• Product of the Year! SoundStage! Presents Axiom With Award At 2012 CES
• New Product: VP160 Ships
• New Review: EP125 Subwoofer
• Question of the Month: Feedback?
• Around Axiom: New Video - Center Speaker Placement

Product Of The Year Award!

We were absolutely thrilled to be awarded the SoundStage! Network's prestigious Product of the Year at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in January. SoundStage! selects winners from all the products they have reviewed in the past calendar year, and then presents the awards according to the best they have heard during that time period.

The Axiom Epic 80 800 Home Theater System received the award for Outstanding Performance.

Reviewer Vince Hanada enthusiastically endorsed the system, saying:

"Axiom Audio's Epic 80-800 home-theater speaker system brings phenomenal performance to the masses. It can play at concert-level loudness without requiring costly, high-powered amps -- a remarkable achievement. This system gets my highest recommendation." -- Vince Hanada, SoundStageExperience.com

New Review: EP125 Earns Guru3D Recommendation

Guru3D is continuing their review of high fidelity computer systems, and reviewer Steven Wall's latest installment added the punch of the EP125 Powered Subwoofer to the mix.

"I have tested many subs over the years from every type of speaker system from PC to high end home theater systems and the main characteristic noticeable with this product is how clean and articulate the bass reproduction is for an entry level subwoofer.

The bass lines produced were tight and right on key without washing out the rest of the spectrum. A common issue with some lower end units is a washed out "one note" bass production. That is not the case with the EP125 sub which offers bass that punches and kicks with tight details and zero boominess." -- Steven ROBSCIX Wall, Guru3D

New VP160 Center Channel Has Begun Shipping!

VP160 Centers on the line January 25th

We can't wait to hear the reviews from the numerous people who pre-ordered the center channel in order to be in on the first run. In his 'VP160 Quick Review' post on the message boards, jakewash, the recipient of the very first VP160, commented "I also watched The Eagles - Farewell Tour Melbourne DVD. I was able to listen to this DVD with a new enjoyment of their music. The bass is very strong during many of the songs on this DVD and the VP160 handled it with great ease, the highs from the trumpet during the encore just before Hotel California sounds very real to my ears, nice and clean."

VP160 pictured on its dedicated stand, the FMS160.

Question of the Month: What's Causing the Feedback?

Q. Looking for some advice. Something curious has crept up in my system. When one of my kids was loudly making an "Ooooohh," sound my left front speaker would mimic it in a sort of feedback response. If I hit pieces of metal together the speaker responds as well. Has anyone experienced this and if so what is the culprit? I am using a Marantz SR 5005 as a pre/pro that was modded by removing the amp pathway by Outlaw Audio. I then have the L/R off the Marantz going to HT inputs to a Modwright SWL 9.0 being used as a stereo preamp and bypass for home theater. Oppo -83 HDMI to Marantz for home theater, coax to Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC for stereo on to Modwright via RCA. M22's, VP100, and QS 8's. - powerwindow, via the message boards

A. What source are you using when you hear the feedback? I'll guess that somewhere in your system you may have vacuum tubes, which can be quite microphonic with higher sound pressure levels. To check for a microphonic tube, just remove the chassis and tap on the tubes in the amp (or preamp). You'll hear a "ping" sound if the tube is microphonic.

If you were playing vinyl on a turntable, the disc itself can become microphonic, vibrate, and pass on loud acoustical sounds to the phono cartridge and to your system. I have a collection of various weights and clamps for vinyl on a turntable (back when I played vinyl) to prevent feedback.

You should replace the microphonic tube. I never tried tube dampers back in the tube era, but perhaps one would be effective. -- Alan Lofft

New Video: Center Speaker Placement

When you're forced to put your center channel down on a low shelf or table, due to demands of room setup or aesthetic {ahem} suggestions, you may notice that the sound isn't as clear as it could be. What can you do other than turning up the volume?

Our center channels are designed so that you can invert them. Watch as Debbie Swinton shows you how to do this, including how to rotate the tweeter so the logo is right-side-up, in this Axiom Quick Tip Center Speaker Placement Video.