HiVi Swans 2.5HT

In the department of "more is better," HiVi showed their Swans 2.5HT towers and system at CES this year. With almost too many tweeters (ribbon and soft dome) to count, we couldn't help but be amazed. The home theater system's front speaker consists of sixteen 28mm soft dome tweeters and sixteen isodynamic ribbon tweeters. According to HiVi, this kind of driver configuration ensures higher sound resolution and dynamic output. Four 5" bass-midrange drivers produce the mid-low frequency range.  A side mounted 15" subwoofer handles ultra low frequencies. Center and surround speakers match the front speakers by using the same drivers and similar finishes.  With the 15" sub integrated into the fronts, a stand alone sub might not be necessary (but you know you'd want one).

We are always impressed with the looks of Swans speakers and the 2.5HT is no different. The finish of Swans 2.5HT is a real wood veneer covered by piano lacquer. The array of tweeters is mounted on an aluminum alloy panel, creating a classic look with a touch of modern design. While they had a set on display and were demoing them, it is always hard to judge their sound quality on the show floor. If they sound half as good as they look, they should be a very impressive speaker indeed. For more information, please visit www.hivi.com.

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