Post by Wideawake on Dec 14, 2008 22:52:18 GMT -5
I had posted the following comparison review in another thread. A user requested that I post this here in the reviews section. The "we" refers to my brother and I. Here's my review:
We hooked up the M22s and the ERMs to the same amplifier, Yamaha RX-V793. The ERMs on speaker A and the M22s on speaker B. DSP effects were switched off and the amp was set to a flat response with the bass & treble controls disabled. Our CD source was a Pioneer DVD player, DV-525. We had planned to do a double blind test with a third person, however he could not make it to my place today.
I mainly listen to Jazz, Blues, Indian classical/semi-classical, Light Rock, Pop, etc. Omitted is Country, Western Classical and Heavy Metal/Rock genres.
We played several CDs, instrumental and vocal. At first blush, we both preferred the sound of the M22s! My brother left to do a chore, after about 30 minutes while I continued to listen to several more CDs. After about 6 hours of comparing these two speakers, here's what I have concluded:
The ERMs reproduce the sound of instruments better than the M22s. I've been around musicians and in recording studios and I've heard a vast array of instruments live. The ERMs make an alto sax, clarinet, trumpet and the piano seem as if these instruments are being played in the room. The M22 makes these sound like...like they've been recorded. It puts a thin veil between these instruments and you, muting the sound somewhat. Since I'm not used to hearing these instruments reproduced so realistically I tagged the ERMs as being brightly colored in the midrange. Upon reflection, and recollecting the sound of these instruments in live renditions, it became clear to me that the ERM was indeed reproducing the sound of these instruments more accurately than the M22.
The ERMs are more revealing. I hear more instruments when listening to a complex mix. The M22 is sometimes not able to reproduce nuances in the mix to their full effect. If you know that a particular instrument should be heard and if you strain your ears you might be able to glance a hint of it; at other times it is completely absent. Not so with the ERM. If something is in the mix, the chances are that the ERM will reveal it.
Boomy bass plagues the M22 even at moderate listening levels. The bass response on the ERM is far superior than that of the M22. If you did not know that you were listening to a 2-way book shelf speaker you might mistake the ERM's sound as coming from a full-range (3-way) speaker. It is that good! Also, the ERM is a very fast speaker and handles transients very well. It has a very tight sound in the lower ranges, even at very high volumes. The bass on the ERM belies it's 5.25" woofer heritage.
The sound envelope from the ERM is fuller and richer than that of the M22. It puts you in the recording studio or in front of a live show. The ERM, true to it's brand name, Emotiva, provides an emotional connection to the music, The M22 lacks in this aspect, reminding you that you are listening to a recorded version of the original.
The one striking difference that I noticed when switching from the ERM to the M22 was the sound field. The ERMs have an expansive 3-D sound field and they (the speakers) disappear on a good recording. The M22, on the other hand, collapses the sound field and flattens it considerably. The ERMs create an immersive experience and the sound field envelopes you. It's quite visceral and difficult to explain.
The bottom line is - If you listen to good quality source material, I would heartily recommend the ERMs. If you listen more to compressed mp3 music or poor quality recordings, the Axioms tend to be much more forgiving and will allow you to listen without too much ear fatigue. The ERMs will overpower your ears if you feed them poor quality source materials since they reproduce sound more accurately than the M22s (in my opinion).
The M22 is certainly a very capable speaker and some people (including my brother) might prefer their more relaxed and laid back sound. The ERM gets in your face and plays with considerable authority. It does not care for your approval, and is single-minded in its will to reproduce sounds honestly and faithfully; and it does that with aplomb. I suggest doing an A/B test of your own if you are considering these speakers. I believe Axiom also has a 30 day in-home trial.
We hooked up the M22s and the ERMs to the same amplifier, Yamaha RX-V793. The ERMs on speaker A and the M22s on speaker B. DSP effects were switched off and the amp was set to a flat response with the bass & treble controls disabled. Our CD source was a Pioneer DVD player, DV-525. We had planned to do a double blind test with a third person, however he could not make it to my place today.
I mainly listen to Jazz, Blues, Indian classical/semi-classical, Light Rock, Pop, etc. Omitted is Country, Western Classical and Heavy Metal/Rock genres.
We played several CDs, instrumental and vocal. At first blush, we both preferred the sound of the M22s! My brother left to do a chore, after about 30 minutes while I continued to listen to several more CDs. After about 6 hours of comparing these two speakers, here's what I have concluded:
The ERMs reproduce the sound of instruments better than the M22s. I've been around musicians and in recording studios and I've heard a vast array of instruments live. The ERMs make an alto sax, clarinet, trumpet and the piano seem as if these instruments are being played in the room. The M22 makes these sound like...like they've been recorded. It puts a thin veil between these instruments and you, muting the sound somewhat. Since I'm not used to hearing these instruments reproduced so realistically I tagged the ERMs as being brightly colored in the midrange. Upon reflection, and recollecting the sound of these instruments in live renditions, it became clear to me that the ERM was indeed reproducing the sound of these instruments more accurately than the M22.
The ERMs are more revealing. I hear more instruments when listening to a complex mix. The M22 is sometimes not able to reproduce nuances in the mix to their full effect. If you know that a particular instrument should be heard and if you strain your ears you might be able to glance a hint of it; at other times it is completely absent. Not so with the ERM. If something is in the mix, the chances are that the ERM will reveal it.
Boomy bass plagues the M22 even at moderate listening levels. The bass response on the ERM is far superior than that of the M22. If you did not know that you were listening to a 2-way book shelf speaker you might mistake the ERM's sound as coming from a full-range (3-way) speaker. It is that good! Also, the ERM is a very fast speaker and handles transients very well. It has a very tight sound in the lower ranges, even at very high volumes. The bass on the ERM belies it's 5.25" woofer heritage.
The sound envelope from the ERM is fuller and richer than that of the M22. It puts you in the recording studio or in front of a live show. The ERM, true to it's brand name, Emotiva, provides an emotional connection to the music, The M22 lacks in this aspect, reminding you that you are listening to a recorded version of the original.
The one striking difference that I noticed when switching from the ERM to the M22 was the sound field. The ERMs have an expansive 3-D sound field and they (the speakers) disappear on a good recording. The M22, on the other hand, collapses the sound field and flattens it considerably. The ERMs create an immersive experience and the sound field envelopes you. It's quite visceral and difficult to explain.
The bottom line is - If you listen to good quality source material, I would heartily recommend the ERMs. If you listen more to compressed mp3 music or poor quality recordings, the Axioms tend to be much more forgiving and will allow you to listen without too much ear fatigue. The ERMs will overpower your ears if you feed them poor quality source materials since they reproduce sound more accurately than the M22s (in my opinion).
The M22 is certainly a very capable speaker and some people (including my brother) might prefer their more relaxed and laid back sound. The ERM gets in your face and plays with considerable authority. It does not care for your approval, and is single-minded in its will to reproduce sounds honestly and faithfully; and it does that with aplomb. I suggest doing an A/B test of your own if you are considering these speakers. I believe Axiom also has a 30 day in-home trial.
