Rosso Fiorentino
PIENZA 2

what they say ...

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NANO MAG

David  |    August  2013

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STYLISH AESTHETiCS WITH EXCELLENT SOUND

 

"We are continuing our overview of the Rosso Fiorentino Prestige Series with this line's first model, the Pienza which is a stand-mount monitor derivative of its bigger floorstanding stablemate, the Certaldo 2.

 

The Pienza immediately gives a very good impression with its stylish Italian looks. These speakers come in a refined combination of finishes including a paint-leather combination on the sides, an elegant monogram, and milled aluminum 5-mm plates on the front panels ... in our pair's case, they came finished with a stunning “alligator” skin ... in brief,  the quality is impeccable.

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A soft dome tweeter and a 13-cm midrange / woofer made of a composite fiberglass makes looking at these speakers a very organic experience – so much so, that you really do not want to use their protective grilles.

 

With a reflex port on the rear face of the cabinet, the Pienza is not "capricious" as to its placement, but their sound will be more weighty and big if they are not too far away from the front wall – it is quite easy to determine the optimal positioning distances by ear. And, of course, they need high quality stands and cables.

 

They easily fill and energize the room regardless of the genre of music. The Fourth Symphony by Tchaikovsky shows that they are quite a capable transducer, thanks to their fine tonal balance, excellent dynamics, their ability to create a convincing scene and clearly separate the diverse and complex timbres of the various instruments in the orchestra. Even in a small room, the energy will be quite significant.

 

Vocals, such as by Violetta, the Pienza reproduce vividly, with emotionally filled and rich voice intonations and nuances. We found that the most charming music genre given their relatively small size was classical chamber music and Jazz. They presented a very pleasing study of melodic lines, clear rhythm and a sense of serene naturalness.

 

Whilst their overall inclination is to provide a pleasant - but at all times refined atmosphere - they will seek out more dynamic "concentrations" in the music material, allowing the listener very good "insight" into both the drive and the finer nuanced details of the piece.

 

The Rosso Fiorentino Pienza is for those for whom superior style and sound quality are equally important."

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Pros

Sleek looks, detailed, tonally balanced, emotional impact, an exact scene

 

Cons

Nothing ... if you’re willing to pay extra for stylishness.

 

Verdict

Beautiful speakers with excellent sound ... for those who seek both.

 

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AudioVideo SA

Deon Schoeman  |    February  2020

 

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A test-review published in the February issue of AudioVideo, the most eminent audio magazine in South Africa.
Extracts of what the reviewer, Deon Schoeman, says about our Pienza:
 

"Their ability to closely track so that you could almost touch and feel the instrument, while not losing sight of the overall scale and hue of the musical picture, made the Pienzas an absolute joy to listen to."
 

"The Rosso Fiorentino Pienzas are not cheap. But they are fine, classy, articulate speakers that should not be judged by their size, but by their ability to make the most of the music they’re tasked with."

 

"The only caveat here is that their critical, revealing nature demands accompanying ancillaries of equal stature. And at this level, that’s how it should be."

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AudioTechnique- HK / Asia

April  2013

Our Transliteration from Chinese

 

Extracts

"As mentioned earlier, the Pienza is a pair of two-way bookshelf speakers. To extract the best from this loudspeaker it is necessary to use it with a properly designed stand. Rosso Fiorentino have very conveniently designed one that is dedicated to the Pienza and that is 28" high. The upper plate area and the footprint are similar to the proportional dimensions of the speaker itself. Four special rubber gaskets are integrated to properly couple the Pienza to the stand."

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"The Pienza exhibits a full-range tone that brings a sense of musical cohesion and harmony to the listener."

 

"After a whole week of warm-up, I revisited the combination with a mono pair of (by now vintage) Bel Canto tube amplifiers. The image projection of the instruments which the Pienza displayed in a space of more than 300 square feet fits the proportions of the room perfectly, and the positioning and sounstage are clearly defined.

There are few omissions, or tonal anomalies."

 

"The sound comes across as truly full-range, and creates an engaging and compelling listening experience. The high-frequency passages are not only full of rich air, but also a lot of delicate articulations and details."

 

"On to Eiji Oue conducting the Minnesota Orchestra in "Pictures at an Exhibition"... One might be excused for assuming that the Pienza's capabilities would be severely challenged by powerful full scale works such as Mussorgsky's masterpiece. This awe-inspiring piece goes full-tilt and typically can only be handled by speakers of  commensurate scale and size..."

 

"... Well, undoubtedly, after unleashing Mussorgsky's torrential wrath on the Pienza it became quickly apparent that we had grossly underestimated it !! ... amazingly, the delicate texture of the strings, the brilliant brass passages, the compounded all-instrument crescendos ... all remained in perfect complementarity to one another. Each instrument stood firmly in a different position from one end to the other end of the massive stage ... all whilst maintaining a very clear level of inter-instrumental contrast.

The way the Pienza handled this challenge is enough to show that it is a pair of small bookshelf speakers with really great potential."

 

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For music enthusiasts who like sensory stimulation

I personally think that the Pienza scores very high on timbre, so what about the dynamics? Lets try the "Time" track from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon ... the epoch-making rock track. Dozens of clocks in the first paragraph are heard ringing in unison. Not only is there no sense of loss of composure but the positioning distribution is in proper perspective ... and the electric guitar solo in the middle section of the track is arrogant and spicy. 

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I then closed the session with the 32 bit Ultra-HD Ein Straussfest album ... the orchestra at the time were collectively referred to as "Red Shirts". For bookshelf speakers with a high-caliber tube amp, it was promising to be another very severe test.

 

... Under the full instigation of the Unico 50, the protagonist of this article was transformed from a little musical giant to a towering majestic general. This brought the gigantic Cincinnati Festival Orchestra to life, from the opening to the closing notes. The sound of the cannon shots were literally shock-worthy in a good exaggerated way.

 

For audiophiles who like sensory stimulation, but are unable to accommodate large speakers due to insufficient listening space, I can guarantee that the Pienza will thrill you out of your seat"

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