GR Research Paradox 1 and Axiom M22Ti (long...Jonbee, CutThroat, Tromatic)

Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

I recently purchased a set of Axiom Audio M22Ti's. They have a 30-day return policy and I'm wondering if I made the right choice in my upgrade over my Paradigm Mini Mk-III.
Unfortunatly, I'm spending some time not at my house over the holidays and have only put about 20-25 hours on them. I am using them with ASL Waves (8watt tube jobs) on 24" stands in an inverted position (tweeter on bottom). Compared to the Paradigms, the Axioms are definitely clearer. Across the range. Piano...always a difficult task...sounds much less muddy. The detail is also better. Perhaps most improved is the bass. I don't know if the Axioms actually go any lower, but the timbral accuracy as the octaves lower is much greater. String bass sounds like strange bass and not just generic "bass." It sounds much less "ported."
Now the nits...I can't get them to image at all. (Yes, of course I checked phase) The only way the create any palplable central image is having them toed-in so my ears are on-axis with the tweeters. Even then, they don't image that well. The Paradigms at an extreme position such as that will produce pin-point imaging (but a narow soundstage). This is really too bad because at any other position the Axioms produce a beautiful soundstage but no imaging whatsoever until they are toed waaaaaay in. Is this a break-in issue? I hope so because otherwise they are definitely going back -- no stereo imaging is a definite deal-breaker for me. One other thing...the upper treble is very defined and very clearer...but sounds a tad metallic. Not harsh...just a timbral difference over the silk domes in the Paradigms. Hopefully this will settle with a little more listening time too.
I know Jonbee has owned both the Axiom M3Ti's and the Paradox 1's. Which is better? While I do love the nefound bass definition from the larger box...it seems to come at the expense of some other very important qualities. What about coherency? I find the Axiom method of only using a highpass on the tweeter and letting the mid rolloff naturally produces a very coherent-sounding speaker as far as my ears go. Also, what skills and tools are required to build the Paradox 1's?
Overall, the Axioms are definitely better than the Paradigms they replaced. But, I feel like I may have just gotten more quantity and not necessarily more quality. There was nothing "wrong" with the Paradigms. I didn't need to go out and spend $400...some people (Cut-Throat) compare the Paradox 1's to the likes of the Sonus Faber Concertinos. Is this an overstatement? I've heard a pair of those once and they were definitely a few nothes up on the quality scale over my Paradigms.
Your opinions are appreciated.
Stephen Meade
smeade02@mckenna.edu

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Topic - GR Research Paradox 1 and Axiom M22Ti (long...Jonbee, CutThroat, Tromatic) - smeade02@mckenna.edu 17:59:58 01/01/02 (7)

I just finished a pair of the AV1's - jefflam79 14:04:18 01/02/02 (0)

Why inverted ? - GWN 06:52:06 01/02/02 (1)

Re: Why inverted ? - smeade02@mckenna.edu 09:25:08 01/02/02 (0)

Anyone in SoCal want to show off their Paradox 1's? - smeade02@mckenna.edu 02:00:11 01/02/02 (0)

Re: GR Research Paradox 1 and Axiom M22Ti (long...Jonbee, CutThroat, Tromatic) - jonbee 21:32:35 01/01/02 (0)

Yup go with the GR - Cut-Throat 19:15:45 01/01/02 (0)

Go with GR! - Frank 18:36:26 01/01/02 (0)

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