Monoprice Monolith Encore T6's vs Golden Ear Triton 3+

[Danzilla31]

I've been swapping out speakers in my bedroom setup buy one sell one use the funds to buy some more run speakers head to head. And I decided to run these 2 speakers head to head a speaker that currently is $1800 each vs a speaker that just went on sale for $292.00 each. Just what did I find out? Well let's take a look fellas and let the game begin!

 

[Danzilla31]

 

[Danzilla31]

Equipment Marantz AVR 6015
Heos and Roku streaming app Tidal

 

[Danzilla31]

Room 14 x 15
Flooring wood
Highly reflective minimal treatments given to both speakers other then placement toe in etc
No room correction done both speakers ran in stereo mode
Preset 1 on Marantz level matched to Golden Ear Triton 3+
Preset 2 on Marantz level matched to Monolith Encore T6

 

[Danzilla31]

Please note

No double blind testing was done

No measurements were taken or corrections done to the room to accomadate either speaker

This is a subjective post and as the room could impact the sound and has not been accounted for this is meant to be subjective only and done in the spirit of fun.

It is not a review of each speaker my subjective experience can only be taken at face value without objective measurements

Part of this was done on purpose. I wanted to place each speaker into a tough room with no eq or room correction applied only level matching to the AVR and see which speaker was able to hold up better to my ears subjectively

 

[Danzilla31]

Golden Ear Triton 3 +
Product highlights:

• 3-way design
• HVFR™ (High-Velocity Folded Ribbon) tweeter
• 4-1/2" high-definition cast-basket mid/bass driver
• 5" x 9" long-throw quadratic subwoofer
  • built-in 800-watt DSP-controlled subwoofer amplifier
  • rear-panel subwoofer level control
  • rear-panel LFE input
• two 6-3/4" x 8" quadratic planar infrasonic bass radiators
• slim, curved and tapered cabinet design
• frequency response: 21-35,000 Hz
• nominal impedance: 8 ohms
• sensitivity: 90 dB
• recommended power: 20-400 watts/channel
• five-way binding posts
• detachable power cord

Dimensions and warranty:

• 11-5/8"W x 44-1/2"H x 17-9/16"D with integrated base (cabinet is 7"W x 13"D)
• weight: 45 pounds
• warranty: 5 years drivers and cabinet/3 years amp
• Our 60-day money-back guarantee
• MFR # BKHA

What's in the box:
GoldenEar Triton Three+ owner's manual

• Floorstanding loudspeaker
• 9' AC power cord
• Base
• 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on base)
• 4 Spikes
• 4 Locking nuts
• 4 Screws
• 4 Washers
• Owner's Manual

 

[Danzilla31]

Monolith Encore T6

P/N	43149
Color and Finish	Black PVC
Main Woofers	2x 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround
Mid Woofer	1x 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround
Tweeter	1x 25mm Silk Dome with Waveguide
Enclosure	Vented MDF cabinet with horizontal shelf bracing
Frequency Response	37Hz ~ 20kHz
Sensitivity	87.8dB (2.83V@1m)
Crossover Frequencies	Low: 180Hz @6dB/octave Mid: 1.35kHz @12dB/octave High: 1.35kHz @18dB/octave
Nominal Impedance	4 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power	50 ~ 180 watts
Inputs	Two sets of 5‑way binding posts
Dimensions (LxWxH)	13.8" x 7.9" x 40.0" (351 x 201 x 1016 mm)
Weight	49.2 lbs. (22.3 kg)

Recomme

 

[Danzilla31]

Marantz 6015

Product highlights:
Power and processing:

• 9-channel amplifier
• 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.08% THD, with 2 channels driven

 

[Danzilla31]

Room setup placement
Both golden ear and monolith speakers sounded well at 8ft 4inches apart with toe in to the listening position
Both were positioned 20 inches from the front wall and 28 inches from the side walls they both sounded well at this location.

 

[Danzilla31]

Listening position was 10ft at main listening position to the speakers

 

[Danzilla31]

Packaging shipping

Both speakers were packed well with ample foam and cover and wrapping. No damage to any speakers

Both were delivered in a reasonable time frame.

