Swan M10 vs Swan D1080MkII08

My mom asked me to pick out some decent speakers for her to play her music on, and the two in the title are at the top of my list after doing some research today. I could really use some feedback though from people who know more about these things and who have experience with these models.

I'm a bass fan myself and have never given much thought to any 2.0 setup, so could someone tell me how noticeable the absence of a sub is with the D1080MkII08?

I'm not really knowledgeable enough to make judgments by comparing the specs of the two systems, but from what I can tell the D1080MkII08 seems to be the superior product. In what ways does it outperform the M10? Are there any aspects in which the M10 is stronger?

Lastly, would these speakers perform noticeably below their potential if they were just connected to the integrated audio of my mom's laptop (Compaq Presario cq62-225nr). Are there any USB sound cards for under $50 that would be worth getting? It'd have to be USB to be compatible with her laptop.

Thanks for the help!

 

(1) I have an old pair of Swans M200 speakers (2.0 self-powered bookshelf speakers). They have fantastic sound quality for the size. The midrange to mid-high frequencies on these speakers are especially full, rich, and clear.

Without a subwoofer, the only thing that is missing from them is the visceral thump of low bass sounds - which may or may not be desirable. If you are a gamer who needs to "feel" sound more than hear it, a subwoofer is a nice addition. If you are anybody else who actually prefers to hear sound, then you'll want to invest in clear speakers versus a subwoofer.

For your mom, unless she is some kind of hardcore FPS gaming junkie, I'd say go with the higher-quality 2.0 D1080 speakers. You can always add an inexpensive subwoofer later (like a Dayton 10" subwoofer for ~$100), and the powered bookshelf speakers can be used for multiple different purposes in the future besides just computer speakers. You cannot buy a 2.1 multimedia speaker setup, and upgrade any of the components within it. And any 2.1 multimedia speaker setup you buy will really only ever be useful to you as computer speakers.

As for $50 sound card? Creative Labs X-Fi 5.1 USB sound card, model SB1090.

 

I agree with Kent1146, I believe your mom would be happier with the D1080MKII 08. It has a warm bass, and although it cannot hit the extreme low frequencies, many people appreciate the transparent effect of full-range drivers. The size of the driver is almost the same size as the midwoofer on the M10. The D1080MKII 08 is larger than most people think.

In terms of clarity, I would imagine M10 may have the slight edge just because it is 3-way speaker system, but I still prefer the fullness of the D1080MKII 08. M10 is much lower priced than the D1080MKII 08, so if price is an issue, M10 or maybe even D1010MKII 08 is better for you. If you don't like the glossy white finish, keep in mind Lockware Systems is the exclusive dealer for Swan M10 Black.

Paul
Lockware Systems