&W and Axiom you might also consider Focal. That’s the brand of bookshelf speaker I would have gotten if I didn’t prefer towers for 2 channel music. You will get all sorts of opinions as to what’s best so as was said above the only way to really know is to listen in your own room. __________________ "Tact is just not saying true stuff" Cordelia Chase. Last edited by grunt11; 06-19-09 at 11:48 PM.. Reason: dyslexia

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Knucklehead90 Tired & Retired AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: State of Confusion - 98823 Posts: 3,845 Classified Rating: 100% (2)	Three of these just might help you forget those other speakers. A few owners have reported that they compare very well to Salk Song Towers. __________________ When the people fear their government there is tyranny - when the government fears the people there is liberty. -Thomas Jefferson

06-22-09, 03:09 PM	#14 \| Link
Browninggold Advanced Member AVS GOLD CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SW Michigan Posts: 889	Whatever speaker brand you are getting, make sure all 3 fronts match. Towers or bookshelfs forget the horizontal center channel. Unless that is the only thing that will fit in you center space. I went with all 3 Towers for a "seamless" front stage. I had a timbre matched horizontal center but the 3 perfectly matched speakers sound a whole lot better. __________________ Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.

06-19-09, 11:05 PM	#3 \| Link
Emig5m Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 437	I have the 683's. They rock whether it's music or movies. They're also very versatile - they sound great with everything from rap and R&B to heavy metal. Very detailed. Can throw fine details across the room like you would normally only hear from headphones. This can be a downside with poor recordings as they will show every flaw just like a HDTV will show every flaw from say, compressed or poorly encoded video. If you wanna play at higher volume and not crossing over to a sub, a separate poweramp is highly recommended (I kept throwing a Yamaha RX-663 into protection mode). I went with a Emotiva XPA-5 power amp for my B&W 600 series system. The little bookshelfs will also blow you away - they sound just like full size tower speakers! They can handle some power too! They take 275 watts per channel in stereo mode like nothing... Some say that you get a lot of tech for the money trickled down from the higher end models with the 683 (FST mids as one example). Some say that they're even more punchier than the flagship 800 series equivalent (804s). I have no experience with the other speaker so I can't comment on that. I in-home demoed my B&W's just for fun and even told the salesman I just wanted to try them for fun and I would be bringing them back (they have a 7 day in home demo policy) and not only was I blown away with the 684, I wound up stepping up to the 683 and getting the matching center and rears. I wasn't even prepared to spend any money on a set of mains let alone an entire surround system - that's how much I liked them! In home demo is really the only way to know for sure... as that's where it counts.

06-20-09, 12:49 AM	#6 \| Link
Nels07 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ames, Ia Posts: 332	when i auditioned the 683s i listened to them on 2 different amps and they sounded great on the high output amp but when on an SC-07 receiver was very disappointed thought the eD 6T6 towers performed better in a worse listening environment with a 90 watt yamaha receiver but just my opinion

06-20-09, 04:23 PM	#8 \| Link
McStyvie Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 94	I have had the 683's up front for a week and couldn't be happier. I am using a 685 as center and it does a fine job at it, even though I had to jury rig it a bit to get it in the middle hehe. I tested both the HTM61 and the HTM62 vs the 685 at home, and the 685 in my opinion won hands down. The 683's rock for both music (and I haven't found a well made album from ANY genre of music that did NOT sound good on them) and for home cinema. It really is better than being at the movies for me (I have the theater set). I am only driving them with a Denon 2309 and they sound super. They don't sound underpowered, or weak at all, though they can definitely take a lot more wattage. From me a big thumbs up and a warm recommendation on the 683's and especially the 685's. McStyvie Edit--- 3x 685's up front and 2-4 in back as surrounds with a good sub would be stunningly good I think.