Both boxes were easy to unbox and remove speakers

Golden Ear 3+ 10/10
Monolith Encore 10/10
Tie

 

[ryanosaur]

Dude!
Are you trying to pad your post count?

Stop being such a Port Tease!

 

[Danzilla31]

Assembly

The golden ears base was a bit of a hassle to install. You need to place the speaker on its side off the floor align the base with the holes and then screw the screws into the base. However the sock that covers the base needs to be pulled back to do this as the sock cover covers the holes. Little tricky to do this and hold the base at the same time then screw in screws by oneself

The Monoliths base was very easy to put on simply put the speaker upside down line up the 2 metal bases to the holes on the speaker bottom and screw them in

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 6.5 out of 10
Monolith Encore T6 10 out ot 10

Winner Monolith

 

[Danzilla31]

Appearance

Both have a nice look the Golden Ear was way more slender but taller and longer. The taper look from front to back with the gloss black top and base looks nice. The slender space saving setup will be a nice appeal in many rooms

The Monolith although it was more straight lined had a nice look it has a much bigger cabinet then the golden ears shorter but much wider. It will take up more space in a room. It also has a nice gloss black top and bottom. And the vinyl finish is actually done very nice and looks way nicer then the pictures on the web site. The three 6 inch drivers and the wave guide for the tweeter make look dope as well.

I've seen much nicer speakers then both but I've seen much worse.

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 7.5 out of 10
Monolith Encore T6 7.5 out of 10

Tie

 

[Danzilla31]

Set up and positioning

The golden ear were fairly easy to setup. BUT you need an available wall socket for the power cord for the woofer/sub section within reach. Once you plug in the speaker wire to the posts golden ears recommendation you plug in the cord to the amp section. There is no off or on switch the amp will power on blinking a blue light fir several seconds then power off. Once receiving a signal the amp auto powers by itself instantly no issues noticed and will power off by itself within a certain time frame. I just plugged in the speaker wire plugged in the power cord and was ready to go to easy.

Positioning was more touchy. The golden ear don't like being by walls the manual recommends a minimum of 33 inches from the side walls which I was unable to provide. Luckily my front wall measures good with full range towers so running they're powered sub sections was not an issue in my room however I can see it being an issue in some.

The Golden Ear were very touchy off axis. I noticed the sweet spot on my bed was very very limited. Head to high too low. You lose the magic. Move of to the left or right in stereo just a touch you lose the magic. Standing or sitting in other parts of the room the speakers did not sound the greatest. However in the sweet spot they sounded wonderful

They require as golden ear states a lot of toe in directly to the main listening position. They did not handle being toed out very well at all the magic dissapears

The Monolith Encore being passive too easy. Setup is plug in the speaker wire to the posts your done

Positioning was very very easy in my room. Once the proper distance between was reached they sounded wonderful with toe in but still sounded great toed out. I had more room to move around on the bed left or right without losing the magic. Head up below on axis all sounded great. Standing moving around the room sitting somewhere else the Monolith still sounded good. Not as good as the sweet spot but good nonetheless

Golden Ear 7.5 out of 10
Monolith 10 out of 10.

Winner Monolith

 

[Danzilla31]

Soundstage and imaging

In the showroom the Golden Ear put out the sickest Soundstage and imaging I have ever heard except for my RBH. Voices centered instruments placed in room Soundstage lifted the speakers would just dissappear. Sound would just fill the room instrument and sound placed all around me in the room. I've never heard anything do it better except for my RBH. This is what golden ear are known for. HOWEVER. In my much smaller bedroom. The Soundstage and imaging was still amazing the speakers did dissappear. But it wasn't as magical in my room. I do believe these speakers need a little bigger room and distance from the main position then I could do in this room. Still voices were just sick so detailed placed so well. Instruments were placed out in the room sounds out in the room and to the sides of my bed left and right even. It was impressive

The Monolith Encore could do everything I noticed the Golden Ears could do. Just not quiet as well. On rare occasion I noticed a very very slight boxiness on certain parts of tracks. They wrapped the Soundstage around the room but not quite as holographic and wide as the golden ears. Imaging and voices and instruments all superb though I mean $292 a tower I was amazed how close they were to the golden ear.

