In this review, we will be comparing Premier 820 v2 and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Paradigm and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm Premier 820 v2 and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-23k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.48kg / 64.9lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-7/16" x 13-1/8" x 18-5/8"
1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm | 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Premier 820 v2 is a 3-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.
Paradigm Premier 820 v2GoldenEar Triton Five
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Premier 820 v2 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Premier 820 v2 has a frequency range of 52-23k 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 Premier 820 v2's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
Premier 820 v2 and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Premier 820 v2 sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm Premier 820 v2 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, 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 Five can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Premier 820 v2 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Triton Five.
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
Premier 820 v2 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 Paradigm Premier 820 v2's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 has external dimensions of 1103.3 x 333.4 x 473.1mm () 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 52.4mm narrower and 52.1mm less deeper than Paradigm Premier 820 v2 but it is also 27.7mm taller.
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.
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is 52mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar Triton Five is 28mm 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 Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is approximately 1577.3cm2 / 244.5inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Premier 820 v2 requires 33% 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 Paradigm Premier 820 v2 weighs 29.48kg / 64.9lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Premier 820 v2 62% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Premier 820 v2 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
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1103mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
52 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
1577cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 820 v2 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-23k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1103.3mm (43.4") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
333.4mm (13.1") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
473.1mm (18.6") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
29.48kg (64.9lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
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 |
A generation apart: Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is the newer design, against a 2014 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | GoldenEar Triton Five digs deeper - 26Hz against 52Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton Five takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar Triton Five is easier to place; Paradigm Premier 820 v2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Paradigm Premier 820 v2 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,600 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A Paradigm Premier 820 v2 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 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Paradigm Premier 820 v2 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.