Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's

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Don_S

Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #120 on: 23 Feb 2009, 09:10 pm »
Did my thread get hi-jacked AGAIN!   :?

Looks like it.  Too bad because I was enjoying it before.  Now I will remove it from my subscription list. Better luck next time.   :(

GeorgeHudetz

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #121 on: 23 Feb 2009, 09:25 pm »
I must say, despite the drift (which I contributed too; sorry) I have found this thread very imformative and I appreciate the opinions & comparisons.  I attended a GTG this past weekend myself and I know how much work it is to move gear around.

So, again, thanks for starting the thread and following through with live comparisons.

George

BoB/335

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #122 on: 23 Feb 2009, 09:35 pm »
Did my thread get hi-jacked AGAIN!   :?

Looks like it.  Too bad because I was enjoying it before.  Now I will remove it from my subscription list. Better luck next time.   :(

Don, Don't go!!!!   Seems as though you are interested in those HT3's. Those pics look great but you must see them and hear them in person. If you are in the area you should contact Joe. He was a great guy and co-host for me and very proud of his room and selection of HT3's. Unfortunately for me they are way out of my price range. Also I wouldn't get much done around here because I would sit and listen all day. The sound was THAT good!

Hey George,
Do you have a link to your GTG?

GeorgeHudetz

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #123 on: 23 Feb 2009, 09:40 pm »
Hey George,
Do you have a link to your GTG?

Not yet.  It was an av123 sponsored GTG, and their forum is still locked down, so I don't know when we will hear about it.  Since it was an av123 specific GTG I won't post specifics here, but if you are interested in learning more PM me.

George

BoB/335

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #124 on: 23 Feb 2009, 10:06 pm »
We were hoping to have a pair of Rocket 850's to put in this equation. The 850's didn't make it.
You could probably post some thoughts in the AV123 section in this forum. But please share even if you just PM me.

zybar

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #125 on: 23 Feb 2009, 10:59 pm »
We were hoping to have a pair of Rocket 850's to put in this equation. The 850's didn't make it.
You could probably post some thoughts in the AV123 section in this forum. But please share even if you just PM me.

Sorry if this ruffles any feathers, but the 850's aren't in the same league as the ST's.  While they will move more air than the ST's, that is about all the do "better".

No need for a comparison.

George


adydula

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #126 on: 23 Feb 2009, 11:00 pm »
Agree with DMurphy....its amazing on how well speakers can work without understanding all the stuff thats bouncing off all the wall and surfaces etc..

What I do know is the I as a serious listener moves these dang things around measuring with a ruler and nudges and pushes them in and out of position to get the best
coherent soundstage as possible, then is down to listening.

I always listen in the one spot, the so called sweet spot that I have worked so hard to have the best sound experience possible.

I rightly or wrongly have always thought there is only ONE optimal  "space" to be in listening to recorded material with the speaker type most of us own.

If I manage to get it right in this one spot and the quality of the sound experience is wider or deeper than in this one spot, thats gravy to me.

But I would never move my chair around to test this....just aint prudent!!  :D

Maybe the off axis capabilities of a loudspeaker, if its really, really great, may have a profound affect on the overall experience, ie ability to image etc, because of more stuff bouncing off the walls, floors and ceilings of axis etc....its indeed magic.

So until we have sonic radar detectors and some exotic modeling software and a few Cray supercomputers we continue to push and pull, change room treatments, try this speaker and that speaker and generally enjoy the quest for sonic perfection..

Oh it also helps to have an occasional beer!!

All the best!

Alex


Nuance

Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #127 on: 24 Feb 2009, 01:03 am »

So, just to be clear, you listen with the tweeters pointed directly at your ears, as opposed to the tweeter axes intersecting somewhere behind your ears?

It depends on the speaker, drivers used, room acoustics/interaction, etc.  Besides, when I refer to on-axis, I mean between the two speakers in order to get the proper stereo imaging.  Off-axis usually refers to a degree of measurement in which one sits off to the left or right of the speaker or "sweet spot," with the "sweet spot" being between both speakers at the listening position.  The definition I was referring to was concerning that "sweet spot and it's axis."  If we are talking "axis" based on one speaker or amount of toe-in, then we are talking about two different definitions.  If our definitions of "on-axis" and "off-axis" differ, then we'll just attribute our differences to that.  I hope that make sense.

In short, in varies on a number of different things and preferences, but it would seem our definitions may simply differ.   




 :scratch:

Aren't "on-axis" and "off-axis" definitions the same no matter where you sit in the room or how many speakers there are?
For example I could sit to the left of the left speaker and point both speakers directly at me, wouldn't that be "on-axis" for both speakers?

