Originally Posted by
Steve Ozmai 
mtrot,
Thanks for the question. As you can imagine - this is one we get quite often. First - with respect to the sonic matching - the X.1 and X.2 Diva series have not been timbre matched. Though the voicing is similar, there is not a perfect sonic match between these lines. All timbre matching in the Diva series is done within each product category. In other words - all X.1 series are matched to each other - as are all X.2 series. Thus, when designing a X.1 or X.2 system, you can choose from any range of components within the line...though we do not recommend mixing between the two. In real world testing, the difference between something like the 6.1 and a X.2 series center channel is minimal and, in some cases, inaudible. That said, it is not a perfect match on paper - so our recommendation is to stay within the lines when building your system.
Second - with respect to the 6.1 vs. 6.2 question - this is another VERY common topic. Unfortunately for us...or should I say fortunately for you...Swans really outdid themselves on the 6.1. This is a speaker that almost single handedly redefined the high-end audio industry (as one of the first ID loudspeakers). Some of you might remember our "attention grabbing" unveiling of the Diva 6.1 (and the rest of the Diva line) at CES several years ago. To prove a point, we put this speaker side by side with the B&W Nautlius 802 (an incredible, and ridiculously expensive, loudspeaker) and made a staff of reviewers guess which they were hearing. Let's just say there were more than a few egos shattered over that particular weekend (and some interesting legal developments a few years later from a certain high-end speaker manufacturer).
One of the 6.1's biggest strengths is its ability to remain detailed, articulate, and balanced over a very wide power range. From whispers to wall-shaking explosions, the 6.1 presents a remarkable level of detail without ever overpowering the listener. Many speakers that offer this type of performance will cause fatigue after 20-30 minutes in front of the speakerthe 6.1 is the exact opposite. In fact, we've had several experiences with and feedback from our customers that have no idea how loud the speakers are actually playing until they leave the roomand, in some cases, the house. When they can still hear the output from 60 yards down the street, but don't have listener fatigue while actually in the room, it's always an eye opening experience. This ability is in large part due to drivers used in the 6.1. Dual magnesium alloy bass woofers (8"), Kevlar midrange (6"), and silk dome tweeter. These components are able to accommodate a very wide power band without a significant shift in frequency response (thus you won't lose bass response at low volume or detail at high volume).
Where the 6.1 is a heavyweight knock-your-socks-off beast, the 6.2 is a much more refined and controlled monster (by no means a small speaker). The 6.2 is the evolution of the Diva category designed to offer reference level performance in any format (from high-rez music to Pro Logic DVD's). While the X.2 series shares the Diva name, it's really a new category all together. The X.2 line shares many of the driver configurations seen in the X.1 line, but that's really where the similarities end. The differences start with a beautifully redesigned bentwood cabinetwhich really has to be seen to appreciate. Building on the X.1 technology, the cabinet in the X.2 line is designed to eliminate any and all parallel surfaces - thus reducing standing waves inside the cabinet and improving the overall accuracy, time alignment, and soundstage of the speaker. All drivers utilize new long-throw linear suspensions with polypropylene cones. Though not quite as rigid as the metal cones used in the X.1 series, the X.2 drivers offer a more refined and detailed response with significantly improved off-axis response. Last, but definitely not least, all X.2 loudspeakers use truly state-of-the-art crossovers (Swans doesn't believe in charging more to build crossovers right the first time). The X.2 crossovers utilize the best components available in the Swans inventory - and are voiced specifically with the X.2 series drivers to maximize off-axis response and deliver unprecedented 2-channel imaging. For all of these reasons, many of our customers find that the X.2 series offers a bit better overall performance for most music formats. Because most home theater formats don't heavily rely on imaging to recreate the desired effect (since there's a speaker where an image would be created in a 2 channel system), the 6.1's additional lower mid-bass punch and visceral effect (you FEEL the 6.1) make it the speaker of choice for HT. In most cases, I recommend the 6.1 for a 30/70 music/HT system and the 6.2 in a 70/30 music/HT system.
Sorry for the long post - hope that helps answer the question!
As I said, heresy, right?
