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01.2025

Bryston Expands Axiom Speaker Range

We’re happy to offer a wider range of outstanding, affordable, Canadian, NOT CHINESE, loudspeakers. Yep, these are made in Canada with a five year warranty.

Last month we informed you of the new Axiom tower, M50. This month there are more new models to lust for. Please ignore the flimsy Chinese imports and support these muscular and refined Canadian alternatives.

Axiom M5, $1000 Per Pair

{19h, 9.3w 10.5d, 91 dB SPL, 8 ohms, 10-200w/ch)

Axiom M5

M5 is a muscular, not teeny, tiny, stand mount speaker. It takes big power and pushes strong bass. While everyone else is making cute little speakers in China to hide on a bookshelf, Axiom says, give me some elbow room and let ‘er rip!

M5 is especially tantalizing because its real competition is from Europe, not China. Check out the pricing on high powered two-ways from Europe. We’re typically talking in the neighborhood of $5k per pair.

M5 has a 1” Titanium tweeter, 5.25” Pure Aluminum midrange and 6.5” Pure Aluminum woofer. The woofer has a 1.5” voice coil that you can hit hard! It will fit on a shelf but is better on a speaker stand. That way there is no boxy intrusion incurred from the furniture.

The advantage of a 3-way is greater dispersion with a broader soundstage. You request lower excursion for mid and woof drivers to get better detail than the 2-way M3, for example.

Axiom’s M2 and M3 are good quality, more traditionally sized shelf speakers to be discrete. M5 is NOT trying to be discrete. It’s trying to kick some booty in a manageable size.

Axiom VP100 Center Speaker, $500

{7.5h, 17w, 7.5d, 92 dB SPL, 8 ohms, 10-200w/ch}

Axiom VP100

VP100 is an Axiom center to mate with its new, Bryston developed Axiom line of speakers. VP100 is an outstanding match for any of the Axioms. Its sound is smoother rather than brighter. If you have any right and lefts that are smooth rather than bright, VP100 would be an appropriate complement.

VP100 uses two 5.25” Pure Aluminum bass/mids and Axiom’s 1” Titanium tweeter. Virtually all the Chinese built skinny centers sound thin and harsh- like cranking up the color to vivid on a TV. VP100 sounds similar to Bryston’s AC-1 Micro ($900) without the same power capability.

Axiom QS-8 Surround Speakers, $1000 Per Pair

{8.25h, 11w, 6d, 92dB SPL, 8 ohms, 10-200w/ch}

Axiom QS-8
Axiom QS-8

QS-8 is a 2-way surround speaker that is ideal for most systems. It features two 1” Titanium tweeters and a pair of 5.25” Pure Aluminum bass/mids. The bass/mids fire top/bottom. The tweets are offset for wide dispersion.

Axiom QS-10 Surround Speakers, $1918 Per Pair

{13h, 13.75w, 7d, 91dB SPL, 8 ohms, 10-400w/ch}

Axiom QS-10
Axiom QS-10

QS-10 is a high powered, 3-way, bigger brother to QS-8. I features the same tweets and bass/mids as QS-8. BUT, QS-10 adds a 6.5” Pure Aluminum woofer. The 6.5 is a high powered driver with long 1.5” voice coil, the same as you’ll see in M60s. The 5.25s act as pure midrange drivers, within their own enclosures, on QS-10, so there’s a much more substantial crossover. Further, QS-10 takes twice the power and is a more purist choice for your surround performance.

Top Ten Songs Paul McCartney Wrote For Other Musicians

10 Elvis Costello “Veronica”

9 Ringo “Six O’Clock”

8 R Stones “I Wanna Be Your Man”

7 Charlotte Gainsbourg “Songbird In A Cage”

6 Billy J Kramer & Dakotas “Ill Keep You Satisfied”

5 Peter & Gordon “Woman”

4 Peter & Gordon “A World Without Love”

3 Mary Hopkin “Goodbye”

2 Beatles “Like Dreamers Do”

1 Badfinger “Come And Get It”

12.2024

Axiom M-50 Tower, $1400 Per Pair

{35.5h, 9.25w, 13d, 39 lbs, 94 dB SPL, 8 ohms, 10-200 w/ch}
Axiom M-50 Tower

Two 6.5” Aluminum Woofers, One Titanium Tweeter

Bryston contracted Axiom to build its speakers over a decade ago. The project was a tremendous success and the companies merged. The resulting company is simply called Bryston. Bryston is using the Axiom banner to bring speakers and electronics to market that are outstanding- yet under the price and power levels reserved for the Bryston brand. Axiom speakers are built in Canada with a 5 year warranty.