Lin  
In theory yes, but when you actually listen and experiment with your proposed scenario in comparison to sitting in the "sweet spot" with the speakers pointing at your ears (or very close...say 15 degrees one way or the other), I am willing to bet the sound will be very different, especially when taking into account room interaction.  Try it out and you'll see what I mean.  This is why, when I speak of on-axis, I mean a person sitting in the "sweet spot" while having the speakers toed in directly at the listener, or with the axis crossing just behind the listener's head (close to directly on-axis).  Personally, I think a well designed speaker should have a flat FR directly on-axis, but also at least 15-20 degrees off-axis.  This allows the FR to remain nice and neutral while at the same time giving the listener the opportunity experiment with imaging and sound stage capabilities. 

As far as room interaction goes, with a little effort the room can be fixed (without ruining the intended sound and tonality of the speaker).  While some may disagree, the speaker cannot (without some form of re-engineering).  Just my $0.02

Anyway, enough about all this.  Back to your regularly scheduled program. 

cujobob

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #128 on: 24 Feb 2009, 01:43 am »
The Rocket 850s were compared by Craigsub on AVSforum I believe, directly to the Songtowers.  I think the 850s' won't probably be as good as the Songtowers in some respects, but the entire package price for the Rockets is extremely attractive to a lot of people.  Around $2K shipped for 5.0 speakers.  Depends on what you're looking for...

opnly bafld

Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #129 on: 24 Feb 2009, 01:46 am »
In theory yes, but when you actually listen and experiment with your proposed scenario in comparison to sitting in the "sweet spot" with the speakers pointing at your ears (or very close...say 15 degrees one way or the other), I am willing to bet the sound will be very different, especially when taking into account room interaction.  Try it out and you'll see what I mean.  This is why, when I speak of on-axis, I mean a person sitting in the "sweet spot" while having the speakers toed in directly at the listener, or with the axis crossing just behind the listener's head (close to directly on-axis).  Personally, I think a well designed speaker should have a flat FR directly on-axis, but also at least 15-20 degrees off-axis.  This allows the FR to remain nice and neutral while at the same time giving the listener the opportunity experiment with imaging and sound stage capabilities. 

As far as room interaction goes, with a little effort the room can be fixed (without ruining the intended sound and tonality of the speaker).  While some may disagree, the speaker cannot (without some form of re-engineering).  Just my $0.02

Anyway, enough about all this.  Back to your regularly scheduled program. 

 :duh:  So that's why it is called the sweet spot!
Some speakers are designed to be pointed straight ahead, some toed in to aim just behind your listening spot, and some to cross a foot or two in front of you. Most people I know listen in the sweet spot with their speakers somewhat off-axis.

The higher frequencies typically cannot measure flat both on and off axis.
Edit: the sentence above was posted without thinking, as soon as I read Dennis' clarification below, I thought to myself- I know that.  :duh:
Thanks Dennis.

Lin

DMurphy

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #130 on: 24 Feb 2009, 02:02 am »

Some speakers are designed to be pointed straight ahead, some toed in to aim just behind your listening spot, and some to cross a foot or two in front of you. Most people I know listen in the sweet spot with their speakers somewhat off-axis.
The higher frequencies typically cannot measure flat both on and off axis.

Lin

No--but they can come awfully close within a 15-20 degree window.  The highs above 14 kHz will differ, but I think a lot of people would be very surprised to hear (or fail to hear) how high that is.  the frequencies that will lead to a feeling of "that's too bright" or "that's about right" are more in the 8-12 kHz range. 

lonewolfny42

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #131 on: 24 Feb 2009, 04:35 am »
Kudos to Evan and Joe for setting up Bob's audition.... :beer:


Bob....The guys I'm sure mentioned the New York Audio Rave...you should try and make a few Rave's...there fun and a learning experience. 8)

You can check the N.Y. Circle..... :thumb:

                            Chris

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #132 on: 24 Feb 2009, 04:56 am »
Hey Chris,

Yeah those guys were great as was Levi also. They mentioned something on LI for this weekend but I do not have nor do I see the details.

lonewolfny42

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #133 on: 24 Feb 2009, 05:13 am »
Hey Chris,

Yeah those guys were great as was Levi also. They mentioned something on LI for this weekend but I do not have nor do I see the details.
Here's the thread Bob......Emil's in Miller Place. :thumb:

It's this Saturday.

Nuance

Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #134 on: 24 Feb 2009, 02:27 pm »

Some speakers are designed to be pointed straight ahead, some toed in to aim just behind your listening spot, and some to cross a foot or two in front of you. Most people I know listen in the sweet spot with their speakers somewhat off-axis.
The higher frequencies typically cannot measure flat both on and off axis.

