In this review, we will be comparing Solstice C3 and Voce Ez, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Solstice C3 and Triangle Esprit Voce Ez first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Solstice C3 | Triangle Esprit Voce Ez |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp | 2 x 5" Fibreglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-22k Hz | 60-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | up to 60 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.75kg / 25.9lbs | 9.50kg / 20.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-1/16" x 21-1/4" x 12"
205.0 x 540.0 x 305.0mm | 6-5/8" x 20-1/16" x 11-7/16"
168.0 x 510.0 x 290.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Solstice C3 and Triangle Esprit Voce 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 C3 |
Triangle Esprit Voce Ez |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 C3 and Voce Ez are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Solstice C3Triangle Esprit Voce 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 C3 |
Triangle Esprit Voce Ez |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
Solstice C3 features a 1" Magnesium alloy dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2850Hz. On the other hand, the Voce Ez features a 1" Titanium dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5" Fibreglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3300Hz.
Frequency Response
Solstice C3 has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz whereas Voce Ez has a frequency range of 60-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Solstice C3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Voce Ez's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 C3 and Voce Ez have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Solstice C3 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Voce Ez's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Triangle Solstice C3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Triangle Esprit Voce Ez, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 C3 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Voce Ez has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Solstice C3.
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.
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 C3's and Triangle Esprit Voce Ez's external dimensions. Triangle Solstice C3 has external dimensions of 205.0 x 540.0 x 305.0mm (8-1/16 x 21-1/4 x 12inch) whereas Triangle Esprit Voce Ez has external dimensions of 168.0 x 510.0 x 290.0mm (6-5/8 x 20-1/16 x 11-7/16inch).
Triangle Solstice C3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 37mm taller and 15mm deeper than Triangle Esprit Voce 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 C3 is approximately 1647.0cm2 / 255.3inch2 and base area of the Triangle Esprit Voce Ez is approximately 1479.0cm2 / 229.2inch2. The Solstice C3 requires 11% more surface area than the Voce 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 C3 weighs 11.75kg / 25.9lbs and the Triangle Esprit Voce Ez weighs 9.50kg / 20.9lbs. This makes the Solstice C3 24% heavier than the Voce Ez.
Here is a comparison of how Solstice C3 and Voce Ez's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Minimum Impedance |
5.3 ohms
vs
4.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
168mm
vs
205mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1479cm2
vs
1647cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
525USD
vs
749USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Solstice C3 |
Triangle Esprit Voce Ez |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 120 watts |
up to 60 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.5 ohms |
5.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-22k Hz |
60-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
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 |
2850Hz |
3300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
205.0mm (8.1") |
168.0mm (6.6") |
| Width |
540.0mm (21.3") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
11.75kg (25.9lbs) |
9.50kg (20.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Teak, Birch, Black Ash, White |
n/a |
| 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 | A | Triangle Solstice C3 digs deeper - 50Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Triangle Solstice C3 takes more power (120W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Triangle Esprit Voce Ez is easier to place; Triangle Solstice C3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | Triangle Esprit Voce Ez: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Triangle Esprit Voce Ez is cheaper - $525 against $749, about 30% less. |
A Triangle Solstice C3 B Triangle Esprit Voce 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 Solstice C3 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 43% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Triangle Esprit Voce Ez looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Triangle Solstice C3 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Triangle Esprit Voce Ez much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $224 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.