GoldenEar Triton Five (pack of 2)

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Overview

The GoldenEar Triton Five are floorstanding speakers designed with a focus on acoustic performance rather than exterior aesthetics. Covered in a textile fabric, they incorporate advanced technologies suited to their price range.

Developed by Sandy Gross and his team in Canada, these passive speakers combine affordability with technical features often found in much more expensive models. Their design prioritizes functional technical solutions, aiming to optimize sound quality without seeking to draw attention through their appearance.

A Reimagined Acoustic Architecture for Optimal Sonic Coherence

The Triton Five adopts a D’Appolito configuration, where the high-velocity folded ribbon tweeter (HVFR) is vertically flanked by two 15 cm mid/bass drivers. This symmetrical arrangement, far from being anecdotal, ensures coherent sound wave propagation centered on the tweeter’s axis. GoldenEar’s engineers have overcome the traditional challenges of this architecture—particularly issues of dispersion and phase—thanks to a meticulously calibrated third-order crossover.

The cabinet itself is an acoustic engineering feat. Its inverted trapezoidal shape, wider at the back than at the front, eliminates internal standing waves thanks to its non-parallel walls. The subtle tilt of the front baffle naturally directs the sound wavefront toward the listening position, optimizing ear-level reproduction without the need for complex adjustments.

The four 20 cm planar passive radiators, symmetrically distributed on the sides and positioned close to the floor, transform the rear energy of the main drivers into substantial bass extension. This configuration allows for a response down to 26 Hz without the need for dedicated amplification, cleverly exploiting floor coupling to reinforce the lowest frequencies.

The acoustically transparent sock that envelops the entire speaker is not just an economical aesthetic choice. It helps dampen unwanted cabinet resonances while protecting the drivers from external damage. Some users even report a slight change in the sonic signature when it is removed, with the speaker gaining liveliness but losing some of its characteristic smoothness.

The HVFR Tweeter: Modern Descendant of Oskar Heil’s Air Motion Transformer

At the heart of the Triton Five’s performance is the high-velocity folded ribbon tweeter, a contemporary evolution of the physical principle developed by Dr. Oskar Heil in the 1970s. Unlike conventional tweeters that push and pull air via a piston-like motion, the HVFR compresses and expands air laterally through its pleated accordion-like diaphragm.

This ultra-lightweight, high-temperature film diaphragm, combined with particularly powerful neodymium magnets, enables lightning-fast diaphragm acceleration. The result is an air movement velocity superior to traditional technologies, delivering exceptional transient response and frequency extension up to 35 kHz.

The pleats of the diaphragm work in unison, compressing and expanding air in a synchronized manner. This coordinated action creates a natural impedance match between the transducer and the surrounding air, minimizing distortion and improving efficiency. The HVFR’s directivity remains controlled over a wide frequency range, avoiding the narrowing of the sweet spot often seen with traditional ribbons.

Integrating this technology into a speaker at this price point is a true achievement. Competing models equipped with similar transducers are generally priced several times higher, making the GoldenEar offering particularly attractive for music lovers seeking this specific sonic signature.

Mid/Bass Drivers Designed for Dynamics and Extension

The two 15 cm drivers flanking the tweeter benefit from a fully proprietary design, developed at the Arnprior facilities in Canada. Their cast basket chassis offers exemplary rigidity, a sine qua non for maintaining precise alignment of the moving assembly during large excursions.

The specifically formulated polypropylene diaphragm adopts a profile optimized by computer modeling. This particular geometry, combined with MVPP (Multi-Vaned Phase Plug) technology, ensures a linear response over an unusually wide frequency range. The vanes of the phase plug disperse rear waves, reducing destructive interference and improving clarity in the midrange.

The 25 mm voice coil, mounted on a high-temperature Kapton former, ensures remarkable power handling. The motor assembly, equipped with a concentrated flux magnet, generates an intense magnetic field in the gap, allowing for significant excursions while maintaining precise cone control.

These drivers operate up to 3 kHz, the crossover point with the HVFR tweeter. This relatively high transition frequency demonstrates the mid/bass drivers’ ability to reach high frequencies seamlessly, ensuring an imperceptible transition between registers.

Documentation

User manual
French

Technical Specifications

Acoustic System

Midrange/Bass Speakers

Two 15 cm cast-basket units with:
- GoldenEar multi-vaned phase plug (MVPP) design
- Exclusive computer-optimized cone
- Linear frequency response without resonance over an extended range

Bass Radiators

Four 20 cm planar units with:
- Ultra-long excursion
- Fiberglass and Nomex composite diaphragm
- 38 mm high-temperature aluminum voice coil

Tweeter

High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR) type with:
- High-power neodymium magnets
- Extremely low distortion
- Significantly improved dynamic range and definition
- Excellent dispersion characteristics

Electrical Specifications

Recommended amplification: 15 - 400 W / channel
Nominal impedance: 4 Ω (8 Ω compatible)
Frequency response: 26 Hz - 35 kHz
Sensitivity: 90 dB

Dimensions and Weight

Speaker: 16.5 cm (front), 20.5 cm (rear) × 112.4 cm × 31.3 cm
Base: 27.9 cm × 41.9 cm
Weight: 18 kg

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Triton Five require a powerful amplifier?

While they can operate with modest amplifiers thanks to their 90 dB sensitivity, the Triton Five reveal their full potential with robust amplification of at least 100 watts. The amplifier’s current capacity is as important as its rated power to effectively control the four passive radiators and achieve tight, deep bass.

Can the acoustic sock be removed from the speakers?

Technically yes, by unscrewing the top cap and carefully removing the fabric. Some users report increased liveliness and detail, but also a slight hardness in the upper midrange. The sock is an integral part of the acoustic design, and its removal subtly alters the tonal balance intended by the manufacturer.

How do the Triton Five compare to other models in the range?

Positioned between the Seven and the Three, the Five offer greater bass extension than the Seven thanks to their four passive radiators, without requiring the built-in amplification of the higher models. They share the same HVFR tweeter as the entire range and benefit from filtering similar to the Reference models, giving them a consistent family sonic signature.

What is the expected lifespan of the HVFR tweeter?

Contrary to common beliefs about ribbon fragility, the folded ribbon tweeter boasts remarkable longevity. The absence of traditional mechanical suspension and the robust construction with neodymium magnets ensure decades of operation without degradation, provided they are used within the recommended power limits.

Do the side passive radiators pose problems near walls?

A minimum clearance of 60 cm is recommended to allow the radiators to operate freely. Placement too close to walls causes early reflections that blur the stereo image and generate unwanted bass resonances. In tight spaces, diagonal positioning can be a viable solution.

How can positioning be optimized for home theater use?

For multichannel use, the Triton Five excel as main front speakers. Their controlled dispersion and extended dynamics are perfectly suited to modern soundtracks. The toe-in angle can be slightly reduced compared to pure stereo listening, and adding a subwoofer remains optional thanks to their native extension down to 26 Hz.