In this review, we will be comparing Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.31kg / 57.9lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 34.4" x 15" x 11.8"
873.8 x 381.0 x 299.7mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP 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* |
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP and Triton Five are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800 Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the Triton Five can go slightly deeper then the Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP
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
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP
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.
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP 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.
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 Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP has external dimensions of 873.8 x 381.0 x 299.7mm (34.4 x 15 x 11.8inch) 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).
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP is 257.2mm shorter and 121.3mm less deeper than GoldenEar Triton Five but it is also 100mm wider.
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 Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP is approximately 1141.9cm2 / 177.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP requires 3% 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 Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP weighs 26.31kg / 57.9lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP 45% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP and Triton Five's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP
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
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
873mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1141cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
34k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
9999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
873.8mm (34.4") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
381.0mm (15") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
299.7mm (11.8") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
26.31kg (57.9lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP costs roughly 4.2x what GoldenEar Triton Five does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five digs deeper - 26Hz against 30Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size |
depends |
Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $9,999, about 76% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP
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?
GoldenEar Triton Five 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 Fyne Audio Vintage Classic Gold VIII SP the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and GoldenEar Triton Five for a large room and a very large room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $7,601 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.