Overview

Sanwa Supply is a leading Japanese computer peripheral manufacturer established in 1951. The company develops approximately 3,500 original products and is sold through over 7,000 retail stores. As an established company with headquarters in Okayama and Tokyo and five sales offices nationwide, they handle a wide range of products including mice, keyboards, speakers, and cables. In the audio field, they primarily manufacture USB speakers and headsets, providing practical products for computer users.

Scientific Validity

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Examining the measurement performance of their representative product MM-SPU9BKN, the frequency response of 85-20,000Hz covers the audible range, but the low-frequency cutoff of 85Hz is high, limiting reproduction capability in important bass regions. The 25.6W practical maximum output (12.8W+12.8W) is reasonable for compact speakers, but detailed distortion characteristics such as S/N ratio and THD are not disclosed, presenting transparency issues in measurement performance. Power constraints from USB power supply also affect sound quality, resulting in inferior dynamic performance compared to competing products using external power supplies. While adoption of wooden cabinets is effective for resonance control, the scientific basis of overall acoustic design is limited.

Technology Level

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The PRAC (Power Reserving Amplifier Circuit) technology that achieves high output with USB power supply shows ingenuity, but technological superiority in the industry is limited. The design philosophy of adopting built-in USB DAC to reduce external noise influence is rational, but details of DAC chips and circuit design are not disclosed, making evaluation of technological advancement difficult. Bass enhancement through passive radiator implementation is a common technique and does not reach the level of proprietary technology. Overall, product development centers on combinations of existing technologies, with no innovative technologies that lead the industry observed.

Cost-Performance

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Against the market price of 7545 yen for MM-SPU9BKN, Creative Pebble V3 with equivalent or superior functionality and performance is available for 5200 yen. Calculation: 5200 yen ÷ 7545 yen = 0.689, indicating equivalent or superior products exist at approximately 30% lower cost. Creative Pebble V3 has functional advantages with 8W RMS output, Bluetooth 5.0 support, USB-C connection, and has received high ratings in multiple reviews for sound quality. Furthermore, the 3500 yen Creative Pebble (4.4W RMS) can satisfy basic sound quality requirements, making competing products overwhelmingly superior from a cost-performance perspective.

Reliability & Support

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The long corporate history since 1951 has accumulated product development and quality control expertise, ensuring stable domestic support systems. With sales offices deployed nationwide in Japan, after-sales service access is favorable. Handling through over 7,000 retail stores makes post-purchase support and replacement relatively easy. However, international market support systems are limited, and there is room for improvement in detailed technical specification disclosure and product information transparency. While track record as computer peripherals is extensive, support systems as specialized audio equipment remain uncertain.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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The product development policy emphasizing practicality as a computer peripheral manufacturer is rational. The design philosophy prioritizing convenience of USB power supply and ease of setup aligns with target user needs. Sound quality improvement efforts under limited constraints, such as adoption of wooden cabinets and built-in USB DAC noise countermeasures, are commendable. However, non-disclosure of measurement data and opacity of detailed specifications require improvement from a scientific approach perspective. Clear positioning as computer accessories rather than dedicated audio equipment represents rational product development in this field.

Advice

Sanwa Supply’s audio products are practical choices that meet basic requirements as computer peripherals, but cannot be recommended for sound quality-focused users. In the same price range, Creative Pebble series has technological and sound quality advantages, particularly Pebble V3 (5200 yen) which also surpasses in functionality. If prioritizing domestic support and availability with basic audio reproduction being sufficient, they could be options, but considering cost-effectiveness, competing products are recommended. Unlike their strengths in cables, mice, and other main products, technological advantages in the audio field are limited. For sound quality improvements, we strongly recommend considering competing products with external power support or higher-performance active speakers.

(2025.7.17)