In this review, we will be comparing Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 Key Specs
- 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer
- 33-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-400watts
- Weight:45.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1190.0" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"( 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm )
GoldenEar Triton Five Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Folded Ribbon Tweeter
- 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer
- 26-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-400watts
- Weight:18.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1131.0" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"( 1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and GoldenEar Triton Five compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer . On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2's min frequency of 33Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Sonetto VIII G2's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm ( 46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch ) 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) .
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 54mm wider, 59mm taller and 73mm deeper than GoldenEar Triton Five.
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 Sonetto VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 requires 40% 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 weighs 45.10kg / 99.2lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 148% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 Sonetto VIII G2
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers 6 Grilles 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) 2 Binding-post covers (pre-installed) 8 Rubber feet 8 Spikes 8 Protective discs 8 Locking washers Wrench Dust cloth
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Five:
Floorstanding loudspeaker4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Locking nutsOwners Manual
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Driver Setup |
2-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1131mm
vs
1190mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
1654cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
9000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Sonus |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper Pulp |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
335.0mm (13.2") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
494.0mm (19.4") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
45.10kg (99.2lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
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 |