In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Triangle. Triangle Signature Theta is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Alpha is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Signature Theta and Triangle Signature Alpha first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Signature Theta | Triangle Signature Alpha |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Fibreglass | 3 x 6.5" Double ferrite fibreglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 32-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-130 watts | 60-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.50kg / 25.3lbs | 34.50kg / 75.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18-5/16" x 9-3/16" x 14-5/8"
465.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm | 50" x 9-3/16" x 14-5/8"
1270.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm |
|---|
Theta and Alpha are members of Triangle's Signature series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Triangle Signature Series
History
What size room are the Triangle Signature Theta and Triangle Signature Alpha 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* |
Triangle Signature Theta |
Triangle Signature Alpha |
| Near-field |
Average |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Theta is a 2-way design whereas the Alpha is a 3-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.
Triangle Signature ThetaTriangle Signature Alpha
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Triangle Signature Theta |
Triangle Signature Alpha |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Theta features a 1" Titanium dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Fibreglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Alpha features a 1" Titanium dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Double ferrite fibreglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 290Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Theta has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Alpha has a frequency range of 32-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Alpha can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theta's min frequency of 45Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Theta and Alpha have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theta sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Alpha's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Triangle Signature Alpha a more sensitive speaker compared to Triangle Signature Theta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Alpha can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS, whereas Theta has a max power handling value of 90 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Alpha.
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
Both Theta and Alpha features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Theta and Alpha have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Triangle Signature Theta's and Triangle Signature Alpha's external dimensions. Triangle Signature Theta has external dimensions of 465.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm (18-5/16 x 9-3/16 x 14-5/8inch) whereas Triangle Signature Alpha has external dimensions of 1270.0 x 233.0 x 372.0mm (50 x 9-3/16 x 14-5/8inch).
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.
Near-identical footprints. Triangle Signature Alpha is 805mm 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 Triangle Signature Theta is approximately 866.8cm2 / 134.4inch2 and base area of the Triangle Signature Alpha is approximately 866.8cm2 / 134.4inch2.