06-20-09, 08:48 PM	#9 \| Link
ogs rex Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 17	Thank you all for the great feedback... I really appreciate such thoughtful responses... Reading through the responses I have a few question: 1) With the price range of the speakers I have listed in mind if you have another choice any recommendation? I am a bit rusty with home audio and I havent been following product so there are a lot of product which I may not know. Any recommendation is apprecaited... 2) From reading the posts above it seems like the HTM61 has a problem keeping up with the 683? For 7.1 Usage would 685 w/ subwoofer be a better mix? 3) I saw some suggest pairing different brand of speakers... My remember when I messed with HT long ago that the speakers should be voice matched is that no longer the case? If so I can mix and match diff speakers and that would sound ok? I am going to take a listen to the B&W soon and I am just wondering for powering the speakers like 683... Any recommendation on power? I would hope to be able to stay with receiver than a seperate amplifier... Any Recommendation? Again thanks for all the assistance and I hope to be putting my theater togather soon.... Jeff

06-21-09, 09:12 PM	#12 \| Link
ogs rex Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 17	Mcstyvie and all thanks for the detailed info again... A few last questions: 1) Speaker placement: In my new home I had 7.1 prewired... Unfortunately it is in set locations and all ceiling mounted spots in the living room area... The Mains of course will be on stands if I go with 685's and if 683 they will be on the ground of course. However the side surround and rear surround do they have to be ear level for best positioning? Or can the surround and side surrounds be ceiling mounted? 2) Subwoofer: If I do indeed go with B&W should I go with their subwoofer as well or can I match it up with other brands? I have been looking at a Velodyne DLS5000R... Since I heard it in person by chance and it was just rocking that room... Again any recommendations please feel free to fire away... After reading everything I have decided tentatively until I listen to more things... Main: B&W 683 (As much as I want a nice HT I do love music as well so I believe these will be better for both aps) Center: B&W 685 (Think this will work out beautifully) Surround: B&W 685 (But not quite sure if the DS3 is good) Or is it better to stick with 685... Sub: Verdict is still out... Again thanks for all the feedback...

06-22-09, 03:02 PM	#13 \| Link
McStyvie Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 94	1. My surrounds are at ear hight, and not exactly to the side as they should be because of place but more behind us. Sounds great still. 2. If you live in the USA I probably wouldn't go with the B&W sub. The ASW610 sub is excellent, but you can get more for your buck in the USA with PSB, Hsu, maybe Velodyne, the others here can tell you more suggestions because I don't live there anymore. I went with the B&W sub because here in the EU, we don't get the same brands as you guys do over there. It cost me around 400€ and for that price here, we don't get anything nearly as good IMO. So I got it, and am happy as hell with it, the neighbors not so I would stick with the 685's for surrounds. Although it is almost a shame to "waste" such a good speaker on surrounds. Also, I am still surprised after 9 days how much I like the 685 as a center. Let us know what you decide to get and how you like it! Good luck!

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Browninggold Advanced Member AVS GOLD CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SW Michigan Posts: 889	Of course with all that being said you should check these out http://www.aperionaudio.com/home.aspx __________________ Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.

06-23-09, 12:36 AM	#18 \| Link
McStyvie Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 94	Center channel speakers are a compromise on quality of sound for space. Of course, if I had a dedicated home cinema room, I would have 3x 683's up front. But I don't, and I don't. Thus, the 685 for me is a compromise, but does a fine job anyway! If I didn't listen to so much music I would have gone for 3x 685 up front for th super cinema effect. But alas...

06-26-09, 01:25 PM	#20 \| Link
jakewash Advanced Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Calgary Posts: 678	To the OP, have you had a chance to hear some Axiom's? If not check their website and forum for possible auditions in your area from owners, you get a chance to hear them in a home environment, granted not yours but this way you can still get an idea of what they offer for the money spent, before spending anything to get them into your house. Once you listen and if you like them enough you can order a set and if they do not sound good in your home simply ship them back, start with just the mains and then move on from there. I do own Axioms and my personal favorite non ID line is from Focal, profile line up, as well as Paradigms signature series, but I can't afford those so I am sticking with my Axioms for now.