Okay... my semi annual question...

[Worf101]

I ask this question every couple of years or so. I joined this site back in 2000, back before they changed formats. I remember the "slight differences of opinion" that passed for discourse here... In other words, I know where the bodies are buried. So with that in mind I ask the following are either nOrh or Swan still in the speaker business?

Sorry, just curious.

Da Worfster

[kexodusc]

Dunno about nOrh.
Lemme tell you about Swan though - the parent company is HiVi...they make some good drivers from cheap to expensive and are really getting popular in the DIY world. They have some stinkers too, but what we're seeing is Asian manufacturing supervised by USA quality control, designed in the USA, and it's really putting the pressure on the established European driver companies.

Swan is just the retail branch for the drivers...they haven't gone anywhere, though they're a much bigger brand name in other parts of the world. Not the best speakers I've heard at that price, but imprssive for the money. If their speaker designers were as good as their driver designers they'd be a real smash. A friend bought a Swan system, about 2 years and I posted my thoughts of it. Back in 2005:

A review of the Swans 6.1 HT speaker system

Dynaudio's no slouch in the mid-fi speaker line. These held up nicely, and are a bit easier on the wallet.

I can remember all the Swan song-singers chanting their praises a few years back. You'd think Einstein designed them or something by the hype. That's typical of any popuplar model though, people get, umm, carried away.

[Worf101]

I lova ya man!!! Thanks for the review and information. I'm happy with my Platinum Audio Studio 3's but for the life of me I wonder how many 2 channel or HT setups still have those nOrh Djembi Drums for mains or have they all be knocked over and destroyed by dogs or kids?

Seek and ye shall find they say. Just visited the nOrh webbia and they're still up. They've even "branched out" in to amps (tubed) and other separates. They've graduated from just "drums" to pyramids etc.. Interestin' they want $3,000 for their marble 9.0's wow.

Da Worfster

[brulaha]

I was just wondering what had happened to nOrh. People used to rave and rave about them. Now I hear nothing. I would read all these stories about people buying them without hearing them. Now I hear nothing. I always thought they were crazy.

And I too visited their web site and was shocked to see that their 9.0 were now $3k. Wasn't their whole company profile providing high quality at inexpensive prices??? I don't remember how much they were back in the day, but I seem to remember the $1k price range.

Anyone care to comment?

[emorphien]

AFAIK nOrh is still around and I've love to hear them, along with Swan speakers. In fact I'd probably have a pair of the Swan M200s for my computer if I had the room for them.

[drseid]

I was just wondering what had happened to nOrh. People used to rave and rave about them. Now I hear nothing. I would read all these stories about people buying them without hearing them. Now I hear nothing. I always thought they were crazy.

And I too visited their web site and was shocked to see that their 9.0 were now $3k. Wasn't their whole company profile providing high quality at inexpensive prices??? I don't remember how much they were back in the day, but I seem to remember the $1k price range.

Anyone care to comment?

I think it was closer to $2500 about 8 years ago. With inflation and the relatively weak dollar, I think that number sounds like a fair increase. I believe the $1000 price was for their 9.0s in a wood drum enclosure (not the marble ones).

I still can't stand their looks, but they use good drivers for the money.

---Dave

[brulaha]

Both fair comments. I never doubted that they used good drivers, and I honestly was guessing at the price way back when. I just always found it surprising that people would by a speaker unheard from a foreign country. Granted you could return them, I just know I would never do it.

As an aside, I did buy one speaker unheard from a local shop. I knew I could return it and I knew I wouldn't. It was the Velodyne HGS 18, which I purchased used from the original store of origin, Progressive Audio, in Columbus, Ohio (great store by the way). I plugged it into the old system and never looked back. 4 years later, she's still a stud.

[Blue Meanie]

I ask this question every couple of years or so.

Wouldn't semi annual be TWICE a year?

Jeff

[samgupta]

Ah yes…nohr…I was actually thinking of them the other day. I was just getting into all this audio stuff when I first heard about them in 2002 or so. I remember they had an American flag paint scheme, with some text below it like “I’ve always admired the US…”

Talk about playing to the crowd…it’s like a professional athlete saying “thank you to the best fans in the world.”