In this review, we will be comparing A7 and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Spendor and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Spendor A7 and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Spendor A7 | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.87" | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 7.09" | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.00kg / 39.6lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36.77" x 7" x 12"
934.0 x 177.8 x 304.8mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Spendor A7 and GoldenEar Triton Five 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* |
Spendor A7 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both A7 and Triton Five are 2-way speakers.
Spendor A7GoldenEar Triton Five
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Spendor A7 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.87-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7.09-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
A7 features a 0.87" Tweeter and 1 x 7.09" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3,700 Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
A7 has a frequency range of 32-25k 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 A7's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
A7 and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. A7 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Five a more sensitive speaker compared to Spendor A7, 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
A7 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 Spendor A7's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Spendor A7 has external dimensions of 934.0 x 177.8 x 304.8mm (36.77 x 7 x 12inch) 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 103.2mm wider, 197mm taller and 116.2mm deeper than Spendor A7.
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 Spendor A7 is approximately 541.9cm2 / 84.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The A7 requires 54% 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 Spendor A7 weighs 18.00kg / 39.6lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Triton Five 1% heavier than the A7.
Here is a comparison of how A7 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
 Woofer Size |
7.09 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
934mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
541cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
6300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Spendor A7 |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Spendor |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7.09" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.87" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3,700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
934.0mm (36.8") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
177.8mm (7") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
304.8mm (12") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
18.00kg (39.6lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| 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 - Spendor A7 costs roughly 2.6x 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 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size |
depends |
Spendor A7 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $6,300, about 62% less; arguably a different class. |
A Spendor A7
B GoldenEar Triton Five
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 Spendor A7 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 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Spendor A7 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and GoldenEar Triton Five 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.