PIEGA Master Source Line 3

The speakers with ribbon drivers usually excel in the following four areas: they are fast, detailed, dynamic, and airy. If implemented in a dipole design, one can also expect great spatial imaging, for reflections from the rear wall become a part of the direct sound and this enhances listener’s perception of being immersed in the soundfield. However, there are two inherit issues that must be tackled if a dipole ribbon loudspeaker should be successful as a whole: the dipoles are often less efficient in treble because the part of the energy that is radiated backwards is eaten by the room; the other – according to my experience a more pronounced issue – is that not every ribbon speaker can marry the speed and airiness of the top end to the bottom end which is provided by conventional drivers. The latter problem can be tackled on different levels – for instance Legacy Audio uses active bass units that can be adjusted for amplitude and phase via an outboard processor, others, like Raidho, are using multiple smaller bass drivers to maintain the speed and compensate for the air pressure. The Piega Master Line Source 3 that features two passive bass cones in each cabinet that should add the ‘mass’ to the direct sound of the small bass units. This way the Piega clearly gets around the problem of too little bass in dipoles and, honestly, does a terrific job in blending the top end and midrange with the bottom end. Still, I yet have to hear hybrid speakers that are as seamless as the best pure dynamic designs. Although the MLS 3 is a top-to-bottom coherent sounding speaker, one can feel different ‘quality’ of what comes from the ribbon array and what from the bass segment of the speaker, especially in nearer field. The farther I was from the speakers (a large listening room set-up) the more the room helped to unify those two qualities, but at the same time the roll of on highs became more pronounce. The Piega Master Line Source 3 will require very careful placement in a room to find the right balance – hence the foam plugs will become indispensable tool for it.