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The high frequencies and midrange on the Swans M200 Mk III were refined and exhibited great warmth with a decidedly tubular signature, one that was immediately seductive. The designer has aimed at a relative smoothness of response instead of the extra sparkle from a tipped-up top. This approach pays off with instruments that sounded far more lifelike than facsimile.
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With the Audiospace CDP 8A CD player I had opportunity to observe how the speakers would react to its different outputs. Arguments abounded in our household as to which was right. When paired with the tube outputs, the additive warm character pushed the presentation into addictively lush. The transistor outputs gave a mildly leaner balance with more upper mid emphasis. In contrast, the Kanto with the same sources gained further refinement from the midrange through highs especially so with the tube output but remained relatively more transparent.
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Soundstaging & imaging: The word tubular continued in my review notes. The presentation was very much reminiscent of the Soundmaster triode-based setup also under review at the time. The Swans had a very nearfield perspective with a slightly forward soundstage. That exhibited considerable projection, pushing images into the room and away from the speaker plane but with some loss of absolute depth. This was accompanied by quite dimensional images which belied the size of the speaker, being big and bold if a little diffuse. Width was extremely good and extended well beyond the speakers in an almost cinemascope presentation. This produced the illusion of a much larger speaker especially when seated in the nearfield. Here the Swans was consistently superior in width and projection to the Kanto iPair 5. The Kanto meanwhile offered more pinpoint imaging and better depth. The difference was one of perspective. The Swans encompassed the listener, the Kanto offered a spectator's viewpoint of the event. Depending on the listening environment, either was preferable. In computer usage, the Swans created a better illusion of a large sound field given the limited distance between speakers and seating position. In a larger room, the same nearfield perspective worked against it.
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The big picture: In absolute terms, the Swans M200 Mk III is not intended to replace a high-end system but rather, act as an ancillary setup to further enjoy music with. While billed as a multimedia monitor, it seems best suited as a desktop computer speaker. In that context it was a rousing success. Frequency response and imaging make it a boon for lovers of acoustic music, especially those partial to a tube flavor. There was sufficient similarity of sound between the Swans and Soundmaster Reference tube electronics that while I alternated listening sessions from the expensive to the cheap setup, withdrawal pains were greatly diminished.
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Against the Kanto iPair 5, the Swans M200 Mk III showed very real differences in intent. The Kanto can take its position atop a pair of traditional stands and in a small to moderate room handily replace a traditional small stereo system with convincing verve and punch. In a desktop or computer application however, that same bass power and traditional placement requirement work against it. Conversely, the Swans were slightly disadvantaged when used as stand-mounted monitors. The results were pleasant but clearly handicapped by the larger room and loss of low-end boundary support. It was in the computer environment where they demonstrated their strengths.
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The Swans design is calculated to take advantage of the nearfield listening position and boundary reinforcement which computer listening demands. Then the Swans operates at full potential. The angled baffle worked in its favor and the Mk III’s propensity for image width created a more credible illusion for the closer seating position. The bass retained tremendous articulation and gained a little more power. The performance level in computer use was elevated by the fact that even the most basic integrated audio card these days is far more advanced than a few years back. My integrated Realtek is capable of outputting respectable 24/192 resolution files. Playing a few such demo samples clearly demonstrated the superiority of the higher resolution media as well as the further potential of the Swans. The performance as a nearfield loudspeaker was very good on an absolute basis but demanded a comparative evaluation. I decided to see how the M200 Mk III would fare against a popular 2.0 computer monitor.
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The Creative T20 is a wonderful little overachiever with a high level of quality at a low price. It offers decent dynamics, a relatively smooth midrange, imaging and depth and good bass power given its size. By comparison to the Swans however, the contest was clearly one-sided and against the Creative. The jump in price to the Swans didn’t just amount to the traditional tiny performance increase invoked by the law of diminishing returns. It was a huge leap to an entirely different plateau. No surprise really but still educational.
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This leap was accompanied by a sense of ease and refinement which the Creative completely missed. Bass had greater authority and articulation, vocals better presence. Even with the Yamaha YST-MSW10 Servo subwoofer on the T20 which demonstrated slightly better extension, the combo was still severely outmatched. With the Swans all aspects were superior, offering a better presentation of real people and real events.
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Since the combination of Creative and Yamaha sub had previously yielded superior results, I tried a tentative marriage of Swans M200 Mk III and Yamaha. The results were mixed. While I could get slightly lower overall bass, integration was less successful. The gain in extension came at the cost of quality and articulation. The attempt at matching painfully showed the better accuracy and relative articulation of the Swans in the crossover range. The M200 Mk III showed such exemplary pedigree here that it demanded a much better subwoofer. For the remainder of the PC evaluations, I decided to run without sub. This proved highly addictive with increasingly extended listening sessions.
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Since a better subwoofer was required, I decided to move a little further upscale. I took the Swans beyond their comfort zone and back to the home theater room's Paradigm PW2200 subwoofer with X-30 crossover. Now life got very interesting. I treated the Swans M200 Mk III as a device demanding pedigree status and crossed it over quite low. With a superior subwoofer and crossover, the speaker transformed and the combination meshed quite seamlessly. The smooth frequency character of the Swans in the bass and natural roll off made for easy matching. The Chinese retained their warm demeanor, stereo imaging, superior bass articulation and focus they had already demonstrated but gained low-frequency legs plus a modicum of dynamic fervor that increased their performance to almost floorstander proportions. While this will probably never be a realistic scenario, it was good to know that ultimate performance potential acquitted itself this well.
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Conclusion: The Swans M200 Mk III are a class act. They live up to expectations imposed by history and push pedigree yet further upscale. As a computer monitor, they offer a phenomenal level of sound quality and have a visual aesthetic of decadent luxury. Their warm enveloping tube-like presentation should appeal to those seeking that kind of sonic signature. They never overanalyze. They consistently remain pleasantly revealing. The Swans M200 Mk III entices us to seek out and explore new music. That very ability to encourage listening is probably its greatest strength.
Regardless of virtue, no product will be all things to all men. While the speakers performed in exemplary fashion as computer monitors, they were more suited for musical satisfaction than gaming pyrotechnics. Acoustic music lovers will delight. Those demanding peak levels and gut-thumping bass should look elsewhere. These speakers are designed to stir the soul, not rattle the teeth. This is a musically satisfying design for the audiophile seeking a better lifestyle component. Shamelessly attractive and overbuilt given their modest price, it's an easy and enthusiastic recommendation. In America, the Swans M200 Mk III is sold direct through The Audio Insider. |
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Quality of packing: Double boxed and protected with Styrofoam inserts.
Reusability of packing: Yes.
Condition of components received: Pristine.
Delivery: FedEx from US importer.
Website comments: Well laid out. Informative.
Human interactions: Professional and friendly.
Warranty: One year parts and labor including outbound shipping. The Audio Insider covers this service. The Audio Insider also provides a 30 day in-home trial guarantee.
Final comments & suggestions: Rolls Royce build and refinement for those who can’t afford Rolls Royce.
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