In this review, we will be comparing Lumina V Amator and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Lumina V Amator and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Lumina V Amator | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.0" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-24k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.55kg / 49.6lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 11" x 14-3/4"
1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm | 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 Lumina V Amator 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.
Sonus faber Lumina V AmatorGoldenEar 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 |
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.0-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Lumina V Amator features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.0" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Lumina V Amator has a frequency range of 38-24k 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 Lumina V Amator's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Lumina V Amator 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 Lumina V Amator can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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 Lumina V Amator has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 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.
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Lumina V Amator features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Five has a 5-way Post which doesn't 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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm (41-5/16inch x 11inch x 14-3/4inch) 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 clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 1mm wider, 81mm taller and 46mm deeper than Sonus faber Lumina V Amator.
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 13% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar Triton Five is 46mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar Triton Five is 81mm 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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Lumina V Amator requires 11% 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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator weighs 22.55kg / 49.6lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Lumina V Amator 24% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina V Amator and Triton Five's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Lumina V Amator?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina V Amator:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Protective discs
- 8 Nuts
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration/Warranty Card
- Environmental Information
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 |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1050mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1050cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
38 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 |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
4500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-24k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cellulose Pulp |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.0" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
280.0mm (11") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
22.55kg (49.6lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
Multi-layer wood/veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Lumina V Amator costs roughly 1.9x 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 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB 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. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton Five takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | A | Sonus faber Lumina V Amator: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $4,500, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Lumina V Amator 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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator 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 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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.