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 9 out of 10
Monolith Encore 7.5 out of 10
Winner Golden Ear :but not by as much as I thought:

 

[Danzilla31]

Dynamics

They're is no denying how dynamic the Golden Ears were. Just sick output drum tracks movie bass hits like gunshots etc. From quiet to loud I've never seen a speaker of this size do it better. It was insane

Monolith Encore.

Although they couldn't quiet keep up with the golden ears they came very very close. But the output was sick it was crazy what these speakers at this price could do

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 10 out of 10
Monolith Encore T6 8 out of 10
Winner Golden Ear. But not by that much.

 

[Danzilla31]

Bass

The golden ear were amazing. They extend deep Brent Butterworth measured them solid to 25hz with output in the right room to 20. And they can do it in a room like mine that gives a lot of gain
The bass was articulate and detailed. Quick and tight on music or hard hitting on movies. HOWEVER. Although they can extend that deep in my room they can't do it with the authority of a couple good subs. These still especially in larger rooms they would do better in would sound better with subs

The Monolith had just as much extension in my room as the golden ears. Just not quite as much output. But they were not lacking at all. The shocker was the bass they put out had more grit and detail more nuanced then the golden ear. And the golden ear were not shabby as mentioned at all.

The Monolith had better integration with the bass to the midrange which we will get to later. Detail and clarity and separation the Monolith had an edge they just couldn't put out as much output as the golden ears but in my room this was a non issue as both speakers had plenty of headroom in my room

But I have never heard a tower the size and price of the Monolith do it better. EVER

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 9 out of 9
Monolith Encore T6 9 out of 9

What the Monolith lacked in output they made up for in accuracy and tonality and quality
Bass was a tie!!!!

 

[Danzilla31]

Midrange

The golden ear had detail. The midrange was not forward colored or recessed. However it sounded thin and not as well integrated to the highs and lows as other speakers. This is this speakers one weakness as compared to other speakers

Monolith Encore had literally just as much detail. Maybe less by a hair. But the accuracy was just as good as the golden ear but without that thinness and with better integration. They just had a meat a thickness to the mids and the total tonality of the speaker. When I say meat I dont mean warmth or coloration. Its not a voicing or innacuracy. In fact midrange on the Encores is one of they're strong points and they can compete with speakers much higher then they're price point. Voices just had that perfect weight and grit and rasp. Same with instruments. They had that weight in space. The golden ear had the detail just not the weight and this included instruments as well.

I suspect the answer is simple golden ear 1 4.5 midrange in a 3 way designed paired to a powered sub section. Monolith 3 6.5 drivers paired in a 2.5 way to a tweeter that can be crossed over a touch lower thanks to that wave guide. Translation no replacement for displacement

Golden ear Triton 3+ 7.5 out of 10
Monolith Encore T6 8.5 out of 10
Winner Monolith

 

[Danzilla31]

Highs. There is no getting around that AMT tweeter on the golden ear. Details quickness air separation these beauties have it. And they keep it at high output. In MY ROOM they was issues with brightness that I did not notice in the treated room I first heard them. I think the wide dispersion of these tweeters in a bright reflective room like mine was an issue.

The Monolith encore not as detailed or airy or separated. But they did well on all 3 of these areas. I was shocked with how well they did for what they cost. What really shocked me is they did not have any brightness issues toed in or out. Thar must be a sweet wave guide. They also can't hold it together as well past a certain output that the golden ear could. But once again I've never heard better highs on a speaker at thus price. They smash the SVS primes the klipsch RP-8000F and other speakers priced higher. They beat the SVS pinnacles. They even held they're own with the JBL 590. Just not quiet as good as the 590 and lacking the 590s air detail and clarity at higher output

Golden Ear Triton 3+ 9.5 out of 10
Monoprice Encore T6 8 out of 10
Winner Golden Ear