GoldenEar Technology Triton Seven
MSRP $700.00
“The Triton Seven… are a stunning example of how audiophile sound can come from speakers that almost anyone can afford.”
Avg
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Awesome detail
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Lightning fast transient response
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Massive soundstage
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Excellent picture
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Highly accessible
Against
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Treble is too hot on over-produced recordings
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Wished for more bass at times
When I came across the GoldenEar technology at CES a year ago, I was in a desperate situation. Although I had seen and heard plenty of impressive speakers, amplifiers and other various esoteric audio equipment, none of it was anything like “real people” (ie. not rich audiophiles) would ever consider buying. I needed to get back to you with some content, and I was running out of time.
It’s been a while since we’ve been this excited about a speaker.
That’s when I first met Sandy Gross, one of the most approachable audio enthusiasts I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and first heard the Triton Seven, one of the most stunning speakers I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing. In short, the Triton Seven are miniature freestanding speakers designed to sound anything but tiny.
My 15-minute audition grew to over an hour. I was so moved by the presentation and so shocked by the price ($1,400 for a pair!) that as soon as I said goodbye, I rushed back to the press room to write a story about what I had just found.
But here’s the thing: the gear Sandy used for the speaker demo I heard was far from what the Triton Seven’s target customer would use. The system included an Audio Research preamp and CD player, Pass Labs amps, and some really fancy DACs that I didn’t recognize. All in all, the cost of the associated equipment was probably around $40,000. It’s not really a realistic match. This made me wonder if I got a real audition? Can the Triton Seven sound nearly as magnificent on a $1,200 receiver or $1,500 integrated amp? I found out (hint: yes).
Out of the box
The Triton Seven speakers arrived double-wrapped, presumably to keep them safe in transit. The outer box was lined with long sheets of styrofoam – the kind that crumbles into little balls charged with static electricity to stick to anything you don’t want them to stick to. We hate those things.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
The foam did its job though, as the inner box was in perfect shape, and inside that inside the box we found speakers encased in the non-degradable EPE foam we prefer. The speakers were in excellent condition, ready to play right out of the box with no assembly required.
The Triton Sevens is just under 40 inches tall, about 15 inches deep at the base, and the front bulkhead is only 6 inches wide. And at only 32 lbs. the weight to handle, setting up and positioning the speakers over and over again was no problem.
In the box with the speakers we found a simple manual along with floor spikes and rubber feet for the speaker stands.
Features and design
No sooner had we unboxed the Triton Sevens than our cat became suspiciously interested in them. You see, one of the more attractive design features of the Triton series is that there is no grill frame. Instead, the entire speaker housing is covered by grill “socks” that run from the base to the very top. The result is a speaker that appears to be all grill cloth, with a glossy black plastic cap and stand. The only problem is that cats see it as scratching. We immediately removed the cat and banned her from the room for the next few months while the Triton Sevens were in residence.
Almost all elements of the Triton Seven’s design affect the speaker’s sound quality in some way.
That top-to-bottom grill sock isn’t just for looks, though. In fact, almost every element of the Triton Seven’s design affects the speaker’s sound quality in some way. In the case of the grill sock, the lack of a grill frame in the way helps the speaker achieve that sound without having to remove the grill.
The shape of the speaker housing also has visual and sonic advantages. We like the curved look of the Seven model combined with the slight flare towards the bottom. It gives the speaker a modern look that we like, but look a little closer and you’ll see that the speaker doesn’t have any parallel surfaces – this helps reduce standing waves, which can really muddy the speaker’s sound.
Perhaps the Seven’s most influential design point is its compliment to the driver. We start with a folded ribbon tweeter, a type of tweeter that pushes the sound towards the listeners and is known to produce very light and snappy treble. Sandwiched into the tweeter at the top and bottom are two 5.25-inch midrange/bass drivers. Then, towards the bottom of the cabinet, you’ll find two opposing side-facing 8-inch passive radiators. These bass radiators move sympathetically towards the 5.25 drivers thanks to the air pressure fluctuations inside the closed enclosure, and are intended to improve the overall bass response of the speaker.
The lineup
We put the Triton Seven through all possible usage scenarios. During our evaluation, the speakers lived in three different rooms, were paired with three different amplifiers, and served as both a two-channel music system and part of a 7.2 home theater system. Included equipment includes Peachtree Audio Decco65, Anthem Integrated 225, Sony STR-DA5800ES 9.2ch A/V receiver, Oppo BDP-95 Universal Disc Player, Oppo BDP-103 Universal Disc Player, Pioneer PL-61 Turntable with Ortofon OM-5E cartridge.
