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GoldenEar Triton 1, 1R, and Reference

Ron Texas

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Does anyone have experience with these speakers. They have received rave reviews from lots of publications (so did the Yaggi). I believe the uppers are rolled off by a passive network, but I am not sure. What I find attractive is they go way low without needing a sub, and and cost a bunch less than Salon 2's and other full range speakers.

They have been measured by Stereophile, but someone around here ought to be able to comment on the results.
 

HammerSandwich

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The 1 & Ref have been measured at the NRC, too. I've not heard them, but my read on the charts says:
  • moderately sensitive
  • FR flatter than average but not outstanding, both on- & off-axis, though top octave or so is hot ("Wow! That AMT has amazing air!")
  • distortion around 2kHz - a bit better in the Ref - is probably tweeter overloading
  • tweeter compression at high SPL may correlate with "good dynamics!" in subjective reviews (IOW, piercing highs are often heard as strain, and this compression is the opposite.)
  • need an amp that's happy with 4-ohm loads
Very IMO, I'd look at KEF/PSB/Revel/etc. mains and cheapish, distributed subs for the same total money. If subs are not an option, the Tritons probably win only in bottom-octave response.
 
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Ron Texas

Ron Texas

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Very IMO, I'd look at KEF/PSB/Revel/etc. mains and cheapish, distributed subs for the same total money. If subs are not an option, the Tritons probably win only in bottom-octave response.

PSB's are high value. The T3 would not need a sub. Perhaps I would rather not mess with a sub.
 
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Ron Texas

Ron Texas

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Do you have any complaints about LS50s, apart from high SPLs & bass extension? If not, how about the R700 on closeout at $2800? Their measurements look very nice.

I like the LS50's but I am exploring if there is a reasonable priced full range option. It did take a while to get the sub working. With a sub, lots of power and a small to medium size room, SPL's are there. Probably I should be happy and eat a pickle.

One reason I asked about the Triton't is they generated a lot of buzz, but don't get mentioned much here.
 

MickeyBoy

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I have a pair of Triton Ones and bad hearing loss. The top octave peak is of no concern to me. I'll just comment that I do not believe they go low enough to obviate the desirability of a subwoofer. I always liked reproduction of the midrange frequencies, despite the distortion the NRC measurements reveal. I have not heard the newest GoldenEar, the One-R, which may well not have the midrange distortion of its forbears.
 
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Ron Texas

Ron Texas

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I have a pair of Triton Ones and bad hearing loss. The top octave peak is of no concern to me. I'll just comment that I do not believe they go low enough to obviate the desirability of a subwoofer. I always liked reproduction of the midrange frequencies, despite the distortion the NRC measurements reveal. I have not heard the newest GoldenEar, the One-R, which may well not have the midrange distortion of its forbears.

Perhaps there is no sub for a sub. Mains are away from the wall which is not the best for deep bass. I used to have some B&W's that were supposed to go to 29 hz (-6db) and they needed a sub.
 

Blumlein 88

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I think HammerSandwich gave a good synopsis based on measurements. I'd only add it is a bit uneven off axis compared to the Revel.

About subs, I've heard big floor standers that did not need them. Sometimes the room can intervene. An acquaintance had some Wilson Maxx 2 speakers which in a large unusual t-shaped room (small letter t not capital T) sounded excellent with ease. He moved and had a smaller though still large room which was difficult though rectangular. He had Jim Smith set them up. He ended up using 4 large subs. Because the best place for the speakers for everything except bass was not where the low end of them would work.

I've most of my life been anti-sub because it complicates matters plus I (and some friends) have used panel speakers. Integrating box subs with panels was nearly impossible for many years. Now however with better subs and with inexpensive measuring software of good quality it is easy to get it to work in a way that adds to the overall fidelity. It is still extra expense and complication, but the pay off is usually there. I also think a floorstander with the extra low end response aids in meshing subs together. Or maybe it is because releasing such speakers from having to go below 100 hz just makes everything above it easier and better. Maybe someone needs to do some REW distortion plots of a floor stander vs same speaker with subs. Maybe that is what is happening.
 

Music1969

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I have a pair of Triton Ones and bad hearing loss. The top octave peak is of no concern to me. I'll just comment that I do not believe they go low enough to obviate the desirability of a subwoofer.

What I find attractive is they go way low without needing a sub

For the Triton Ones, they each have 1600W Class D amped subwoofers built-in... That's why each speaker needs AC power.

Sub levels can be controlled on the rear knob.

These were Stereophile's joint loudspeakers of the year a few years ago, with Kef Blade 2's.

Measured well to. The top-octave peak was there in JA's measurements but in music playback it never bothered me much, and I usually hate bright sounding playback.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/goldenear-technology-triton-one-loudspeaker-measurements

They will be releasing fully active (DSP crossover, DACs and amps) versions of the Tritons too. They'll start with active bookshelves this year and then start work on fully active Tritons towers (if the bookshelves go well I guess).
 
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Ron Texas

Ron Texas

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They will be releasing fully active (DSP crossover, DACs and amps) versions of the Tritons too. They'll start with active bookshelves this year and then start work on fully active Tritons towers.

That's very interesting given the scarcity of domesticated speakers with that technology.
 

Music1969

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That's very interesting given the scarcity of domesticated speakers with that technology.

Active DSP speakers seems to be gaining popularity (slowly) lately.

Their bookshelves will first compete with the seemingly popular KEF LS50W's and some others coming out recently.
 

HammerSandwich

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A few years ago, I got lucky with a mint set of Alpha B1s on Craigslist for $100. They were so good for the size & money, I invited a friend over to hear them. "Let's start with the big towers to calibrate your ears... OK, now help me switch the cables to the little speakers." Of course, we'd been listening to the B1s the whole time. His expression was SO worth the dishonesty.
 

HammerSandwich

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They actually look to have better measurements don't they?
They sure do. Other than used speakers, I can think of only one other option that looks competitive in that price range: PSB X2Ts + subs.

Maybe @Kal Rubinson could join in. He's reviewed a lot of the contenders here.
 
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Ron Texas

Ron Texas

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The next thing I am going to buy is a MiniDSP calibrated USB microphone so I can use REW. For $50 it's low risk.
 

HammerSandwich

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I do not think that I have experience with any of them.
My mistake. IIRC, you did do the X2T's previous incarnation (Image T6) & several mid-level Revels, which seemed relevant now that the Tritons seem to have fallen by the wayside.
 

Kal Rubinson

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I have not been following this thread but I highly recommend the Revel F208 as a stupendous value, especially as a pre-owned option.
 

Blumlein 88

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I have not been following this thread but I highly recommend the Revel F208 as a stupendous value, especially as a pre-owned option.

I agree, but wish it wouldn't become too widely known. I've had in mind grabbing a couple for upgrading my video rig. ;)
 
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