Very Nice Cheap Kit Speakers: HiVi/Swans DIY 2.2A & 3.1

[OldManMatt]

Yes, it's the newest Scan Speak Revelator 7inch..18W/8531G-00 with the Scan Speak Illuminator textile dome diaphragm (soft dome) D3004/660000.

It's basically a Fritz REV7 SE monitor. It was an older REV7 but upgraded with the newer rendition of the Revelator 7inch driver & the SE model's series crossover. I stuck with the soft dome instead of the ring tweeter that I believe is standard on his REV7 SE. Though he will incorporate any tweeter you prefer. I've used a ring tweeter before in my Polk R700's & I actually like the sound of the tweeters..even though they didn't measure very well at mid-hi to hi volume levels. I'm sure the Scanspeak ring is much better though.

There is definitely a difference between these & the Hivi but for the money the Hivi is no slouch. I'm watching TV right now using the Hivi & they are very clear & detailed. Dynamics are pretty dang good. Rumbles, gunshots, explosions sound great. I'm using no DSP with them at the moment. They have a level of clarity & the lack of distortion I normally perceive in higher priced monitors. They are tilted more towards the upper frequencies than my Fritz though. Hopefully I get a chance soon to measure my in room response & compare them to some other speakers I've had in this room..

 

[Poultrygeist]

The woofer is probably HiVi's most famous driver, which they developed in Canada in the 1990s in their HiVi Electro-acoustic Research Center in Toronto. Perhaps developed should be "cloned" as was is a copy of the Dynaudio 17w-75/15w-75. It seems that in the 2000s Dynaudio decided to quit selling this woofer to other manufacturers like Totem Acoustics, Wilson, and others..so Hivi Filled the vacuum. Its a really great driver but there is a new version of it identifiable from the back and I am curious if these use it. Totem still uses the HiVi woofer in some models today.

Now that I have listened to my DIY 2.2a and DIY 3.1 for quite a while, I think I prefer the 2.2 largely because of that driver.

I cringe a bit when I hear about these speakers being HP filtered to use with a sub. Of course, it does depend on your room and listening habits, but I would recommend new owners listen to them full range for a while 1st. as the bass on the 2.2a is astounding for the size, and Hivi rates the D3.1mkii as going even lower.

Don't cringe as my Swans are on tall stands placing the woofers at ear level. The bass is too pronounced in near field this close to my ears but the sub is further away. A major advantage of near field is that the room is less of a factor. One reason I tried the Swans in near field is that it's recommended in the 2.2a literature but probably spaced further apart than I have mine.

 

[Max Trader]

Amazon currently shows an estimated Dec 28 delivery but I expect it before then. Swans said these were on a container ship when I ordered Nov 12 so I check the order every day to see if Amazon has changed it from ordered to shipped

 

[mlankton]

out for delivery

 

[GGroch]

out for delivery

wahoooo!

 

[mlankton]

lol they're just going into storage for my next house, I'm temporarily in a downtown apartment where they would be overkill

 

[GGroch]

Swan Speakers through Amazon (USA) is now listing DIY 3.1A options for those who do not want to glue and clamp cabinets:

1. Fully assembled Cabinets with Black Vinyl wrap for $140
2. Drivers and Crossovers for $260
3. Drivers, Crossover, and Assembled Cabinets for $400.

Pricing seems fair to me, if you screwed up your cabinets $140 to set it right is a deal if you do not mind vinyl wrap. It is not clear to me if you get the acoustic stuffing.

The D3.1 MKII are back in stock. They continued to get 5 star reviews. I'd be interested to hear from owners who have had them for a while. At least a few owners also own the DIY 2.2a, a comparison would be fascinating.

 

[GGroch]

Danny of ASR favorite GR Research has posted a review of the D3.1 MKII which is surprisingly positive considering the woofer is not removeable so he cannot offer crossover upgrades. At 2:30 he shows a photo of the crossover taken by removing the rear binding posts, it is not the same as the DIY 2.2a having quite a few more components and looks to be excellent quality for the pricepoint. His biggest complaint is its rising HF response. Whether they are indeed bright in use (few of the user reviews mention this) would depend a lot on placement.

 

[Reydepancakes]

Interesting, looks like the 2.2a are back in stock - anybody have an updated 2026 review or mods? I'm curious for a set of near field desk speakers but might just build another 3.1a or alternative

 

[GGroch]

The 2.2a's listed on Amazon for $299 have already assembled cabinets, you put in the drivers/crossovers I think. Owning and now having listened to both 3.1a and 2.2a I marginally prefefer the 2.2 because they are a bit more coherent and have a bit more bass slam....but it is all sighted listening so several grains of salt added. As for mods, I am hoping someone will reverse engineer the D3.1MKII crossover pictured in Danny's review (see attached). The cabinet size and drivers are near identical but the crossover has more components.

 

[Reydepancakes]

The 2.2a's listed on Amazon for $299 have already assembled cabinets, you put in the drivers/crossovers I think. Owning and now having listened to both 3.1a and 2.2a I marginally prefefer the 2.2 because they are a bit more coherent and have a bit more bass slam....but it is all sighted listening so several grains of salt added. As for mods, I am hoping someone will reverse engineer the D3.1MKII crossover pictured in Danny's review (see attached). The cabinet size and drivers are near identical but the crossover has more components.

I have a 3.1a with one of the Sehlin mods and its good. Would like a 2.2a for some near field and would prefer to build my own cabinet and veneer it.

I gave AI that prompt and it gave me a quick seemingly possible circuit... I didn't look too closely.