Goldenear Triton One R vs. PSB T3. vs. Spendor D7...

No, I asked a different question this time. I added the Goldenear's Triton One R.  I'm hoping to get different opinions and a lot can happen in a year.

I’ve owned D7 for over a year and really like them. In months leading up to purchasing I compared against about twenty other speakers and liked the d7 best. Heard the older Goldenear (2+, 1) and was not impressed at all, but the one.r reportedly better than past GE. Haven’t heard PSB. Good luck

I have heard each of them and owned the Spendors.  
Of those three the Spendors by a mile.  However they are not natural sounding.  

I own both the Triton Ones and the Triton Reference. As you go up the line, you get a more refined sound. Comparing the Triton R speakers to Spendors is like comparing an apple to a watermelon. They are two totally different sounding speakers. The first thing to do is listen to any GE speaker to see if you like their house sound and the same with the Spendors. You did ask this question a year ago only asking about the Triton Ones. You sound to me like a person who most likely won’t buy anything, because if you did, you would have bought one of the speakers by now.  The GE’s are easy to audition as there are hundreds of dealers world wide.  The Spendors May be a bit harder to audition as there aren’t as many dealers. However, if you were truly serious, you would actually go out and listen instead of asking the same questions again. 

To stereo5Didn't your crystal ball tell you I already have a mommy to give me advise? Didn't your crystal ball tell you that maybe I heard the GE's and the PSB's  a few years ago and I still wanted more up to date opinions on the improvement that have been made in the last year?  Didn't your crystal ball tell you that I have been on "lock down" for 4 months and most stereo stores are closed to to a modern day plague?  Do you read palms too?

Stereo 5   I've been a bad boy, please don't spank me.

@zeal,

No crystal ball, may I borrow yours? You are talking about 3 different speakers that do not even remotely sound like they are in the same hall. What does it matter what others think or have heard? Do you want them to spend your money for you? If that is the case, go with the Triton One R. My reasoning is it is close to the Triton Reference which I love and find perfect for my taste. If you want to save a lot of money, Triton Ones can be had used for $2500.00. I know nothing of Spendors or PMC. I do know you wont get the same quality or quantity of bass out of the Spendors or PMC that you get from the GE speakers.

About that spanking, have your wife or girlfriend give you 50 whacks plus an extra 10 for being so snarky. 

Stereo 5, Try to read things more carefully, I never mentioned PMC. I wanted some listener opinions. If everything you say is true, what’s the point of reading a "Professional" review? What’s the point of a few hundred thousand questions just like mine on the Internet? Are they spending your money? Three different speakers that all sound different is exactly why I asked this question. 

I meant PSB. Typo error. 

This is my preference:
1. Spendor (musical and captivating in an expensive MBL rig)
2. PSB (super neutral, heard in mutiple systems dealers/audio shows)
3. No experience with GE. Heard one in 2014 at a Texas dealer and was not impressed)

Spoke with a well-known Spendor dealer in the US who actually doesn't recommend the D series at all. Said they have a hot tweeter.

I think Devore and Dynaudio are great below $10k.

Spendor D Series sounds nothing like traditional Spendor, which has a reputation of being very laid back.

If you like traditional Spendor, you probably will not like D Series. In my case, D Series is perfect, because of the LPZ (in-house made by Spendor). It is quick and lively, not bright (in my opinion.

I listened to 20+ speakers. Bright (or at least brighter, everyone will hear differently) tweeters are Klipsch, Focal, Paradigm, B&W, and others. Not Spendor D series. They are neutral, BUT COMPARED to traditional Spendor, yes, they sound brighter. But that is because traditional Spendor is probably in the lower 30% of all speakers re brightness.

It’s all in the perspective.

I own D7, D1, and SA1. Listen to each every day. IMO, D series destroys the SA1, but as we say, it is all personal preference. Go and listen. Stores mostly open now.

