Price Paid:  $2000.00 from Perrotta Consulting

Summary:
Beautifully constructed and sweet sounding Swiss-made monitor which mates a "Piega-built" planar ribbon tweeter to a "customed built" conventional woofer. All Piega loudspeakers are finished in a very high quality extruded aluminum veneer. The "C Series" is constructed of 15 layers of MDF under the aluminum veneer. The 15 layers are "cold moulded" in a "C" shape similar to boat construction. The cabinets are curved in this "C" shape which increases rigidity and eliminates most if not all standing waves. They weigh in at a very healthy 28 lbs. It is biwireable with 2 pairs of very high quality binding posts. Good stands and electronics make these babies sing so sweet.

Strengths:
Superb integration between the planar tweeter and the conventional woofer. It is impossible to tell where the two crossover. The imaging and soundstaging capabilities are excellent with performers suspended in a 3 dimensional space. The soundstage extends beyond the outsides of the speakers. The C-2 is very detailed but in no way analytical or bright. The bass output was deep, tight and well defined. I was surprised at just how much low level information was being produced. I feel no need to mate it with a subwoofer. The build quality is superb and it looks like it costs far more. this is one of the best monitors I have ever heard regardless of price.

Weaknesses:
The C-2 requires a very minimum of good electronics. The better the gear, the better the sound. While it is not a difficult speaker to drive, it does require some current if not wattage. I replaced the stock biwire jumpers with a set of Cardas copper jumpers for around $20. They also require a good stand with either sand or lead shot as the fill. I have them set up on 24" welded Target stands ($250) which work very well. Piega offers a custom matching stand made from extruded aluminum, however, it lists for $1200. I did not feel the need to spend this $$$ on the stand.

Similar Products Used:
Spendor S3/5 SE, ACI Sapphire XL, JM Labs Electra 905, Paradign Signature S1