In this review, we will be comparing Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from MartinLogan and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Brand | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 11 x 44" E-ST | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-23k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 40.82kg / 89.8lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 60-3/4" x 11-15/16" x 27-7/16"
1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Triton Five are 2-way speakers.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11AGoldenEar Triton Five
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
11 x 44-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A features a 11 x 44" E-ST Tweeter and 2 x 8" Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has a frequency range of 29-23k 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 Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A'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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Triton Five's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has external dimensions of 1543.1 x 303.2 x 696.9mm () 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).
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 22.2mm wider, 412.1mm taller and 275.9mm 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.
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A needs about 79% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is 276mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is 412mm 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is approximately 2113.0cm2 / 327.5inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A requires 79% more surface area than the Triton Five 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A weighs 40.82kg / 89.8lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 125% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A and Triton Five's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A
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 |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1543mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
2113cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
12000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-23k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
11 x 44" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
E-ST |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1543.1mm (60.8") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
303.2mm (11.9") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
696.9mm (27.4") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
40.82kg (89.8lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
Composite |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A costs roughly 5x 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 29Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| 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 | GoldenEar Triton Five is easier to place; MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $12,000, about 80% less; arguably a different class. |
A MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A 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 MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, MartinLogan Masterpiece Impression ESL 11A has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar Triton Five is the easier speaker to get right. 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.