Digital Trends

Axiom Epic 80

February 4th, 2004 | by Ian Bell

Introduction

Last year we reviewed the Axiom Epic 50 home-theater speaker system and were immediately blown away by the quality of sound that was produced. So of course we had very high expectations of Axiom's top-of-the-line system, the Epic 80. Composed of 6 speakers for a 5.1 system setup and offering a plethora of high gloss or matte vinyl case designs, the Epic 80 system will appeal to both your eyes and your ears. With a starting price of just over $2400 dollars the Epic 80 speaker system could quite possibly be one of the best values in speakers today.

Features and Design

The Axiom Epic 80 Home Theater System consists of two M80ti tower speakers, two QS8 surround sound speakers, the VP150 center channel speaker, and the EP350 subwoofer. Axiom states that this system is ideal for large rooms of between 4000-8000 cubic feet, and we can understand why. The M80ti tower speakers alone weigh 57lbs per speaker and are a little over 3 feet tall. Of course with so many speakers visible, you will want to make sure they look as good as they sound.

In our Epic 50 system review, the only negative we mentioned was that the quality of the cabinets themselves were not as upper-end looking as the speakers sounded. Fortunately since that review, Axiom has offered even more speaker finish options to match your individual tastes. Now you can choose from a multitude of wood veneers or vinyl finishes with the custom high gloss vinyls costing more than the standard vinyl's. The upside to so many finish options is that the Epic 80 system will ultimately appeal to a larger audience and those with a tight budget can still get the great sound the Epic 80 system produces without having to splurge on exotic woods. Oddly enough we felt that the speaker grills that come with this system do not contribute to the overall aesthetic appeal. We preferred that the grills remain off to show just how great this system looks — European style.

Axiom audio provides a manual for each speaker in this system as well as floor spikes to keep the speakers in place and wall mounting brackets for mounting the rear surround speakers. The whole Epic 80 system is packed in 5 separate boxes each carefully packaged to prevent damage in shipping. Axiom has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on their speakers in addition to a standard 5-year warranty — one year on subwoofers. Our test system came with no dents or damage to the speakers.

M80ti Tower Speakers

The M80ti front speakers that come in the Epic 80 system is Axiom's top-of-the-line loud speaker measuring in at just over 3 feet tall. What is unique about the shape of the M80ti's is that they do not follow the more traditional square boxes usually associated with most tower speakers. Instead, the font of the speaker is actually wider than the rear, tapering from 9” across in the front to 7” in the rear. The cabinets are designed this way for a reason. Axiom calls this design style ASW, short for Anti-Standing-Wave which is designed to suppress the internal resonances which can mask or change the sound.

As with the M50ti tower speaker in our Epic 50 review there is a front port located at the bottom of the M80ti speaker but two rear ports located at the top and bottom of the rear respectively. On the rear of the speaker is where you will find 5-way gold plated binding posts for use with or without a banana plug. There are however no crossover adjustments located on the back.

 
The gold plated binding posts on the back of the M80ti loudspeaker

The front, of course, is where the action is and Axiom makes sure the M80ti will not disappoint. Surprisingly the M80ti's have two titanium tweeters mounted above of each other at the top of the speaker. There are also two 5.25” aluminum-cone woofers that handle the midrange and dual 6.5” woofers that handle the lows. The M80ti loudspeaker can handle a maximum amp power of 400 watts into 4-ohm impedance. In other words, these buggers are loud, and provided you have the power, you can play them as loud as you want without any noticeable distortion.