Writing in Enjoy The Music, Clarke Robinson finds the Swan D2.1se an interesting listen. Excerpts from Clarke’s summary:
The D2.1SEs are quite an achievement. They redefine what is possible for a small-box two-way, delivering beguiling sound at a scale I don’t know that you can touch for anywhere near their asking price.
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This is another one of those speakers (and there aren’t very many of them) that should be making manufacturers of speakers sold through traditional dealer networks very nervous, and for that I heartily applaud Swans’ efforts.
Major PC/IT technology site AnandTech’s Gary Key shares his thoughts about the sound of Swan on the PC desktop. At TAI, we’ve found ways to offer Swan studio monitors at high-end multimedia speaker prices, and Gary finds the economy studio monitor Swan D1080MkII an excellent performing value.
The Swan M10 takes honors as his choice of compact 2.1-channel multimedia speaker system.
Gary also favorably commends the globally-popular Swan M200MkII reference desktop speaker system. Click the headline to travel to AnandTech and read the detailed analysis he provides there.
Excerpts:
I have always been a big Swan fan and someone will have to pry the M200MkII from my cold dead hands before I give them up. The new M12 units probably would have been perfect, but knowing my daughter would not really notice the difference I saved some money and bought the Swan M10 setup for just a few dollars more than the Logitech Z-2300. While the Logitech speakers win the battle of the bass, the Swan’s provide just an incredible clarity with superb mids and highs for the money. The soundstage comes across as being larger than it actually is and instrument separation is excellent.
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The M10 units would have suited me perfectly and I probably should have gone that direction for saving money also. However, being the one to try something different, I decided to look at the Swan D1080MkII series after understanding them to be an inexpensive M200 substitute.
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The high frequency definition and transient response is very good along with smooth and clear highs after the break-in period. The midrange is close to the M200 series and is the greatest strength of this speaker set. I would grade it somewhere between very good to excellent with sharp transients, stable imaging, and a very open but neutral sound stage. The upper bass is very good and provides a seamless transition into the midrange.
Thanks to Gabriel Torres and Hardware Secrets for this very nice capsule review on how to use the new Swan S3W. Gabriel also publishes the massive tech site, ClubdoHardware, based in Brazil.
The S3W is a fabulous miniature 2.0 desktop system for when you just want pinpoint imaging and a really clean sound. We guarantee it!
Scott Liddi sends this info about Grüvething, his large band. They’re great. Host them for your next event.
Grüvething is a hip, high-energy, funky dance band that performs a wide variety of music, ranging from funk to pop, to soul, to much-loved classics from the 60s on up. The sultry vocals of the lovely Debi Red and April Rain are powerfully complimented by Grüvething’s five-horn section.
Whether you want your audience to dance the night away, or kick back, relax, and enjoy a great show – Grüvething delivers! Grüvething is enjoyed by all ages and consists of a group of talented and highly-acclaimed local San Luis Obispo County musicians.
Contact Information:
Catherine Jaeger
Upstairs Marketing Group
805.239.0200
catherine@upstairsmarketing.com
As with the original rosewood version, both come in 100% gloss hand-rubbed lacquer. The new bird’s-eye maple and piano black stock for the first time approximately Jan 21st. Click pics for full-res versions and click the link to visit the D2.1se product page, complete with pricing.
Don Lindich writes the Sound Advice Blog. Don’s columns are distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Service and run in major newspapers nationwide. Apparently Don enjoys the new Acculine series loudspeakers found exclusively at The Audio Insider:
I came across an amazing find recently - the Acculine speakers from The Audio Insider. Acculine speakers use a unique leaf tweeter that is typically found only in very expensive speakers. The speakers are well made, with solid cabinets with high-quality aluminum woofers. I’m currently testing a pair of A1s and they are extremely impressive, providing tremendous detail and rich, natural sound.
What makes the Acculines special is their leaf tweeters, typically found only in very expensive, exotic speakers. These tweeters must be heard to be appreciated, as they render sound so transparently and with so much detail that I liken it to a sonic version of the visual difference between HDTV and analog TV — they are really that good! Many new owners will turn their heads in disbelief as they hear sounds in their recordings they never knew existed.
Don also advises that at Acculine’s modest cost, there’s probably no reason to compromise with the performance of the typical home-theater-in-a-box.
Affordable Audio has just published (PDF) the results of a recent listening session at the home of a PA audiophile. A number of models from TAI were present. Congratulations to the BG design and production team, the Dana/GamuT team, and to Swan/HiVi. Naturally, we’re very pleased here at TAI to have had this opportunity to demonstrate each of these fine products against some notable competitors.
