Skip to main content

GoldenEar Triton Reference: A real reference speaker for under $10K a pair? Yes, please!

As I walked out of the GoldenEar Technology suite at CES 2014 three and a half years ago after hearing the company’s Triton One speaker, I thought to myself, “Wow! Those speakers are amazing. Too bad Sandy Gross left almost no room for improvement. What in the world will he do next?” Indeed, the legendary speaker designer and engineer, whose past handiwork lives on to this day through Polk and Definitive Technology, seemed to have backed himself into a corner. But if the new Triton Reference speakers I heard at CES 2017 are any indication, Sandy Gross and his partners in these creations, Don Givogue and Bob Johnston, don’t shy away from a good fight. The new top-flight speakers impressed everyone who heard them at the big trade show in Las Vegas, and now you can hear for yourself what all the buzz is about, as the GoldenEar Triton Reference loudspeakers are finally available at Hi-Fi stores nationwide.

Between the GoldenEar Triton One introduced in 2014 and the Triton Reference’s first appearance three years later, Sandy Gross and his team developed the insanely high-value Triton Five, followed by the potent and poignant SuperSub X and SuperSub XXL. But during this time, the gurus at GoldenEar Technology were quietly tinkering with what would ultimately come to be the company’s flagship speaker, the Triton Reference.

The name is no accident, and neither is the price. The Triton Reference aims to be a standard against which other speakers are judged. These speakers are meant to be a model for sound quality, accuracy, transparency, realism. And they are. But if there’s one problem with the Triton Reference, it’s that the price is somewhere between 2-3 times less than the speakers they compete against. At $8,500 per pair, the Triton Reference are resetting a standard previously established by speakers costing over $20,000. Will anyone take them seriously as a “reference” speaker at that price? If the media speaking to the audiophile crowd has anything to do with it, the yes. Good luck finding a negative review of the Triton Reference from any respected author and/or publication.

Digital Trends and I would like to add to the chorus of voices singing the praises of the GoldenEar Triton Reference speakers. They are flat-out incredible, knock-you-damn-socks-off, jaw-droppingly realistic, enrapturing speakers. They must be heard to be believed, and we know this because we heard, and we believe.

In our video above we have a chat with Sandy Gross after having witnessed the Triton Reference speakers work their magic, and ask the wizard himself to explain how he improved upon the un-improvable. New parts, redesigned drivers, a new, gorgeous cabinet. These are all signs that the GoldenEar Triton Reference loudspeakers aren’t an evolution or a revolution. They’re both. 

Caleb Denison
Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…
Crazy! This 75-inch 4K TV is under $450 at Walmart right now
The onn. 75” Class 4K UHD (2160P) LED Frameless Roku Smart TV is a living room with orange walls.

Walmart continues its reign of great TV deals with the option to buy an Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV for just $448. A 75-inch TV for under $500 is pretty impressive and this TV usually costs $498 so you’re saving even more than usual. If you want a great new TV to add to your home for less, this is the perfect opportunity to do so while saving plenty of cash. Let’s take a look at what it has to offer.

Why you should buy the Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV
Onn. is nowhere to be seen in our look at the best TV brands but it’s still pretty respectable for anyone seeking a budget-priced TV. The most obvious benefit here is the hefty 75-inch 4K screen with 2160p resolution. It looks great with a crystal clear picture which is an excellent upgrade compared to an HD screen. The Onn. 75-inch Frameless 4K TV might lack the finer features of the best TVs but it has the essentials arranged well.

Read more
Tubi teams with DAZN for sports as free TV service continues its takeover
The Tubi app icon on Apple TV.

Not that Tubi was exactly lacking for anything to watch, but the free (as in ad-supported) streaming service just added a couple more reasons to keep you glued to your couch. The Fox-owned FAST service (that's short for free ad-supported television) today announced a partnership with DAZN that brings a bevy of sports to platform.

The tentpole addition is DAZN Women's Football. It'll be available 24 hours a day, with "a compelling mix of live and classic soccer matches from prestigious tournaments." Those will include the UEFA Women's Champions League, Liga F, and the Saudi Women's Premier League, among others. It'll be available in the U.S. and Canada.

Read more
Hisense’s PX3-Pro Laser Cinema gets AI, a bigger picture, and better sound
The Hisense PX3-Pro Laser Cinema.

Hisense's PX2-Pro Laser Cinema ultra short throw projector made all kinds of best projector lists for its excellent picture, big brightness, and accurate color. Today, the Chinese electronics maker announced the popular projector's latest model, the PX3-Pro, a $3,500, premium triple-laser projector that improves on its predecessors with better sound, a brighter light source, and AI smarts to further enhance its image.

The PX3-Pro sees some improvements over the PX2. For one, it's brighter than the PX2's 2,400 ANSI lumens at 3,000 ANSI lumens, which should mean a significant boost, especially in brighter rooms. But one key improvement with the PX3 that Hisense is certainly hoping will make an impact is its integration of "real-time Pro AI Algorithms" that Hisense says will "enhance brightness, fine-tune contrast, and eliminate noise." Using AI to enhance picture quality, color, and more, has been showing up in all the best TVs over the last year or so, so it's no surprise to see it start making its way into the best projectors now, too.

Read more