TheProfessor1987
Recruit
Hello Friends! I am sharing my insights and opinions regarding the Swans Jam & Lab8 Floor Standing Speakers. I don't normally write reviews and so I hope that you'll find this one to be entertaining and informative.
I would like to thank 5.1 Sounds (Nerul sector 6, next to Domino's and Barbeque Nation; adjacent to Palm Beach road, Navi Mumbai) for arranging a detailed demonstration and letting me listen with full freedom. I was on the lookout for a decent pair of speakers and so walked into their showroom on a late Saturday Afternoon.
Upon entering, my gaze was immediately drawn towards the several tower speakers that were arranged daintily at the right hand side. The setting looked like a miniature model of downtown Manhattan. I greeted the owner and expressed my wish to have a demo in stereo setup. I opted for the tallest, biggest (and in my mind, baddest,) speakers, which happened to be Swans Jam & Lab 8. Standing 3.5 feet tall, they certainly make a formidable structure, even in Manhattan!
The sides, rear and top feature laminated wood with matte finish. This lends a premium feel to the speakers, without coming across as ostentatious. The shiny black and gold Swan logo at the lower part of the fascia looks classy and smart. The port is at the lower back end, with gleaming, gold plated binding posts. The monstrous 8 inch drivers are mounted onto silvery-gray surrounds, which are complemented very well by the carbon-black baffle. I personally like the elegant yet slightly-restrained look of the Jam & Lab 8. The appearance has a few cool vintage touches but it is not too gaudy.
I nestled into the cozy sofa and waited in anticipation as the owner selected the timeless classic 'Hotel California' on the screen. The speakers buzzed to life and began playing the comfortingly familiar intro. This was the live acoustic version of the song. The mids were silky smooth and crystal clear. I reckon that to a person with a synesthetic imagination, they'd sound much like a fine scotch – intoxicating, that is!
What really hit me though, was the colossal amounts of bass that this Swan flagship generated. The percussion instruments sounded really precise and taut. California is not a bassy song, but the bass guitar really came through quite well. I could only imagine what an impact an RnB song would make on these!
Next in line was Guns n Roses' 'Knocking on Heaven's door'. Axl's highs sounded very emotional and detailed. It would not be an understatement to say that the speakers enveloped me in a concert-like atmosphere. They are quite capable of inducing mass hysteria, or at least nostalgia, among a fairly large group of fans.
I listened to the same two songs on Polk RTI A7 speakers. The sound signature was impressive but by now, I was already hooked onto the resonant rumbling of the Jam & Lab 8. Between songs, I had inquired about the price and was pleased to find out the number was not astronomically high. In fact, it was quite reasonable, considering the build quality that is associated with Hivi and the phenomenal performance that I had just experienced. By now, I found myself reaching for my credit card but then, I was jolted back to my senses. I was about to do something that's thought to be sacrilegious in this day and age. I wanted to buy something and hadn't even checked its price on the internet. So I casually brought out my smartphone and under the guise of texting, quickly checked the price of the Hivi Jam & Lab 8 online. To my surprise, the store owner had given me a very reasonable quote. I didn't need further convincing. I was SOLD! The speakers were delivered and installed the next day itself, even though it was a Sunday.
Fast forward 2 weeks: The Swans look very much at home in my drawing room. They are making my Denon amp work quite hard. I think they are burned in by now. My younger brother is happy as Honey Singh sounds fantastic (probably better than he actually is) through these speakers. Mom is happy because they take oldies and Arijit to a whole new level. Miraculously, I have managed to keep the volume reasonable down and so my neighbours aren't hatching plans to murder me – or so I hope!
The Jam & Lab 8 have a tact for eliciting audible reactions from my guests. Even my in-laws like it – which is quite an achievement for Swans since my in-laws like nothing! My wife too, hasn't nagged me in a while. Or maybe the speakers simply drown her mumbling. Either way- it's a win win!
I would like to thank 5.1 Sounds (Nerul sector 6, next to Domino's and Barbeque Nation; adjacent to Palm Beach road, Navi Mumbai) for arranging a detailed demonstration and letting me listen with full freedom. I was on the lookout for a decent pair of speakers and so walked into their showroom on a late Saturday Afternoon.
Upon entering, my gaze was immediately drawn towards the several tower speakers that were arranged daintily at the right hand side. The setting looked like a miniature model of downtown Manhattan. I greeted the owner and expressed my wish to have a demo in stereo setup. I opted for the tallest, biggest (and in my mind, baddest,) speakers, which happened to be Swans Jam & Lab 8. Standing 3.5 feet tall, they certainly make a formidable structure, even in Manhattan!
The sides, rear and top feature laminated wood with matte finish. This lends a premium feel to the speakers, without coming across as ostentatious. The shiny black and gold Swan logo at the lower part of the fascia looks classy and smart. The port is at the lower back end, with gleaming, gold plated binding posts. The monstrous 8 inch drivers are mounted onto silvery-gray surrounds, which are complemented very well by the carbon-black baffle. I personally like the elegant yet slightly-restrained look of the Jam & Lab 8. The appearance has a few cool vintage touches but it is not too gaudy.
I nestled into the cozy sofa and waited in anticipation as the owner selected the timeless classic 'Hotel California' on the screen. The speakers buzzed to life and began playing the comfortingly familiar intro. This was the live acoustic version of the song. The mids were silky smooth and crystal clear. I reckon that to a person with a synesthetic imagination, they'd sound much like a fine scotch – intoxicating, that is!
What really hit me though, was the colossal amounts of bass that this Swan flagship generated. The percussion instruments sounded really precise and taut. California is not a bassy song, but the bass guitar really came through quite well. I could only imagine what an impact an RnB song would make on these!
Next in line was Guns n Roses' 'Knocking on Heaven's door'. Axl's highs sounded very emotional and detailed. It would not be an understatement to say that the speakers enveloped me in a concert-like atmosphere. They are quite capable of inducing mass hysteria, or at least nostalgia, among a fairly large group of fans.
I listened to the same two songs on Polk RTI A7 speakers. The sound signature was impressive but by now, I was already hooked onto the resonant rumbling of the Jam & Lab 8. Between songs, I had inquired about the price and was pleased to find out the number was not astronomically high. In fact, it was quite reasonable, considering the build quality that is associated with Hivi and the phenomenal performance that I had just experienced. By now, I found myself reaching for my credit card but then, I was jolted back to my senses. I was about to do something that's thought to be sacrilegious in this day and age. I wanted to buy something and hadn't even checked its price on the internet. So I casually brought out my smartphone and under the guise of texting, quickly checked the price of the Hivi Jam & Lab 8 online. To my surprise, the store owner had given me a very reasonable quote. I didn't need further convincing. I was SOLD! The speakers were delivered and installed the next day itself, even though it was a Sunday.
Fast forward 2 weeks: The Swans look very much at home in my drawing room. They are making my Denon amp work quite hard. I think they are burned in by now. My younger brother is happy as Honey Singh sounds fantastic (probably better than he actually is) through these speakers. Mom is happy because they take oldies and Arijit to a whole new level. Miraculously, I have managed to keep the volume reasonable down and so my neighbours aren't hatching plans to murder me – or so I hope!
The Jam & Lab 8 have a tact for eliciting audible reactions from my guests. Even my in-laws like it – which is quite an achievement for Swans since my in-laws like nothing! My wife too, hasn't nagged me in a while. Or maybe the speakers simply drown her mumbling. Either way- it's a win win!
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