In this review, we will be comparing Triton Five and T66, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton Five and GoldenEar T66 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton Five | GoldenEar T66 |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2 x 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" Polypropylene | 2 x 5 x 9" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-35k Hz | 29-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-400 watts | — |
|---|
| Weight | 18.18kg / 40lbs | 27.22kg / 59.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm | 49-7/16" x 11-13/16" x 17"
1255.7 x 300.0 x 431.8mm |
|---|
Triton Five and T66 are members of GoldenEar's Triton series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
GoldenEar Triton Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Triton Five is a 2-way design whereas the T66 is a 3-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.
GoldenEar Triton FiveGoldenEar T66
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
GoldenEar T66 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 5 x 9-inch
|
Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the T66 features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 5 x 9" Woofer.
Frequency Response
Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz whereas T66 has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the Triton Five can go slightly deeper then the T66's min frequency of 29Hz.
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
Triton Five is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the T66 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the T66 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Triton Five sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the T66's is rated at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar T66 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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
Triton Five features Binding post type posts and T66 has a Binding 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 GoldenEar Triton Five's and GoldenEar T66's external dimensions. 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) whereas GoldenEar T66 has external dimensions of 1255.7 x 300.0 x 431.8mm ().
GoldenEar T66 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 19mm wider, 124.7mm taller and 10.8mm deeper than GoldenEar Triton Five.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
GoldenEar T66 needs about 10% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar T66 is 125mm taller.
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 GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar T66 is approximately 1295.4cm2 / 200.8inch2. The Triton Five requires 9% less surface area than the T66 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 GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs and the GoldenEar T66 weighs 27.22kg / 59.9lbs. This makes the T66 50% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Triton Five and T66'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 GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Triton Five:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 x 9 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1255mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
1295cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| General |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
GoldenEar T66 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-35k Hz |
29-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5 x 9" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4.5" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
1255.7mm (49.4") |
| Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
431.8mm (17") |
| Weight |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
27.22kg (59.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
|
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in GoldenEar's Triton series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | GoldenEar Triton Five digs deeper - 26Hz against 29Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | GoldenEar Triton Five is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
A GoldenEar Triton Five B GoldenEar T66
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 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, GoldenEar Triton Five 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.