In this review, we will be comparing Triton Three+ and BP-9060, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Definitive Technology.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton Three+ and Definitive BP-9060 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton Three+ | Definitive BP-9060 |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Definitive Technology
United States · founded 1990 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 3 x 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Polymer | 10" Polypropelene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 21-35k Hz | 18-49k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 22.73kg / 50lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/2" x 11-5/8" x 17-9/16"
1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm | 44-9/16" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"
1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Triton Three+ and Definitive BP-9060 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* |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
Definitive BP-9060 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
Both Triton Three+ and BP-9060 are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar Triton Three+Definitive BP-9060
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 Three+ |
Definitive BP-9060 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
3 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
Triton Three+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the BP-9060 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 10" Polypropelene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Triton Three+ has a frequency range of 21-35k Hz whereas BP-9060 has a frequency range of 18-49k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the BP-9060 can go slightly deeper then the Triton Three+'s min frequency of 21Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Triton Three+ and BP-9060 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton Three+ sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BP-9060's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9060 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Three+, 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 Three+ can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas BP-9060 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Triton Three+.
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
Triton Three+ features 5-Way post, RCA type posts and BP-9060 has a 5-Way post, RCA type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Definitive BP-9060'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 GoldenEar Triton Three+'s and Definitive BP-9060's external dimensions. GoldenEar Triton Three+ has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm (44-1/2 x 11-5/8 x 17-9/16inch) whereas Definitive BP-9060 has external dimensions of 1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm (44-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch).
Definitive BP-9060 is 15mm narrower and 96mm less deeper than GoldenEar Triton Three+ but it is also 1mm 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 Three+ is approximately 1323.1cm2 / 205.1inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9060 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Triton Three+ requires 34% more surface area than the BP-9060 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Three+ weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the Definitive BP-9060 weighs 22.73kg / 50lbs. This makes the BP-9060 11% heavier than the Triton Three+.
Here is a comparison of how Triton Three+ and BP-9060'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 Three+?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Triton Three+:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 9-feet AC power cord
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on base)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Definitive BP-9060?
Here are the items that come with the BP-9060:
- 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
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-3/4-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1132mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
21 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
49k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Base Surface Area |
986cm2
vs
1323cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
Definitive Technology BP-9060 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
21-35k Hz |
18-49k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer |
Polypropelene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
4.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
1132.0mm (44.6") |
| Width |
296.0mm (11.7") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
447.0mm (17.6") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
22.73kg (50lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Aluminum/Cloth |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
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 | B | Definitive BP-9060 digs deeper - 18Hz against 21Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Definitive BP-9060 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Triton Three+ takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Definitive BP-9060 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Three+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Definitive BP-9060: Atmos drivers. GoldenEar Triton Three+ sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Definitive BP-9060 is cheaper - $2,398 against $2,998, about 20% less. |
A GoldenEar Triton Three+ B Definitive BP-9060
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?
Definitive BP-9060 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, Definitive BP-9060 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.