M-50 Is Axiom’s Most Affordable Tower

We booted ALL the Chinese speakers out of our store in early 2024. We wanted better sound, construction and yup, we don’t want our money going to China. With that move, our most affordable tower has been Axiom’s M60 at $2k. It’s terrific.

We heartily welcome M50 as a sturdily built, even less expensive tower. You’re no longer stuck with a Chinese bucket of bolts in this price range. We’re thrilled to be able to offer Canadian muscle and smoothness that you can drive with virtually any range of amplifier or receiver due to M50’s high efficiency.

Two-Way

M50 is a formidable little brother to M60, which is a 3-way. M50 features a pair of 6.5” woofs and Titanium tweeter.

Axiom has created this highly efficient tower, competitive with horn loaded designs, at this attainable price point. M50 maintains Axiom’s smooth upper end performance and yet has impressive, weighty bass as well. At 94dB the M50 can be driven by any amp. But make no mistake… with the bass and dynamic capabilities of M50 you’ll be rewarded by running a solid class AB amp like those made by Atoll. If you run a D amp or something with SMPS or tiny power supplies, you won’t be hearing what M50 is capable of.

McIntosh MA-352 Integrated Amp

200×2 (9 7/8h, 17.5w, 20.5d, 67 lbs)
McIntosh MA-352 Integrated Amp

McIntosh makes a mountain of integrated amps and separates. They make so many options even we dealers have a tough time keeping them all straight. What’s the best bang for your buck in the family? Consider the hybrid (tube preamp section/solid state amp section) MA352.

Mac won’t let us post the price of its gear on our site. I think it’s ridiculous, but it’s their sandbox we’re playin’ in. It rhymes with heaven.

MA352 starts with Mac’s gorgeous power meters with blue lights. It’s a stunning piece of audio gear to look at, as well as listen to. Since any integrated in this range is going to be a good performer, perhaps you’ll just want to cut to the chase and buy MA352 for its scintillating elegance.

It’s OK to consider sex appeal as part of the package. Why not have some fun?

McIntosh DNA starts with POWER. MA352 runs 200×2 and delivers a TIGHT kick in the fanny to your speakers. MA352 doesn’t use autoformers so it throttles dramatically more power into 4 ohms.

While some brands eschew tone controls, Mac does NOT. Mac feels a properly built, noiseless EQ is a valuable musical TOOL. It has five turnover hinge points. 30Hz, 125Hz, 500Hz, 2kHz and 10kHz.

Many speakers AND ROOMS can use some help with the lower two settings. Likewise for the highest setting. 500 & 2k will be used less often, but if you want to pull the midrange forward a bit, you have the ability to do so.

MA352 uses four tubes in the preamp section- two 12AX7A, and two 12AT7s. You’ll garner a tubey, iridescent flavor with this epicurean integrated. The power amp section is solid state, which is important for high current and stalwart reliability. MA352 sounds especially clean, lean and controlled- not heavy and murky.

MA352 is an ideal partner when you want to create a rounder, more mellow musical hue.

Inputs:

Three sets RCA inputs

Two sets XLR inputs

MM phono on board

Outputs:

Variable preamp line out R&L for sub or different amp

Heavy Duty Binding Posts

Every speaker will sound better with a weighty Mac vs something skinnier or lean. MA352 is a synergistic match with revealing speakers like Brystons and Magnepans in particular!

Musicians Who Have Sold Their Catalogs For The Most $

Queen, $1.2B

Springsteen, 500M

Dylan, 500M

Pink Floyd 400M

Genesis, 300M

Sting, 300M

Tina Turner, 300M

Kiss, 300M

Paul Simon 250M

Bowie, 250M

Katy Perry, 225M

Bieber, 200M

Neil Young (50%), 150M