[CES 07] A Terrific Speaker Value from China
January 9th, 2007 — By Chris MartensHiVi Swans T700HT 5-channel speaker system
HiVi Swans is a Chinese speaker manufacturer with high-end roots that run deep. Though HiVi Swans is not exactly a household name in the U.S., the firm builds premium piston and ribbon-type driver units that have found their way into some very famous and high-end loudspeakers made in North America and in Europe (we’d love to name names, here, but HiVi Swans has asked us not to divulge the identities of its most well-known customers).
But because HiVi Swans manufactures all of its own driver units, the firm’s complete speaker systems appear to offer terrific value. A good example would be the gorgeous T700HT shown here. The system consists of two T700F floorstanders ($1200/pair), a T600C center channel ($300), and a pair of T700R surround speakers ($400/pair, plus $150/pairs for stands as shown). Add it up and you’ll pay $2050 for a 5-channel system that–trust on this one–looks like it should cost twice that (or more). And the beauty of the system is more than skin-deep.
The T700F floorstander, for example, features a high-performance RTII “Isodynamic Planar” tweeters, and exotic magnesium-alloy mid-bass driver with special damping on the interior diaphragm surface, and dual rear-firing 8-inch subwoofers. Normally, you just don’t find this level of driver sophistication in large floorstanding speakers selling for just $1200/pair, and the same value-for-money theme carries forward throughout the line.
TPV will be keeping a close eye on HiVi and other serious audio manufacturers from China, with the possibility of doing some system evaluations/reviews in the future. Our opinion is that today’s best Chinese manufacturers offer beautifully-made products whose performance/price ratios are–in some cases–right off the charts. That’s good news for us all.
