In this review, we will be comparing Solstice 3 and Comete Ez, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Solstice 3 and Triangle Esprit Comete Ez first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Solstice 3 | Triangle Esprit Comete Ez |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp | 6.5" Fibreglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 49-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-130 watts | 25-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.90kg / 28.4lbs | 9.30kg / 20.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-7/16" x 8-11/16" x 14-9/16"
418.0 x 221.0 x 370.0mm | 15-3/4" x 7-7/8" x 12-3/4"
400.0 x 200.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Solstice 3 and Triangle Esprit Comete Ez 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 Solstice 3 |
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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
Both Solstice 3 and Comete Ez are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Solstice 3Triangle Esprit Comete Ez
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Triangle Solstice 3 |
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Solstice 3 features a 1" Magnesium alloy dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Comete Ez features a 1" Titanium dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Fibreglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
Solstice 3 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas Comete Ez has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Solstice 3 can go slightly deeper then the Comete Ez's min frequency of 49Hz.
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
Solstice 3 and Comete Ez have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Solstice 3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Comete Ez's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Triangle Solstice 3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Triangle Esprit Comete Ez, 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.
Solstice 3 and Comete Ez have the same power range of 25-130 watts.
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.
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Solstice 3 and Comete Ez 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 Solstice 3's and Triangle Esprit Comete Ez's external dimensions. Triangle Solstice 3 has external dimensions of 418.0 x 221.0 x 370.0mm (16-7/16 x 8-11/16 x 14-9/16inch) whereas Triangle Esprit Comete Ez has external dimensions of 400.0 x 200.0 x 324.0mm (15-3/4 x 7-7/8 x 12-3/4inch).
Triangle Solstice 3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 21mm wider, 18mm taller and 46mm deeper than Triangle Esprit Comete Ez.
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 Solstice 3 is approximately 817.7cm2 / 126.7inch2 and base area of the Triangle Esprit Comete Ez is approximately 648.0cm2 / 100.4inch2. The Solstice 3 requires 26% more surface area than the Comete Ez 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 Triangle Solstice 3 weighs 12.90kg / 28.4lbs and the Triangle Esprit Comete Ez weighs 9.30kg / 20.5lbs. This makes the Solstice 3 39% heavier than the Comete Ez.
Here is a comparison of how Solstice 3 and Comete Ez's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez
 Max Input Power |
90 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
5.3 ohms
vs
4.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
400mm
vs
418mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
648cm2
vs
817cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1349USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Solstice 3 |
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-130 watts |
25-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.3 ohms |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-22k Hz |
49-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Natural cellulose pulp |
Fibreglass |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
Horn-Loaded |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
418.0mm (16.5") |
400.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
221.0mm (8.7") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
12.90kg (28.4lbs) |
9.30kg (20.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Teak, Birch, Black Ash, White |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Both are Triangle, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (48Hz vs 49Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (90W vs 80W). |
| Size | depends | Triangle Esprit Comete Ez is easier to place; Triangle Solstice 3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Triangle Esprit Comete Ez: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Triangle Esprit Comete Ez is cheaper - $899 against $1,349, about 33% less. |
A Triangle Solstice 3 B Triangle Esprit Comete Ez
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?
Triangle Esprit Comete Ez has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $450 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.