MAGAZINE
The MLS 2 Gen2 combines several different technologies for loudspeaker drivers: ribbon, coaxial linear and dipole. The advantages of the cylindrical radiation of sound are supposed to unfold especially in less damped rooms, where wide-radiating speakers often have difficulties, according to the manufacturer. As stated by Piega, reflections from the floor and ceiling are largely avoided, and the sound pressure is said to decrease less with distance than is the case with conventional speakers. Since the room influence is to be reduced acoustically by focusing, neither room tuning nor calibration is necessary, the developers promise.
The MLS 2 Gen2 joins the highest product series of PIEGA between the four-part Master Line Source and the somewhat more compact MLS 3 – read our review here. The housing is available in matte silver, matte black, matte white or zebrano wood.
Despite its more compact dimensions, the cabinet has been designed to be significantly stiffer than that of the MLS 2. This also benefits the bass reproduction: with two UHQD drivers of 22cm diameter and two passive cones for the lowest bass, the low-frequency reproduction of the MLS 2 Gen2 is said to be in no way inferior to a full-grown floorstanding speaker of its size.
The MLS 2 Gen2 is equipped with the most complex driver from the Swiss company, handcrafted in-house: the coaxial line source driver. Multiple voice coils with a layer thickness of only 20 microns are applied to an extremely lightweight aluminum foil diaphragm using a spray etching process. Different areas of this driver operate as midrange, the central line as tweeter. Weighing just 7 milligrams in total, the diaphragm unit oscillates between ultra-strong neodymium magnets and, according to Piega, can follow the impulses of the music extremely quickly.
The MLS 2 Gen2 is available immediately at a pair price of around €75,000 in Germany.
