# Axiom LFR1100 Omni-Directional Speaker Discussion Thread



## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Read the Full Review Here!

"Starting one of these reviews always seems to be the hardest thing to do for me. I could give everyone a quick overview of Axiom's company history, but I have already done that. I could start it by telling everyone once again what an outstanding value that Axiom offers their customers but again, been there and done that. This time I think it would be best to just jump right in as Ian Colquhoun, via his wonderful better half Amie, has given me an opportunity to review something truly extraordinary in the new LFR1100 series omnidirectional speaker and I really do not want to waste anymore time so let’s get started!"

Read the Full Review Here!


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

Nice review Dale. I love the idea of real full-range floorstanding speakers. And a big ol' stack of amps to power them


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

That's what I'm saying!


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## Zeitgeist (Apr 4, 2009)

Nice review, very interesting.

I normally associate speakers with many drivers as being high efficiency and easy to drive (if impedance is kept normal). Interesting that they're relatively power hungry.


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## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

Great review, Dale! Thanks for the personal input. Dennis


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the great review Dale! :T

So, if I am understanding correctly, these would require something on the order of 2 Parasound A21 amps to run properly?


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Correct sir!


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Wow - that is a set of power hungry speakers! Are those going to be set up at the GTG Dale?


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Yes Sir!


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Now I REALLY want to come for the GTG! :bigsmile:


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## JerryLove (Dec 5, 2009)

This speaker seems more "dipolar" (Martin Logan) than "omnidirectional" (Walsh Ohm)


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## kimbpc (Dec 22, 2012)

*Re: Axiom LFR1100 Omni-Directional Speaker*

What is the quality of their sound - and their durability


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

I have listened this speakers last year in Montreal ( salon son & Image show ) and for info they were powered by Bryston and even if me and the reviewer have the same taste in the music side and also being a guitar player ... my final toughs in this speakers were ... i would look in to something else from price/quality stand point .


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

What did you find as a quality issue?


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

To start not the best finishing quality . In sound was more about how loud it could play not about clarity and in that regard and price point i would chose something else . Almost 4K it opens a lot of doors .


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Interesting because the LFR1100's are some of the clearest sounding speakers I have ever heard below $5K. Maybe there was something with the setup. I understand that Bryston makes a great amp and all, but a setup is only as good as it's configuration/calibration.

But of course the other side of that is that we all have opinions and luckily we can share them here and help everyone get a more complete picture. It did take a while for me to get them dialed in. The effects of the omnidirectional setup took a good week to get used to before I found the perfect placement. 

Thanks for giving your impressions!


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

Could i ask and if possible to try them but wit some fine vinyl pressing records ?


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

My turntable died about a year ago, I have some vinyl rips (FLAC) of Anthrax, Scorpions and some Van Halen, but I don't think that will offer a very good representation as it still is digital in the end. That being said, I have probably put off replacing the turntable for too long and should go ahead and get a new one. I have been looking at the Audio-Technica AT-LP120 but I am not 100% sold on it yet. 

This isn't the kind of purchase I consider litely you know?


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

:T i also have tons of FLAC about 2T of it but there are some things that i can hear on vinyl that i can't discern on CD ( to tell you the truth i never cared about SACD for the lack of media ) . I am changing my TT since my Technics also died but this time it will be a Pro-ject with a Ortofon cartridge .


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I forgot all about the Pro-Ject, I may have to check into that. You're probably like me though, nothing compares to sittng in front of the mixing console listening to a master through something like PMC IB2S. After doing that enough times everything seems to be lacking somewhere whether it's CD, Vinyl, Cassette, Reel-to-Reel, Etc...


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Almadacr said:


> To start not the best finishing quality . In sound was more about how loud it could play not about clarity and in that regard and price point i would chose something else . Almost 4K it opens a lot of doors .


Thats typical of Axiom quality IMO. Falling behind most of their competition. I was expecting such a large tower with many drivers to be close to 100lbs, cast alloy high quality drivers standard and nicer quality finishes as standard. 

