In this review, we will be comparing Demand D17 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 Demand D17 and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Definitive Demand D17 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Definitive Demand D17 and GoldenEar Triton Five compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Demand D17 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.
| Driver |
Definitive Demand D17 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Demand D17 features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Demand D17 has a frequency range of 42-22k Hz whereas Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the Triton Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Demand D17's min frequency of 42Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Demand D17 and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Demand D17 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Five a more sensitive speaker compared to Definitive Demand D17, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Demand D17 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Demand D17 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Triton Five.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Demand D17 features 5-Way Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Five has a 5-way Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Definitive Demand D17's 5-Way Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Demand D17's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Definitive Demand D17 has external dimensions of 1086.0 x 261.0 x 375.0mm ( 42-3/4 x 10-1/4 x 14-3/4inch) 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) .
GoldenEar Triton Five is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20mm wider, 45mm taller and 46mm deeper than Definitive Demand D17.
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 Demand D17 is approximately 978.8cm2 / 151.7inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Demand D17 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 Demand D17 weighs 29.10kg / 64lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Demand D17 60% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Demand D17 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 Demand D17?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Demand D17:
Left floorstanindg loudspeakerRight floorstading loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)2 Bases8 Spike feet8 Floor-glides8 Lock-rings8 ScrewsCleaning clothOwners Manual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Five:
Floorstanding loudspeaker4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Locking nutsOwners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1086mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
978cm2 (261x375mm)
vs
1183cm2 (281x421mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Definitive Technology Demand D17 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Definitive Technology |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-22k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-fiber |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1086.0mm (42.8") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
261.0mm (10.3") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
29.10kg (64lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Aluminum |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |