In this review, we will be comparing BP-9040 and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Definitive Technology and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Definitive BP-9040 and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Definitive BP-9040 | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 3 x 4.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polypropelene | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 22-40k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.36kg / 36lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-1/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Definitive BP-9040 and GoldenEar Triton Five speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Definitive BP-9040 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that BP-9040 is a 3-way design whereas the Triton Five is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Definitive BP-9040GoldenEar Triton Five
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Definitive BP-9040 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
3 x 4.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
BP-9040 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polypropelene Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
BP-9040 has a frequency range of 22-40k Hz whereas Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the BP-9040 can go slightly deeper then the Triton Five's min frequency of 26Hz.
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
BP-9040 and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. BP-9040 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9040 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, 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 Five can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas BP-9040 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Triton Five.
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
BP-9040 features 5-way Post type posts and Triton Five has a 5-way Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Definitive BP-9040's 5-Way post, RCA terminals
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 Definitive BP-9040's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Definitive BP-9040 has external dimensions of 993.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (39-1/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton Five has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm (44-1/2 x 11-1/16 x 16-9/16inch).
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 Definitive BP-9040 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The BP-9040 requires 17% less surface area than the Triton Five 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 Definitive BP-9040 weighs 16.36kg / 36lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Triton Five 11% heavier than the BP-9040.
Here is a comparison of how BP-9040 and Triton Five'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 Definitive BP-9040?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BP-9040:
- Tower loudspeaker
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Top-plate (installed)
- Stabilizer base
- 4 Floor guides
- 4 Carpet spikes
- 4 Screws
- 4 Nuts
- Owners Manual
- What Obsession Sounds Like card
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Five:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
26 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
993mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
986cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1998USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
| General |
Definitive Technology BP-9040 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Definitive Technology |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-40k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropelene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
993.0mm (39.1") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
351.0mm (13.8") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
16.36kg (36lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
Definitive BP-9040 digs deeper - 22Hz against 26Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Definitive BP-9040 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Definitive BP-9040 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Definitive BP-9040: Atmos drivers. GoldenEar Triton Five sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
A |
Definitive BP-9040 is cheaper - $1,998 against $2,398, about 17% less. |
A Definitive BP-9040
B GoldenEar Triton Five
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Definitive BP-9040 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton Five the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Definitive BP-9040 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.