Now if you add all the options that usually come as standard options and practices you would bump the LFR price to $5k plus. Not only that I don't see the point of having passive crossover and DSP at the same time. This speaker shouldn't need a passive crossover and should have been an fully active design. 

Now I put on my flame suit.


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

Those are great studio monitors and they sound wonderful with a well treated room and sometimes room treatment and speaker position can make a huge difference . Others will change speakers :spend: . 

At the end of the day what i have to say is ppl should start stopping to listen speakers and instead start to listen the music and i can see in your case you know your stuff :T


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

gtpsuper24 said:


> Thats typical of Axiom quality IMO. Falling behind most of their competition. I was expecting such a large tower with many drivers to be close to 100lbs, cast alloy high quality drivers standard and nicer quality finishes as standard.
> 
> Now if you add all the options that usually come as standard options and practices you would bump the LFR price to $5k plus. Not only that I don't see the point of having passive crossover and DSP at the same time. This speaker shouldn't need a passive crossover and should have been an fully active design.
> 
> Now I put on my flame suit.


Agree on all counts .


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

gtpsuper24 said:


> I was expecting such a large tower with many drivers to be close to 100lbs, cast alloy high quality drivers standard and nicer quality finishes as standard.


I can't argue on the finishes. As far as the weight, they seem about right to me given the driver size and materials used.



gtpsuper24 said:


> I don't see the point of having passive crossover and DSP at the same time.


Unless of course you were splitting the signal without the DSP in the mix. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous given the DSP is sold with it but I have seen people do dumber things. 



gtpsuper24 said:


> Now if you add all the options that usually come as standard options and practices you would bump the LFR price to $5k plus.


Which is where I would argue you would find the closest competition to these speaker. 



gtpsuper24 said:


> Now I put on my flame suit.


Come on Chad, you really wouldn't want to start a flame war would you? :devil:


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

Almadacr said:


> At the end of the day what i have to say is ppl should start stopping to listen speakers and instead start to listen the music.


EXACTLY! Well put my friend!


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## gtpsuper24 (Jun 24, 2009)

Dale Rasco said:


> I can't argue on the finishes. As far as the weight, they seem about right to me given the driver size and materials used.
> 
> Unless of course you were splitting the signal without the DSP in the mix. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous given the DSP is sold with it but I have seen people do dumber things.
> 
> ...


Paradigm Studio 100 is heavier by 13lbs, Aperion Grand is only 1lb lighter. We all know Axioms stance on cabinet bracing "less is better". You talking about a 4ft 12 driver system, with higher quality cast drivers (which is standard on most brands above $1500) a 1" thick front baffle atleast with driver bracing and side panel bracing should put it in the 90-100lb range. But when I see the short cuts in bracing on the subwoofer it doesn't inspire confidence in there stuff (which i've owned). 

Nothing wrong with how they built their speakers but for $4k plus its no where near a good value and smells of penny pinching over quality craftsmenship.

The DSP is gimmicky and I for see the LFR not being around 2 or 3 years down the road. There competition is from alot of companies. You don't need some oddball radiating dsp thingy to put you above competition. Paradigm Studio, Phil Harmonic, Salk, PSB Synchony, Monitor Audio Silver/Gold, SVS's New Ultra towers, Revel, ect... 

You don't need a bunch of drivers to make a speaker sound good. Def Tech does the rear firing deal and they are still put up against other brands, Axiom, SVS, Aperion, PSB, Arx ect....

I'm not wanting to start a flame war by any means. I just wouldn't be surprised to get attacked for my opinion on Axiom which isn't a secret. IMO they can do much much better for the price they want. Unless of course they are only profit driven and don't care about anything else.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

gtpsuper24 said:


> Paradigm Studio 100 is heavier by 13lbs, Aperion Grand is only 1lb lighter. We all know Axioms stance on cabinet bracing "less is better". You talking about a 4ft 12 driver system, with higher quality cast drivers (which is standard on most brands above $1500) a 1" thick front baffle at least with driver bracing and side panel bracing should put it in the 90-100lb range. But when I see the short cuts in bracing on the subwoofer it doesn't inspire confidence in there stuff (which i've owned).