Setting up the Triton Sevens was not difficult at all, both because they are light and easy to carry, and because they sounded great almost everywhere we set them up. We were able to find a comfortable spot in two of our three rooms where the bass was strongest. We’ve found that the Triton Seven likes nothing less than a foot away from the wall behind it (more will be better, depending on seating position and room shape/size), and we did our best to keep two feet between the speakers and either side of the wall.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
We have to make a special note here that we loved the way the Triton Sevens looked in every room they were placed in. In our dedicated cinema, the Sevens looked right at home amongst all the electronics and shiny black boxes. But in our living room, Sevens performed a kind of chameleon trick, blending in with our conservative, modern decor. Indeed, these speakers aesthetically disappear into the room, an attribute that will prove to be a hint of their sonic character.
Performance
We get more than our share of audio equipment passing through our halls, but it’s been a while since we’ve been this excited about a speaker. What the SVS Ultra series towers achieved in sheer power and mass, the Triton Sevens achieved in speed and agility. If bigger, bulkier towers are like American muscle cars, then the Triton Seven is like compact German racing cars. Sure, muscle cars have plenty of power right off the bat, but once you start throwing them into corners, it’s game over.
One of the things that makes the Triton Sevens so special is that they are lightning fast in the treble and incredibly detailed. Recording after recording, we heard fine details that were difficult or almost impossible to hear with other speakers, even those we would consider high performance. The creak of a piano bench, the sounds of spitting in the reeds of a saxophone, the wooden sound of a drumstick hitting a driving cymbal and the engraving of a bow against the strings of a viola or cello – these sounds were not only audible, they were apparent and danced across the vast picture of sound.
The Triton Sevens delivered brass tones so realistic that they literally gave us goosebumps and sent chills down our spines.
And then there were harmonic overtones. Dear grace, folks: There is perhaps no greater nirvana for a wind player than hearing a brass instrument through a pair of speakers the same way we hear it in a live performance. Unfortunately, the experience is extremely rare. But the Triton Sevens delivered brass tones so realistically that we literally got chills and goosebumps.
Maybe that’s why we felt like Sevens brought us closer to our live concert recordings than we’ve been in a long time. Sting’s Bring on the night it may have felt like a repeat release to some, given how it came right after Blue turtle dreambut for us this is one of the best showcases of talent in his band, and Sting’s voice could have come from the man himself as real as it sounds.
We also enjoyed listening to Pink Floyd The dark side of the moon on SACD. We could easily pick out every single watch in time because the sounds were so clear. Never before have we heard such a tone behind the beat and beat. Even when listening to a stereo recording, we felt as though we were being washed away by the sound. That’s because one of the Sevens’ greatest attributes is their ability to create a massive and seamless soundstage. When you’re sitting in the center of a well-placed pair of Triton Sevens, it’s nearly impossible to identify where the speakers are. Just as they managed to fit well into the decor around them, they could also disappear into the room.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
We got so caught up in listening to music that we almost forgot to try the Triton Sevens on movie soundtracks. We broke in the Avengers and hit every riotous scene we could find. While the finesse of the speakers were nowhere near obvious, it was clear that they were more than up to the task of delivering an impressive soundtrack. Again, the folded ribbon tweeters gave a great amount of detail to even the tiniest of sound effects. Their clear, open midrange allowed for beautiful separation of music tracks and action sounds. Add matching bookshelf center and surround speakers, throw in a subwoofer, and you’ve got one of the most musical home theater systems available in the sub-$5,000 space.
Now, despite all the feasting we’ve done, you might think we’re so enthusiastic that we’re ready to call the Triton Seven the perfect speaker. Not today, sorry. For electronic and pop music where the treble is mixed artificially high on recordings, the Triton Sevens were exponentially hot. The treble was just too much. Also, while we were able to get great bass from the speakers, we feel they lack a certain low-end element that many listeners like. Yes, we realize these are smaller speakers, but they punch above their weight in so many areas, we wish the bass had followed suit.
Conclusion
The idea of producing high-performance and valuable speakers is not new, but few succeed as well as GoldenEar technology. In particular, the Triton Seven speakers are a stunning example of how audiophile sound can come from speakers that almost anyone can afford. It’s been a while since we’ve heard this much detail from a speaker, and the soundscape the Sevens are capable of producing is fantastic in the truest sense of the word. At times we craved a little more bass and wouldn’t dare play EDM or over-produced pop music on these speakers, but for almost any genre of music and all kinds of movies, it’s hard to imagine a better overall value for the price and performance than the Triton Seven.
Tall
- Awesome detail
- Lightning fast transient response
- Massive sound stage
- Excellent picture
- Highly affordable
Falls
- Treble is too hot on over-produced recordings
- Wished for more bass at times
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn