New house, new speaker system...Good research websites?

[Alai]

Nice! Damn you picked some nice amps and subwoofer. I kinda dislike Axiom products, personally. Don't like their sound because it sounds bright to me. Never heard Kab products though. Let me know how it goes with those.

How much are you willing to spend on a preamp? Lol.

 

[mssample]

@ Alai Haha, well as you can see, I'm over my original budget. Perhaps <$500?

It would be splendid if the phono stage was included, as in the Outlaw 970, and I don't need any surround processing.

 

[Bmac]

The Axiom M80's are pretty efficient speakers. Those monoblocks are nice but they might be overkill for your system.

My suggestion is to look at a nice integrated amp instead, especially one with bass management. If you're set on the monoblocks then I would look for a pre-amp with bass management. What I mean by that is an integrated/pre-amp with a built in crossover to direct the bass below 60 or 80 hz away from the main speakers and to the sub instead.

There are a couple of advantages to this; first, by allowing the sub to take care of the low-end exclusively you're decreasing the load significantly on your amplifiers and allowing your speakers to focus more on producing quality mid-bass. Second, the Axiom M80's have a -3db point of 34hz, if you run them full-range along with the sub you're going to have a LOT of bass. That may be the sound you are looking for, but if you find that it's too much bass, without bass management your only options are to turn down the bass on your integrated/pre-amp, or to lower your crossover or gain setting on your sub. Either way, I think you will be able to achieve better results and a flatter frequency response with some bass management.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

I'd pick the RR2150 instead with bass management and a phono input, and also consider a step down to the M60's, I havent personally heard the M80's so I don't know how good it is, but I know that the M60's are pretty good and I dont really see the point for so many drivers on the M80 and having a sub as well.

Also, you can always get a dedicated phono box later if you feel this isnt as good, but I have heard very good things about this receiver. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Alai]

jilgiljongiljing (that's a terrible name, I hope people don't call you that) makes a very good suggestion. Why don't you just get the receiver with phono input and bass management? The receiver is a very well respected piece of equipment and has plenty of wattage.

I still argue against the Axiom speakers, but that's up to you.

 

[recca]

If you are willing to spend $1300 on the Axioms, I would buy this right now instead:

AudiogoN ForSale: Dynaudio Audience 72 Cherry

You probably won't need a sub if you get these.

 

[Bmac]

I bet those Dynaudios sound nice. I would take those over Axioms any day of the week.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Wow, nice find on audiogon. x2 on picking those over Axioms.

 

[Alai]

+1 on the Dynaudio.