In this review, we will be comparing Canterbury and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Tannoy and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Tannoy Canterbury and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Tannoy Canterbury | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-22k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 63.05kg / 138.7lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | — | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Tannoy Canterbury 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* |
Tannoy Canterbury |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Canterbury and Triton Five are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Tannoy Canterbury |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Canterbury features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.1 kHz. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Canterbury has a frequency range of 28-22k 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 Canterbury's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
Canterbury and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Canterbury sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Tannoy Canterbury a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, 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
Canterbury 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 Tannoy Canterbury's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Tannoy Canterbury has external dimensions of () 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 281mm wider, 1131mm taller and 421mm deeper than Tannoy Canterbury.
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 Tannoy Canterbury weighs 63.05kg / 138.7lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Canterbury 247% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Canterbury 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
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
0mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
0cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
40000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Tannoy Canterbury |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Tannoy |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-22k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1.1 kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
mm (0") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
mm (0") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
mm (0") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
63.05kg (138.7lbs) |
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 - Tannoy Canterbury costs roughly 16.7x 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 |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (28Hz vs 26Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Tannoy Canterbury is more sensitive (96dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Five is cheaper - $2,398 against $40,000, about 94% less; arguably a different class. |
A Tannoy Canterbury
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?
Tannoy Canterbury is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 94% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - GoldenEar Triton Five looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Tannoy Canterbury appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton Five the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Tannoy Canterbury 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.