Lin

No--but they can come awfully close within a 15-20 degree window.  The highs above 14 kHz will differ, but I think a lot of people would be very surprised to hear (or fail to hear) how high that is.  the frequencies that will lead to a feeling of "that's too bright" or "that's about right" are more in the 8-12 kHz range. 

Exactly. 

 
In theory yes, but when you actually listen and experiment with your proposed scenario in comparison to sitting in the "sweet spot" with the speakers pointing at your ears (or very close...say 15 degrees one way or the other), I am willing to bet the sound will be very different, especially when taking into account room interaction.  Try it out and you'll see what I mean.  This is why, when I speak of on-axis, I mean a person sitting in the "sweet spot" while having the speakers toed in directly at the listener, or with the axis crossing just behind the listener's head (close to directly on-axis).  Personally, I think a well designed speaker should have a flat FR directly on-axis, but also at least 15-20 degrees off-axis.  This allows the FR to remain nice and neutral while at the same time giving the listener the opportunity experiment with imaging and sound stage capabilities. 

As far as room interaction goes, with a little effort the room can be fixed (without ruining the intended sound and tonality of the speaker).  While some may disagree, the speaker cannot (without some form of re-engineering).  Just my $0.02

Anyway, enough about all this.  Back to your regularly scheduled program. 

 :duh:  So that's why it is called the sweet spot!
Some speakers are designed to be pointed straight ahead, some toed in to aim just behind your listening spot, and some to cross a foot or two in front of you. Most people I know listen in the sweet spot with their speakers somewhat off-axis.

The higher frequencies typically cannot measure flat both on and off axis.
Edit: the sentence above was posted without thinking, as soon as I read Dennis' clarification below, I thought to myself- I know that.  :duh:
Thanks Dennis.

Lin
You are forgetting one thing, though.  You should be able to tweak the room (not the speakers) in order to get a more smooth high frequency (as in the very top end of the highs...the part that may roll off due to the room interaction).  You could also use EQ if you really wanted to, but I am more of a "purist" so I try not to do that for reasons that could be an entirely new discussion.  If a person is looking for flat FR on and off-axis, best to use a neutral speaker and fix the room rather than to start with a flawed speaker and try to fix a said speaker. 

If you guys want to continue this discussion, feel free to PM me.  This thread is too far off track. 

zybar

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #135 on: 24 Feb 2009, 02:32 pm »
The Rocket 850s were compared by Craigsub on AVSforum I believe, directly to the Songtowers.  I think the 850s' won't probably be as good as the Songtowers in some respects, but the entire package price for the Rockets is extremely attractive to a lot of people.  Around $2K shipped for 5.0 speakers.  Depends on what you're looking for...

In a discussion comparing speakers in a stereo setup, why would you bring up the cost of a 5.0 system?   :scratch:

Personally, I wouldn't touch an AV123 product with a 10' pole right now (and I do have their products in my house and I do enjoy them), but that is a discussion for a different thread.   :wink:

George


cujobob

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #136 on: 24 Feb 2009, 03:43 pm »
Because value always plays a huge role in decisions like that.  As mentioned earlier in the thread, it's important to compare speakers priced similarly.  I don't see how cost isn't an important consideration here.

Nuance

Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #137 on: 24 Feb 2009, 03:59 pm »
The Rocket 850s were compared by Craigsub on AVSforum I believe, directly to the Songtowers.  I think the 850s' won't probably be as good as the Songtowers in some respects, but the entire package price for the Rockets is extremely attractive to a lot of people.  Around $2K shipped for 5.0 speakers.  Depends on what you're looking for...

In a discussion comparing speakers in a stereo setup, why would you bring up the cost of a 5.0 system?   :scratch:

Personally, I wouldn't touch an AV123 product with a 10' pole right now (and I do have their products in my house and I do enjoy them), but that is a discussion for a different thread.   :wink:

George


+1.  One who has been paying attention to certain forum threads would know why.  I also wouldn't recommend ordering from that company. 

zybar

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #138 on: 24 Feb 2009, 04:18 pm »
Because value always plays a huge role in decisions like that.  As mentioned earlier in the thread, it's important to compare speakers priced similarly.  I don't see how cost isn't an important consideration here.

Sorry, I should have been more clear.

Price is certainly a factor, but it needs to be apples to apples.  So whatever the cost of a pair of 850's is the relevant info, not what it costs for a 5.0 HT setup.

George

cujobob

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Re: Song Towers vs. Axiom M80's
« Reply #139 on: 24 Feb 2009, 04:25 pm »
For speakers, I still think they have a high value product, however I would be leery of any electronics.  I haven't been paying as much attention as others to the situation, though.  Salk has nice products, I would just suggest that for <2K for a total system, it offers a lot of value.  Overall, a step down from Jim's products, but at a big cost difference.  The OP seemed to imply he was looking for a HT, I thought.