Visit Piega 18.5. 13:30
I would like to register bindingly for the visit of Piega SA on Saturday 18 May at 13:30 in Horgen (ZH).
The competition has ended.
Piega: The audio mecca on Lake Zurich
10.4.2019
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: David Lee
As a hi-fi freak, this is one of the greatest opportunities you can imagine: To see behind the scenes of an audio manufacturer. A visit to the Piega company in Horgen on Lake Zurich, where world-class loudspeakers are made in Switzerland.
We almost overlook the entrance to the headquarters directly on Lake Zurich. There is no grand entrance area to indicate Piega. Just a wooden door without a bell with a discreet sign, which we are not sure is really the main entrance. The door is unlocked and we enter. There are lots of boxes around. Some empty speaker cabinets are waiting to be processed. On the right is a soldering station.
A large listening room on the left, where current models are on display. There is no reception desk. But this is the right place for us.
Possibly also the ones in my speakers. I have to say that briefly at this point: I myself am a staunch Piega customer. I have owned speakers from Horgen for over ten years. So I'm all the more excited to find out in person today how the speakers I love so much are made. What I'm most looking forward to is being able to listen to the really big speakers. The priceless flagships that are powered by wickedly expensive electronics.
A manufactory worthy of the name
The tour begins and Mario guides us through the premises. At the previously deserted workstation, an employee is soldering together the electronics for a subwoofer. Right next to it, the small version of the ribbon tweeter is being assembled.
A few steps further on is the repair station. I ask Roger Strebel what there is to mend. "It's not usually defects," he explains. Sometimes children have stuffed CDs and coloured pencils into the bass reflex opening. Only rarely does the ribbon have to be replaced at great expense because the wafer-thin film has been touched or damaged, says Strebel.
We continue to the upper floor. My heart skips a beat when I discover empty housings of the "Master Line Source" dipole loudspeaker. I've never had the chance to listen to the top model before.
We move on to the last station, where the large coaxial ribbons - which also contain a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter - are assembled by hand. It takes years of experience and a great deal of sensitivity, says Ballabio. It takes him around four hours per piece. Once everything has been glued together, the large ribbons remain in the vice for 48 hours.
This concludes the tour. We make our way back to the listening room. This time I pay more attention to the rooms. Boxes of components everywhere. Soldering irons. They're even tinkering with the right glue mix. A manufactory where the term is not meant as Marketing. "They're nerds," I think.
The idea behind Piega
The very first loudspeaker built by founders Leo Greiner and Kurt Scheuch over thirty years ago already contained a ribbon. The idea was to replace the widely used dome tweeter with something better: An extremely lightweight transducer that reacts quickly to impulses, ensuring very precise and clear reproduction, especially in the treble range.
The functional principle of this so-called magnetostat was invented decades ago. It has not caught on in the mass market because, unlike the simpler dome design, it is very complex and expensive to manufacture. Piega took the idea and perfected it. The coaxial ribbon, which also covers the mid-range, is unique in the world.
A half-assembled example of a coaxial transducer stands on the table in the listening room: a plate with magnetic rods on the left, the aluminium foil in the middle and another plate with magnets on the right.
Piega has made a name for itself internationally over the last few decades and won a number of industry awards. The Swiss speakers are particularly popular in Germany, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries and Japan.
In the middle instead of just being there
As the crowning glory, we can then listen to the "Master Line Source 3" presented last October. Non-binding retail price: 35,000 francs per pair. Finally, the setup with the T+A system, which costs around 100,000 francs, makes sense. I'm as happy as a snow king.
After Mario has played a few tracks - streamed via Tidal, by the way - he hands the iPad to the guests. (David and I are joined by my boss and two employees from the purchasing department). We don't get out of the listening room for much longer because everyone wants to try out a track.
I'm pretty spoilt by my hi-fi setup at home. The "Master Line Source 3" still blows me away. Goosebumps! Inwardly, I curse the brutes from Horgen. Do I need to upgrade? This report could cost me more than I thought.
Listen to it for yourself!
Apropos test listening: In consultation with Piega, we can offer some customers the chance to see the factory in Horgen in person. On Saturday, 18 May at 09:30 in Horgen (ZH). The tour will last about two hours. Are you interested? Then register in the form below.
Update: The tour on Saturday 18 May in the morning is unfortunately fully booked. Due to the high demand, we have been able to arrange three further viewing dates with Piega on 18 May and 19 May. Big request: Please only register if you can actually attend the relevant date. Registration does not guarantee an invitation. We will inform you in good time by e-mail whether it has worked out.
Piega at digitec
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Aurel Stevens
Chief Editor
aurel.stevens@digitecgalaxus.chI'm the master tamer at the flea circus that is the editorial team, a nine-to-five writer and 24/7 dad. Technology, computers and hi-fi make me tick. On top of that, I’m a rain-or-shine cyclist and generally in a good mood.
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