From what I see there is plenty of bracing. As you can see in the pictures there is a brace between each driver and port. Cabinet density doesn’t seem to be a problem. Making statements that claim the company is making ‘short cuts’ is slanderous when in the next section you say ‘nothing wrong with how they built their speakers’. I have three of their subs and while I have never cracked open one of the EP350’s, the EP800 has plenty of internal bracing. I recall there were some questions around the EP600 bracing several years ago.

    




gtpsuper24 said:


> Nothing wrong with how they built their speakers but for $4k plus its no where near a good value and smells of penny pinching over quality craftsmenship.


You do understand that this is a completely subjective statement right? The craftsmanship with the LFR1100’s is fine and has a very solid cabinet.


gtpsuper24 said:


> The DSP is gimmicky and I for see the LFR not being around 2 or 3 years down the road. There competition is from alot of companies. You don't need some oddball radiating dsp thingy to put you above competition. Paradigm Studio, Phil Harmonic, Salk, PSB Synchony, Monitor Audio Silver/Gold, SVS's New Ultra towers, Revel, ect...
> You don't need a bunch of drivers to make a speaker sound good. Def Tech does the rear firing deal and they are still put up against other brands, Axiom, SVS, Aperion, PSB, Arx ect....


With the use of such technical terms such as *‘oddball radiating dsp thingy’ *and *‘rear firing deal’ *I have to question whether or not you have even looked into the LFR and tried to comprehend the technology behind it. These are not typical Bi-Pol/Di-Pol type of speakers and the DSP is necessary in order to propagate the signal from the processor correctly.


gtpsuper24 said:


> I'm not wanting to start a flame war by any means. I just wouldn't be surprised to get attacked for my opinion on Axiom which isn't a secret. IMO they can do much much better for the price they want. Unless of course they are only profit driven and don't care about anything else.


Having a negative opinion about a company is fine as I have a list of manufacturers I prefer to avoid as well. We all have different tastes in what we like to hear and see. But your comments need to be specific and less generalized. If I were going for speakers to show off aesthetically I would certainly be looking at Paradigm Signatures or even Legacy speakers, but those can be double the cost of the LFR and in my opinion not nearly double the quality of the LFR.


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

This was supposed to be and share the opinions Axiom LFR1100 and IMO Dale did his part . 

We all know the policies and methods of Axiom truth out the internet and they did create this environment where a lot of people don't don't believe there product specially in Canada , and they should look themselves in the mirror and say that's there fault . 

Even if i agree with you ... but this tread is not about Axiom policies but about the speakers that they send to Dale to be reviewed . The bashing dosen't take us anywhere and it only confuses more the users of the site .

It should be up to anyone that's interested to buy Axiom speakers to try them out since they have a 30 day return policy no questions asked . 

BTW they still make one of the best di/bipole ( QS8 ) in the market from a price/quality stand point .


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

You clearly have issues with Axiom Chad and I completly respect your right to have those opinions, but stay on topic. The discussion is the LFR1100, that's it. If you can't speak to it with any knowledge on the product then just find another discussion thread.


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## wtaylorbasil (Nov 27, 2008)

Dale,

When you do a subjective listening for music ONLY (not DVD or Blu Ray), do you have the speakers as pure Left & Right or you keep the surround configuration?
thanks


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

wtaylorbasil said:


> Dale,
> 
> When you do a subjective listening for music ONLY (not DVD or Blu Ray), do you have the speakers as pure Left & Right or you keep the surround configuration?
> thanks


Sorry for the delay, I use them in a 2 channel stereo configuration.


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## wtaylorbasil (Nov 27, 2008)

Dale Rasco said:


> Sorry for the delay, I use them in a 2 channel stereo configuration.


Thanks.

Where is this track taken from "Bassboy – I Got the Bass (FLAC)" ?

I would like to give my TL speakers a try and hear what it sounds like. Bach's Tocatta & Fugue D minor BWV565 sounds very good to me. I would like to compare them.

Regards


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I got that from usenet. I have the CD as well but the FLAC version was more convenient at the time.


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