Small floor standing speaker shootout... (1 Viewer)

[Jon Lane]

Of course, I cannot speak for any buyers, including those we count as our own customers. It's just that TAI tends to present what I hope is a more relaxed atmosphere than some...and undoubtedly, we pay a price in sales for it. Different strokes. At any rate, it's not something any of us at TAI spend a lot of time either thinking about or pursuing.

And no, we're not shy about the Swan product...no need to be. We present what we trust is a helpful and respectful image, and we do take pride in the price/performance ratio Swan offers the online market. With what we feel is a very solid contender, and with some 50+ years in the industry, we're also having a good time.

 

[Kevin_Breeze]

Jon, first off, let me say that I think those Swan 6.1's look AWESOME in my opinion and they appear to be an amazing value so hopefully you understand my skepticism.

When in comes to direct speakers, theres no ability to audition them without having to buy them first and possibly incur freight charges, so people are forced to put all their faith in reviews, both professional and private. That is why I am so hung up on the fact that there are no reviews on Audioreview.com. Granted the reviews must be taken with a grain of salt, but they are still an invaluable tool especially with direct order speakers, and i am still VERY baffled about the extreme inconsistency(imo) between the website claims and the zero feedback on audioreview.com....

 

[Jon Lane]

I'm as much in the dark as you are, Kevin. TAI has sponsored items at AR for lengths of time and we've even discussed their reviving the mammoth Swan library of material apparently posted there during the past few years, but evidently it's not yet happened.

There were rumors that there were issues with the previous campaign, but I emphasize that they are just rumors; I do not know precisely what went on there.

At any rate, yes we do struggle at times to keep up with demand, and many customers are old friends and acquaintences. The reach-out-and-touch-someone nature of the Internet makes it happen.

 

[Kevin_Breeze]

Ok, one final thought....eh-hem, can I have a pair to keep for $500 (thats all i got). I'll audition them and if they are great speakers i will be sure to tell the world. Your greatest skeptics are yur best customers

 

[Richard_M]

Craig...

Have you had seen this product before?



http://www.sonicdesign.se/sdfeet.html

Here is a couple of snippets from their page:-

 

[Jon Lane]

Kevin,
I've heard "a great deal at twice the price!" but never, a great deal at half the price. That's a new one you'll have to let me think about.

 

[Craig Chase]

Richard, they look cool...plus, when not under the speakers, they could double as poker chips...

 

[Richard_M]

Err is this some form of food like 'Fish & Chips'?

You must realise that us guys from down under are underprivileged, we only got electricity last week, and next week they are talking inside flushing toilets....

 

[Craig Chase]

Richard.. you know, Poker... where you show up with $1000, play cards for 4 hours, and leave with $23.72 ...

 

[John Tami]

Ha Ha! Good to see your up to a review'n again Craig! Looks like an interesting mix. Look forward to the results.

Ya know, one pair of my S26II's I got for $122+$22 shipping...and my 20-29PCi was about $650 shipped? Hmmm..

Never mind...but I like them! That's what counts!

Above all, have fun and enjoy!

 

[Kevin_Breeze]

Guys can't you see I am trying to score a pair of these speakers to audition, geez!

 

[CurtisSC]

Craig...what's playing on the speakers tonight?

 

[Richard_M]

I do realise this Kevin.

I figured if I threw in a couple of curve balls it may put Jon off guard, he would realise I was an idiot, and it would be worth giving you the speakers for free, just to get rid of me...

Craig...

$1000 I wouldn't know what that looked like, as I only get $50.00 per week allowance :frowning:

 

[Jon Lane]

I love Australia. New policy: Free 6.1's to any friends down under who'll pay my way to personally deliver them and stay a week (on the beach) setting them up.

 

[Kevin_Breeze]

I need some new speakers and looking for some help, lol.

 

[Kevin_Breeze]

Jon, I live on Long island and our home (apartemnt but its nice) is always open to new friends. beach is 10 minutes away and NYC is 30 minutes away (hamptons is also 30 minutes away in other direction). you got free room and board we good good meals and fridge is always stocked with plenty of cold beer! Fishing, swimming, theatre, car shows, etc etc...Whatever you want to do its close, its awesome here, just very expensive

PS-I'm serious.

 

[Jon Lane]

I know you are...and I also love NYC. My dad is just north of you in New England and...well, keep tempting me and I'll probably find a way to make it out there.

Actually, come to think of it, if you would be so kind as to ping me at [email protected], I may have something you'd be interested in...

 

[Richard_M]

Hey now you’re talking Jon...

Let me get this straight, pay 1 way ticket, you will deliver install and setup, pitch a tent on the beach for you to stay in, and make you own way home at your expense, without the speakers.

Hmmm now where can I get a tent from...?

 

[Craig Chase]

Jet - Thanks for the welcome... and of course it is the important thing that you like your system....

For tonight, It was Dire Straits "Making Movies" and Alanis Morrisette's "Under Rug Swept" ... These speakers are different enough that I am pretty sure they order WAS reversed tonight... Last night's "A" was tonight's "B" ... I will say that with an 80 % positive....

So...

Speaker "A" ... Starting with Morrisette... The opening song on the Disc is "21 things I want from a lover" ... I think I passed 3 of them, so I guess being her sig other is out of the question... This disc, like Dire Straits, is great not due to any one factor like the deepest bass, but rather because there is always a lot going on with different instruments, and lots of vocals....

"A" was just outstanding with everything on both discs. The opening guitar was presented with all the power I remember from my Klipschhorns, with the bass lines behind it coming through clearly.. where "B" was a little lighter in weight. During the song "Surrendering" there are repeated rythym guitars that the "A's" placed well to the right of the stage, where the "B's" did not play them at all. This is not an insult to "B"... no budget speaker I have has ever picked up on this.

On every song, while "B" was very good for a speaker in this range, it was clearly bested by "A". One refrain of "21 lovers" has Morrisette singing in the upper end of her range, and "A" was much more coherent, making each word very clear... where "B" could not quite keep up. Again, this is a really difficult section... and a great test for a speaker's lower treble delineation.

When playing "That Particular Time", a really good speaker will place a rolling kick drum behind the speakers... in the middle back, if you will. "A" presented it as well as any speaker that I have heard, where "B" was very good, but not quite in the same league. The bass was more of a thump... it was there, and added to the song, but it was not as clearly played on "B".

Making Movies is not quite as difficult a test as is "Rug", but it is a great test for male vocals and a speakers ability to ROCK... Here, the competition was closer, both speakers delivering the bass punch with authority, though "A" was more tuneful and powerful, by a small margin. Both did an excellent job with Knopfler's destinctive vocals.

Overall, again both speakers make a bit of a mockery of the $1000 price tag...

Tonight's score...

Speaker "A" 100 points
Speaker "B" 92 points

Tomorrow Will be a lot of live jazz... soundstaging/imaging will be discussed at length...

 

[CurtisSC]

Thanks for update Craig.