If you think Switzerland is all watches and Toblerone, here’s an elegant floorstander to change your mind
Swiss brand Piega has been in business for 30 years but has only now officially come to the UK, enlisting a number of specialist audio retailers to demo its wares.
The regular Classic 5.0 tower will set you back, but this model is a little pricier because of the optional Makassar piano lacquer finish, which is very lovely.
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The Zurich-based company has two notable claims to fame. First, its Linear Drive Ribbon (LDR) coaxial tweeter was the first ribbon unit that could reach low enough to handle some midrange duties – an ability that obviates the need for a dome/ribbon hybrid, as favoured by DALI. Secondly, it produced the first commercially available aluminium-housed hi-fi loudspeaker back in 1989 and seamless alloy enclosures continue to be used in its more expensive designs.
Not the Classic 5.0, though, which uses a conventional square-cornered wood and fibreboard enclosure with a single, rear-firing reflex port. But it does have Piega second-string Air Motion Transformer (the AMT-1) ribbon tweeter. Although it has a narrower bandwidth than the LDR, the AMT’s core design is much the same and employs an extremely thin pleated and partially embossed foil diaphragm.
Lower frequencies are handled by a pair of 130mm mid-bass drivers in a 2.5-way configuration. They’re quite heavy for their size, at 20kg apiece, while the bi-wireable binding posts – although positioned a little too close together – are well made.
Sound quality From the first few bars of the delicate orchestral strings that open the Van Morrison track, it’s clear the Piega is transparent and focuses well. The sound is true and natural, and the ribbon tweeter’s portrayal of fine detail meshes seamlessly with the larger sonic picture rather than being brightly lit. Van’s gravelly vocal is slightly prominent in the mix, but there’s a real sense of soundstage depth, too. Lower frequencies aren’t the heftiest, but they are reasonably well extended and controlled.
Dynamics seem a little sat on compared with the best in group – the DALI and Revel in particular – but Oscar Peterson at his least excitable is treated with great care and insight.
Piano tone is pristine and harmonically replete and there’s an overarching sense of order and correctness to the piece. Meanwhile, the integration between the ribbon and dynamic drivers seems flawless.
The Piega’s pleasing combination of refinement and resolve again comes to the fore with Yes and Owner Of A Lonely Heart. There’s a lot going on – not least with Trevor Horn’s acoustically diverse sampled inserts – but there’s no sense that anything is missing or indistinct. Maybe things do get a little too silky with the slickly produced Marcus Miller cut, but then that was more likely his intention when he was sitting on the other side of the mixing desk.
ALL IN THE NAME
Piega is the Italian word for folded.
So it’s no surprise that when the company came to hi-fi in 1986 with a box of fresh initiatives and materials, its big idea was a new type of ribbon tweeter. Called the Linear Drive Ribbon, it evolved into a treble/ midrange ribbon system and then into what is claimed to be “the world’s first coaxial ribbon system”.
The practical upshot was a large ribbon panel that reached down far lower than conventional ribbon tweeters, allowing much easier integration with dynamic drivers that could be freed to do what they do best (bass and lower midrange). What seems particularly Swiss, however, is the hours of intricate, painstaking labour that’s poured into making every ribbon. The work is so precise and exacting, it can only be carried out in a room with carefully maintained climatic conditions at Piega’s factory in Horgen.
PRODUCT
Piega Classic 5.0
ORIGIN Switzerland
TYPE 2.5-way floorstander
WEIGHT 20kg
DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 180 x 930 x 280mm
FEATURES
●AMT-1 ribbon tweeter
●2x 130mm mid/bass drivers
●Quoted sensitivity: 91dB/1W/1m (4ohm)
DISTRIBUTOR
Piega Loudspeakers (UK) Ltd
Pretty much agree with the reviewer here! I’ve owned them for several months now and any problems I have with my sound (some uneven bass/mid frequencies) are 100% the fault of my room not these. The Macassar finish is lovely, second only to my outgoing Quad 11Ls for beauty. With orchestral, piano or chamber music, jazz and small ensembles they are superlative, with crystal attack to notes and a well-balanced tone. The soundstage was what made me buy them though. The air and placement of details made Fyne Audio 501s that I also listened to sound like glorified party speakers, flat and compressed, and the Piegas were edged out only just by Focal Aria 926s which are £300 more and much too big for my space. Bass does round off at the lower end, noticeable in EDM/IDM when things get rowdy but there’s plenty of punch considering the small drivers. It’s a shame they are so under-represented in the UK but it’s a tough price point. For me, the small size and lovely finish sealed the deal!
I agree very much with the other reviewer, Piega are un represented in the U.K. now sadly.
The classic 5’s are a great speaker for jazz and classical, but also female vocal works. Having said that I also listen to led zeppelin and hard house dance music on mine and they do a decent job with more base too. The trick is to drive them with enough gusto. I tried with :
Arcam alpha 5
Naim 5si
Rega brio
Rega elicit r
And the elicit r made them really sing. Give them plenty of juice to hear how good that can be as they are 4ohm speakers, they need powerful amps.
A four star review in what hi fi led me to seek out these beautiful floorstanders to replace my fantastic Dali Royal Menuet bookshelf speakers. I favour precision, clarity, organisation, layering and transparency and the Classic 5, together with my Cyrus pre and Stereo 200, and most recently my Qutest dac, give me everything I want in a totally non fatiguing natural sounding way. The Dali’s served me well for 25 plus years and are still going strong and the Classic 5’s are here to stay for as long. Originally I was using a Cyrus One but that didn’t have the grip necessary which is why the pre and 200 were recruited. There may be better speakers out there but I am totally satisfied with the Classic 5’s and my current set up. Their top to bottom cohesion and transparency suit all types of music and there’s more than enough good quality bass for my needs. It’s a product that needs to be made more widely known and available.