I got my first pair of Axioms a couple of years ago for a small 2 channel system and really like them. Since then I've been using some in my HT for a few months and again really like them. Placement makes a huge difference, more so than with other speakders I've used so far. To be fair I don't yet have much speaker experience outside of bigger producers like Polk, but note that in addition to good speakers it has to count for something at Axiom when you have the wife of the founder following up with you on email to make sure that you got your order and "is everything okay?", which has been the case for me. Outlaw direct service is good, but Axioms seems to be at the next level.

On the bad recording thread - I am to the point now where the music itself seems secondary to the recording....I'd generally much rather listen to a good recording of music that I don't generally like than to a bad (but still "professional") recording of music I that do generally like. Perhaps that is one of the steps to addiction : ).