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Axiom A1400-8 PWM and Denon AVP-A1HDCI... Match Made in Heaven!?!

post #1 of 10
5/2/08 at 1:41pm
Thread Starter 
About to put together a dream of a system for my most important client (an uncle). This is my first foray into high end gear as my market has been the middle ground. Currently he owns the flagship Axiom speaker line v2 2xM80, 1xVP150, 4xQS8 and 1xEP500 that he purchased due to my suggestion. It's being used with a Denon AVR-4306 but the Denon simply doesn't have the power to drive these 4 Ohm mains, 6 Ohm center and 6 Ohm rears so these speakers haven't lived up to expectations.
In order to explain to customer how underpowered the AVR is driving the power hungry M80s I took my old Nikko Alpha 450 to his house to power the M80v2 mains. OMFG what a huge improvement... amazing performance to my ears. So with this realization in hand my customer placed an order for the Axiom A1400-8 PWM amp. This is due to arrive within a week. We/he intend to run the 4306 as a pre/pro for a while until we determine what pre/pro to go with what I expect to be an amazing amplifier.
Here is where the Denon AVP-A1HDCI comes in. It seems he has just come into market at the perfect moment in time to have a modern pre/pro with all latest decoding/upscalling etc capabilities. I was just chiming in to see what others think of using this Denon AVP with Axiom's A1400-8 Digital Amplifier and this final list of components to complete my first "high end" installation.

Here is a list of the components to be used once upgrade is complete. OMG I'm soooo... jealous


Denon AVP-A1HDCI pre-amp/processor

Axiom A1400-8 PWM 1400 watt Digital Amplifier

Axiom v2 2xM80 mains, 1xVP150 center, 4xQS8 surrounds and Epicenter EP500 sub.

Oppo Digital DV-980H transport with 480i HDMI, SACD DSD support (finally digital transport of SACD content)

Bell 9200 PVR with HDMI 1080i (wish way to set output to channel native rez so AVP-A1HDCI could do scalling on non HD channels)

4Dtv DSR-922 C-band with HDTV decoder (first gen HBO broadcasts are the best HDTV I've ever seen I can't imagine what the Silicon Optix HQV Realta will do to that 1080i component source)

Xbox 360 with HDMI

HTPC with nVidia 8800gts 512meg (PureVideo 2 HD hardware decoding) using DVI and TOS/link A/V I/O (seems no HTPC solution for Blueray and new lossless audio codecs )

P.S. Forgot to list the display he's using... It's an old Hitachi 51S500 that's soon to be replaced with a pre-ordered Mitsubishi 65" laser DLP this fall.

I figure this list includes the absolute best products for the money obtainable today without spending ridiculous sums with ever decreasing returns in fidelity... please voice opinions etc if you feel perhaps there are better products we should be looking to. The final price tag on this rig will be around $13,500 All interconnects will be Belden SKUs based off of Bluejeans Cable products and power by APC A/V.
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post #2 of 10
5/2/08 at 5:11pm
Did you look at buying a cheaper processor? I would have looked at the integra 9.8/onkyo pro 885 first or wait for something else to come out in the very near future. Or you can A/B the processor to the denon.
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post #3 of 10
5/2/08 at 7:00pm
A $7000 processor with those speakers? Seems a little out of whack to me. Normally you should have 50% to 70% of your audio system value in speakers. Your list ends up with what, $10,000 in electronics and $3,000 in speakers? That is seriously unbalanced.

I'd think something like the upcoming Marantz AV8003 or the Onkyo/Integras would be much more in line with the quality of the rest of the gear in this picture.

Also if you are spending more than $5000 on sound components there should be a room acoustics treatment program in the picture. I'd bet that spending $3000 on fixing up the room would give far better results than buying that Axiom amp.
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post #4 of 10
5/2/08 at 7:04pm
I agree, I have owned the Axioms and they are very fine speakers, but not up to the quality of the AVP A1HD. I currently own the Denon and I'm pretty sure i would upgrade my speakers if I still had the Axioms.
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post #5 of 10
5/2/08 at 8:46pm
Quality is where you find it.
If your dream speakers are way cheaper than the dream component driving them, who cares. Axiom's are relatively cheap but their up there with Paradigm, B&W, Klipsch, Infinity and such. Cost and excellence are not mutually exclusive.
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post #6 of 10
5/3/08 at 8:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fanboyz View Post

Quality is where you find it.
If your dream speakers are way cheaper than the dream component driving them, who cares. Axiom's are relatively cheap but their up there with Paradigm, B&W, Klipsch, Infinity and such. Cost and excellence are not mutually exclusive.

The deal here is diminishing returns. Each $1000 you put into some part of the system returns less than the previous $1000. So $11,000 into amp/prepro and $3000 into speakers and $0 into room acoustics is probably going to sound like a $3000 system.

Divide the same amount of money up more evenly and you will get a much better sounding system.
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post #7 of 10
5/3/08 at 1:34pm
Axiom is cheap but not cheap sounding.
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post #8 of 10
5/3/08 at 1:49pm
I unfortunately have to agree with a few others here. Axiom M60's were the first HT speakers I owned many years ago and that list of electronics is out of scale with those speakers.

I just upgraded my speakers (third time is a charm and I am done-for sure) and now I think my amp/pre are not at the same level but I think I upgraded in the proper order.

Maybe look at the NAD or Integra..

Just my opinion...

Rick
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post #9 of 10
5/4/08 at 9:35pm
I've owned plenty of speakers at one time or another. The only Axioms I have currently are the QS8 surrounds but having heard the M80s and M60s they are fine transparent, linear, accurate speakers meaning they will faithfully reproduce everything that is input into them. They keep getting better with better electronics. Equating dollars with sound quality is a mugs game especially when it comes to speakers. Fact is the Axioms offer excellent performance regardless of price point. Many people who complain about them are usually underpowering them. The M80s in particular come into their own with 400wps. The A-1400-8 will provide the power those speakers require.
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post #10 of 10
9/12/08 at 4:07pm
Thread Starter 
Yes those M80s require some serious balls from your amp though they do work with lower current amps like the ones in most AVRs. I did find a HUGE sonic improvement when powering M80s with a high power unit like the A1400 or my shop/lab Nikko Aplha 440. Perhaps for you guys to know my ear and where I'm coming from... I LUV my old Nikko... Also I would like to add that I will obtain the AVP-A1HDCE with the AVR-4306 as a trade-in credit for $4500 bucks... please don't ask me from whom or where... fantastic deal. Also the tv has been replaced with a Toshiba 52XF550u that I calibrated using a spyder 3 an Asus notebook with HDMI out and colorfacts.
The Mitz DLP was crossed off the list after a viewing... pathetic... horribly calibrated TV out of the box with all kinds of geometry issues. Real shame and a strong indicator that the end/death of rear projection units is finally upon us. As for the Axiom sound... a perfect analogy for them is comparing Grados to Seins... the Axioms being the Grados and the Seins say... the RBH stencils that audioholics are selling... Both fine products just one is a lot more accurate and a lot less "coloured" and is said to be "bright" do to these attributes. It's all a question of taste but to my ears I have yet to hear speakers as good as the Axioms for the money and in saying for the money... I mean any product that's over 5k. I cater to the middle market and as such don't entertain any product over 5k in the A/V world. My customers and I have to much respect for what a dollar takes to earn in this day and age. Also most so called high-end A/V stuff is total BS IMHO and warrants minuscule returns for the $$$ spent.

Solid-State
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AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Receivers, Amps, and Processors › Axiom A1400-8 PWM and Denon AVP-A1HDCI... Match Made in Heaven!?!