In this review, we will be comparing 1.7i and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Magnepan and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Magnepan 1.7i and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan 1.7i | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Brand | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | — | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-24k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 43.09kg / 94.8lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 65" x 19" x 2"
1651.0 x 482.6 x 50.8mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan 1.7i 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* |
Magnepan 1.7i |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 1.7i is a -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 |
Magnepan 1.7i |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
1.7i features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
1.7i has a frequency range of 40-24k 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 1.7i's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
1.7i is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Triton Five which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 1.7i can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 1.7i sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Triton Five's is rated at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Five a more sensitive speaker compared to Magnepan 1.7i, 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.
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 Magnepan 1.7i's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Magnepan 1.7i has external dimensions of 1651.0 x 482.6 x 50.8mm (65 x 19 x 2inch) 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 201.6mm narrower and 520mm shorter than Magnepan 1.7i but it is also 370.2mm deeper.
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 Triton Five needs about 383% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar Triton Five is 370mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Magnepan 1.7i is 520mm 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 Magnepan 1.7i is approximately 245.2cm2 / 38.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The 1.7i requires 79% 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 Magnepan 1.7i weighs 43.09kg / 94.8lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the 1.7i 137% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how 1.7i 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 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
 Base Surface Area |
245cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
2-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1651mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Magnepan 1.7i |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Magnepan |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-24k 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 |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1651.0mm (65") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
482.6mm (19") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
50.8mm (2") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
43.09kg (94.8lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Dipole |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 | GoldenEar Triton Five digs deeper - 26Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | GoldenEar Triton Five is more sensitive (90dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | GoldenEar Triton Five is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Magnepan 1.7i is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Dipole vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $2,995, about 20% less. |
A Magnepan 1.7i B GoldenEar Triton Five
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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Magnepan 1.7i if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Magnepan 1.7i 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.
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.