In this review, we will be comparing SONIK 5 and Triton Seven, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI SONIK 5 and GoldenEar Triton Seven first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI SONIK 5 | GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-26k Hz | 29-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 10-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.82kg / 23.8lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 32-7/16" x 9-13/16" x 10-9/16"
824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm | 40-1/2" x 10-1/2" x 14-1/2"
1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SONIK 5 and Triton Seven are 2-way speakers.
DALI SONIK 5GoldenEar Triton Seven
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI SONIK 5 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
SONIK 5 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
SONIK 5 has a frequency range of 39-26k Hz whereas Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SONIK 5's min frequency of 39Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SONIK 5 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Triton Seven which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SONIK 5 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Triton Seven's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Seven a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI SONIK 5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Triton Seven can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas SONIK 5 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Triton Seven.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SONIK 5 features 5-way Post type posts and Triton Seven has a 5-way Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SONIK 5 and Triton Seven have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI SONIK 5's and GoldenEar Triton Seven's external dimensions. DALI SONIK 5 has external dimensions of 824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm (32-7/16inch x 9-13/16inch x 10-9/16inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton Seven has external dimensions of 1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm (40-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 14-1/2inch).
GoldenEar Triton Seven is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 205mm taller and 100mm deeper than DALI SONIK 5.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the DALI SONIK 5 is approximately 672.5cm2 / 104.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2. The SONIK 5 requires 32% less surface area than the Triton Seven which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The DALI SONIK 5 weighs 10.82kg / 23.8lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Triton Seven 34% heavier than the SONIK 5.
Here is a comparison of how SONIK 5 and Triton Seven's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI SONIK 5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SONIK 5:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Rubber feet (M8 threads)
- 8 Spike-feet (M8 threads)
- Eight M8 hex-nuts
- Eight M8x15mm counter-sunk hex-screws
- Hex-key
- Hex-wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Seven?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Seven:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Height |
824mm
vs
1029mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
672cm2
vs
985cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
dual 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
1800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
DALI SONIK 5 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Brand |
DALI |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
10-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-26k Hz |
29-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood fiber |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
824.0mm (32.4") |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
269.0mm (10.6") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
10.82kg (23.8lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI SONIK 5 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven digs deeper - 29Hz against 39Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | DALI SONIK 5 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Seven is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,800 vs $1,798 a pair). |
A DALI SONIK 5 B GoldenEar Triton Seven
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
GoldenEar Triton Seven has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, GoldenEar Triton Seven has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, DALI SONIK 5 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.