Bolzano Villetri BC3003, The Italian Job

ROOM AND SPEAKERS: A DIFFICULT UNION

• Bolzano Villetri is a new loudspeaker manufacturer with truly
  novel and daring designs.

• Price: €5,200

• Specialists' rating: 4

• Text: Jorge Wuhrmann

Renewal and novelty are constants in the world of audio in general and home theater in particular. These new offerings, whether in the form of innovative products or new brands, are frequent among players, preamps and amplifiers, but less so when it comes to loudspeakers and their manufacturers. So the arrival of a new loudspeaker manufacturer is striking on three counts when it debuts with a range of products aimed at the very top of the market and, as if that were not enough, introduces eye-catching technological innovations.

Just as Switzerland is unconsciously associated with watches, when we talk about design the name of Italy springs immediately to mind. And it is in this country, specifically in the northern city of Milan, that Bolzano Villetri was recently founded, with a range of loudspeakers that combines an innovative technical concept with the style and luxurious finishes one expects of an Italian product. The brand's loudspeaker range is divided into three groups. The most basic offering is the BV1000 Fonte series, represented by the Campo monitor. In the middle sits the BV3000 Campanile series, made up of a center channel speaker, a subwoofer and two types of floorstanding speakers, the Torre and the Piazetta. Finally, the BV5000 Cittá Ideale series is its most ambitious offering, also with a center channel, a subwoofer and the Studiolo and Laurana floorstanders. In this case, to get acquainted with the brand, we review a set made up of the Piazetta BV3003 speakers and a subwoofer from the same series.



Technical innovations



The external appearance of the Bolzano Villetris is extraordinarily seductive. With meticulously crafted styling and finishes of the highest quality, they give the impression of a piece of fine craftsmanship. Observing their particular shape, one senses that this is not a conventional loudspeaker, an impression confirmed as soon as the four grilles concealing the drivers and their particular layout are removed. The assembly consists of two resonance chambers arranged vertically and separated by a central structure; in this structure we find two mid/bass drivers installed so that they face each other vertically, with a pair of tweeters held by a carefully designed structure that orients them so that each in turn faces one of the mid/bass drivers. There is also a bass reflex port in the upper chamber and another in the lower one, rotated 90º relative to each other.

This special driver arrangement is one of the brand's distinctive features across all its designs. The operating principle is not new, since this is an omnidirectional speaker, that is, it disperses sound in all directions instead of radiating directly toward the listener. What is new is the way this radiation is achieved: it is a technology patented by the brand and called Round Stream. Each set of facing tweeters and woofers works in acoustic phase and is also synchronized with the set on the opposite side. The aim is to generate and distribute a wave uniformly, not originating from a radiating surface and free of resistance. According to the manufacturer's documentation, this avoids Doppler intermodulation distortion and produces a more uniform and pure sound. Some other patents also contribute to this, relating to the particular angles between the plane of the drivers and the sides of the cabinet (pilot edge) and to the bass reflex ports. We are therefore dealing with a speaker packed with design innovations as well as being aesthetically attractive, unlike the subwoofer, in which neither the manufacturer's literature nor visual inspection reveals anything out of the ordinary.



Listening tests



One of the first impressions the Piazzettas make is of a soundstage completely different from the usual, more diffuse and less defined than we are used to hearing from conventional speakers. For the most radical listeners, the initial reaction will be to state flatly that there is no soundstage at all.

However, by trying several speaker positions, closer to the rear walls of the room than their omnidirectional nature would suggest a priori, a more satisfying effect is achieved, albeit somewhat "different" from the usual, especially because it brings out a very interesting and uncommon sense of stage depth. The effectiveness and naturalness of the subwoofer in purely musical use is another noteworthy point, with extended, precise and powerful bass, whose transition to the speakers is very well achieved. Without it, the Piazetta's limitations in the bass become apparent, lacking sound pressure and extension, so it seems essential to pair them with the subwoofer for a more complete and realistic musical presentation. That aside, the transparency of the upper part of the spectrum is very remarkable, with clean, precise and never harsh treble that does not cause listening fatigue either. It is in the midrange that our guests' most particular side emerges, with a slight coloration that one would have to try to describe as "warm". Their sound is pleasant, detailed and transparent, providing an agreeable sensation that grows as listening continues. The listener undoubtedly needs to get used to their particular sound.

If a prior audition before making a purchase decision is highly advisable with any type of loudspeaker, in this case the point must be stressed even more strongly, given the particularities of the Piazzettas. Their extraordinary finish and attractive design are matched by undeniable sonic virtues, but these require prolonged and attentive listening for us to appreciate them and determine whether this is the sonic aesthetic we would like to have in our living room.

ROOM AND SPEAKERS: A DIFFICULT UNION

We have always wanted to pay special attention to the union between loudspeakers and the architecture of the room in which we place them. And these Bolzanos in particular, based on their proprietary Round Stream technology, demand very specific placement and space. Part of the charm of this novel design is undoubtedly the interaction between the sound waves it propagates and the architectural layout of the room. Unlike any other more conventional loudspeaker design, these Bolzanos cannot be placed in many spaces where other speakers would coexist more easily. Is this bad news? No, simply a warning that the user who opts for this speaker must take into account and weigh objectively. It is part of the investment.

Bolzano Villetri BC3003, The Italian Job

Specifications

Number of ways: 2. Drivers: 2 x

28 mm tweeters, 2 x 170.4 mm woofers (midrange and bass). Bass reflex ports: 2. Frequency response: 43 Hz to

20 kHz. Sensitivity: 92 dB.

Nominal impedance:

4 ohms. Recommended amplifier power: 50 to 200 W.

Dimensions:

1,603 x 355 x 355 mm.

Weight: 40 kg.

Distributor: YBI Distributions (+442072448240).

Price: €5,200