GoldenEar Triton Seven Floorstanding Loudspeaker Preview

[slipperybidness]

Well, I own the T2 and have been nothing but happy with them! My only complaint is that I have the 50C for my center (the XL model wasn't released when I bought my T2), and that isn't the greatest center channel.

When I bought the T2, the MSRP was $2500, now the T2 has gone up to $3000

If I had it to do over again (especially considering the price increase), I would probably go with the T7 (wasn't on the market when I bought mine) and use the extra $ on a pair of SVS, HSU, Rythmik, or PSA subwoofers.

I will restate this though:
If you are looking at music only, then the T2 is a great choice and no subwoofer needed at all!
If you are looking at movies at least about 50% of the time, then you NEED a subwoofer regardless of the T2 or T7.

I run my T2 full-range and supplemented with a Rythmik F15HP The neighbors love it!

Edit: As far as needing a better receiver, I doubt that will be the case on the GEs. At least the T2s are an easy load to drive. Over on the GE forums, you can read about Sandy driving them with a SET amp. If I remember correctly, they also have a Zobel network that helps make them an easy load to drive. If your receiver is out-dated, then you may want to replace it, but I doubt that it would be underpowered for the T2s.

 

[crossedover]

If you take both home, don't you have to burn them in for 100+ hours each in order to really be able to tell?

No. Even if break in was audible you could assume they both would still sound the same above 200hz

 

[agarwalro]

If you take both home, don't you have to burn them in for 100+ hours each in order to really be able to tell?

Driver break in happens in the first few QC tests. Minor change in TS parameters is normal when going from a cold driver to one played hard for an extended period. TS parameters drift as the driver ages (in years or decades, not hours). If the TS parameters drift out if spec within hours, it's a crappy driver period and what would the speaker designer use to develop the crossover?

There are folks that talk about speaker break in time. I'm not one of them. What is happening is that your ears/brain are getting used to the sound and it helps manufacturers counteract familiarity bias.

I think of it this way. If a manufacturer genuinely believe in break in, why are they selling a defective product or not doing required break in prior to shipping the speakers.

 

[agarwalro]

I just thought of something else... Would you buy a whiskey, scotch or wine, if the seller said, don't open till 2025. Imagine them saying this, "we put a burnt ceder chip in the bottle and it will take 10 years for the flavor to stabilize". It may sell as a novelty item or uber lux brand, but, I'd be like, " F THAT! ".

Maybe a bad analogy, but, you get the drift.

 

[slipperybidness]

I just thought of something else... Would you buy a whiskey, scotch or wine, if the seller said, don't open till 2025. Imagine them saying this, "we put a burnt ceder chip in the bottle and it will take 10 years for the flavor to stabilize". It may sell as a novelty item or uber lux brand, but, I'd be like, " F THAT! ".

Maybe a bad analogy, but, you get the drift.

Materials break in, the plasticizers evaporate out a lot at the beginning as the polymers are stretched (think new car smell), and the surrounds will get a bit more pliable.

Is it audible? If you look at Gene's article on this site, his data set says that it really isn't an audible difference.

It's been a while since I looked at his article, I want to say that the driver to driver measurement deviation was greater than the pre vs post breakin measurement deviation.

Edit: It seems the article lists "Mark" as the author.

Here is the key conlusion:
As the enclosure compliance in both totally enclosed boxes and vented cabinets dominates that of the driver for most practical implementations of either type enclosure currently in production, any potential changes in system amplitude response attributable to changes in driver suspension mechanical compliance tend to be minimized. Normal production unit-to-unit driver spec variances can affect final amplitude response of a system to a larger degree than that expected from normal pre- post-burn in driver suspension compliance changes.

Full article:
http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/speaker-break-in-fact-or-fiction

It looks pretty good, I am curious how large the data set was? Bigger data sets = better statistics

 

[Jazzenthus]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

 

[agarwalro]

Also from the previously linked article,

Required break in time for the common spider-diaphragm-surround is typically on the order of 10s of seconds and is a one-off proposition, not requiring repetition. Once broken in, the driver should measure/perform as do its siblings, within usual unit-to-unit parameter tolerances...

Quite often, spider break in occurs when the driver is tested, before and/or after placement in the cabinet for which it's intended. Driver testing by signal stimulus at some point (or points) in the manufacturing process - if done at levels sufficient to break in the spider - generally makes further break in unnecessary. Hence, a finished system will not - in so far as its drivers are concerned - require further break in by a consumer once taken home from the dealer.

Interestingly, the test involved worst case for driver parameters, but best case for speaker cabinet design (sealed). I wonder how much the result would change if the simulations also used worst case speaker design (free standing or open baffle).

 

[slipperybidness]

Also from the previously linked article,



Interestingly, the test involved worst case for driver parameters, but best case for speaker cabinet design (sealed). I wonder how much the result would change if the simulations also used worst case speaker design (free standing or open baffle).

Well, I tend to put myself in the camp that speakers do break in.

Even though I read that article and it looks legit, I still have some bias. Whether or not my bias is based on measurements or voodoo, it is still there.

But, I must admit, that this article and this limited data set does certainly make me second guess my stance on break-in. Based ONLY on this data set, I must agree with the article. There is a chance that the tests were performed by a someone coming into the testing with a pre-conceived bias that they set out to prove. Someone repeating the work with a pre-conceived bias that there IS speaker break-in might be able to skew the data to their side too.

 

[jimimac]

I heard one of the bigger versions around the time they came out.They were set up properly in the dealers showroom ,they sounded smooth and clean,Great Bass also.Better than any metal type tweeter I have ever heard (OPINION) I own Paradigm 90P's...