In this review, we will be comparing 1.7i and Triton Seven, 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 Seven first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Magnepan 1.7i | GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|---|
| Brand | Magnepan
United States · founded 1969 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | — | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-24k Hz | 29-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 10-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 43.09kg / 94.8lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 65" x 19" x 2"
1651.0 x 482.6 x 50.8mm | 40-1/2" x 10-1/2" x 14-1/2"
1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Magnepan 1.7i and GoldenEar Triton Seven 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 Seven |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 Seven 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 Seven |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1.7i features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
1.7i has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz whereas Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven 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 Seven 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 Seven's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Seven 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 Seven'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 Seven has external dimensions of 1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm (40-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 14-1/2inch).
GoldenEar Triton Seven is 215.6mm narrower and 622mm shorter than Magnepan 1.7i but it is also 318.2mm 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 Seven needs about 302% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar Triton Seven is 318mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Magnepan 1.7i is 622mm 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 Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2. The 1.7i requires 75% less surface area than the Triton Seven 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 Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the 1.7i 196% heavier than the Triton Seven.
Here is a comparison of how 1.7i and Triton Seven'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 Seven?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Seven:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Base Surface Area |
245cm2
vs
985cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
2-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 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 |
5.25 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
dual 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1029mm
vs
1651mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
2995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Magnepan 1.7i |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Brand |
Magnepan |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-24k Hz |
29-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
5.25" |
| 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") |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
482.6mm (19") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
50.8mm (2") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
43.09kg (94.8lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Magnepan 1.7i costs roughly 1.7x what GoldenEar Triton Seven 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 Seven digs deeper - 29Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven 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 Seven is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Dipole vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven is cheaper - $1,798 against $2,995, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Magnepan 1.7i B GoldenEar Triton Seven
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 Seven 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 Seven 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.