The hot tweeter stuff is a bit overblown I think with the D7. I've owned a pair since February and it really has mellowed out over time. However, if a recording is bright to begin with it will not soften the blow. A bright recording will sound bright because these are accurate speakers. The midrange is also forward, so if you are in a small room it will possibly sound to in your face.

Pairing with Tubes or Class A SS seems to be the way to go given the choice, but I've got a class AB SS amp and don't have many qualms. Just the itch to try tubes!

For what you’re looking for, of the three I’d think the Spendors would be your best bet.  However, in that price range I’d hands down choose the Joseph Audio Profiles over any of them.  JA speakers are outstanding when it comes to imaging, soundstage, and pulling off a disappearing act, and the Profiles benefit heavily from “trickle-down” technology from their pricier stablemates.  Just my $0.02. 

Yup.  Instead of the D series, consider a Spendor speaker from the Classic line.  https://www.spendoraudio.com/classic-loudspeakers/

Shahram
I have both, Rogue Audio monoblocks and April Music Stello ai500 with a built in DAC. Both power up more then what the D7's need. The tubes can take EL34's, might be the ticket.

Soix
The Joseph Audio Profiles are nice and I heard them with a Rogue amp. However they are rather small and might lax in the bottom end compared to the Spendor's and the others.

The Profiles are very similar in size and weight to the D7.2 and look to go about 10Hz deeper in bass at -2dB.  

soix,
Thank you, now that's some sound advise.

The Profiles cost the same as the D9's and the Revels that got "Best Speaker" on Stereophile.

Stereophile rankings are useless and should be entirely ignored.

Trying to guess how a speaker sounds simply by looking at specs (e.g., assessing bass quality) is a pretty dangerous business. Gotta actually listen

The Profiles cost the same as the D9's and the Revels that got "Best Speaker" on Stereophile.

Ah, I’m clearly wrong then.  Sorry I even mentioned the Profiles. 

BTW, the D9s are $11,500 and the Profiles are $7k.  Maybe you’re thinking of the JA Perspectives?

My understanding is that T3s are brutal to setup.  I believe there are three ports and depending on your room, you have to seal some of them while simultaneously considering placement.  It leads to an infinite number of combinations making it a pain to get just right.  When dialed in, they are brilliant and work well with mainstream gear but are tough to dial in.  I heard them driven by Ayre 5 series gear.  

I like Spendor D7s as a neutral and detailed speaker.  The long demo I had was unfortunately with Naim gear and they sounded really laid back.  I have heard them briefly with Bryston and they were engaging.  Suppose to be pretty easy to get placement right.  

I have only heard the Golden Ears at the NY Audio Show.  They sounded good at high volumes but my exposure was brief and I just left a room featuring MBLs so that is a tough comparison.  They were good.

My bias is toward the Spendors assuming you have a neutral to slightly forward amplification or you like a slightly warm sound. 

They are bigger in size but take a look at the Endeavor E3 from Von Schweikert. If I recall, they are in the same price range.  I remember looking at a pair at Sounds by singer and they were nice and $8300 is sticking in my head though that may have been the demo price he had.

I would add the new Kerr Acoustic K320 MK3's to this list too...some say these are one of the best money can buy. 
 
Could they be one of the best kept secrets ?...

Now this""" To stereo5Didn't your crystal ball tell you I already have a mommy to give me advise? Didn't your crystal ball tell you that maybe I heard the GE's and the PSB's a few years ago and I still wanted more up to date opinions on the improvement that have been made in the last year? Didn't your crystal ball tell you that I have been on "lock down" for 4 months and most stereo stores are closed to to a modern day plague? Do you read palms too?
 Report thiszeal OP161 posts06-21-2020 1:10pmStereo 5   I've been a bad boy, please don't spank me.


IS funny!!!

Viablex
I'm glad you have a sense of humor. You should have seen the other things I wrote but somebody's mommy had them deleted.

@zeal
So you are still talking about buying yet have done nothing.  You remind me of one of my audio buddy’s who always wants to compare components but who never buys anything.   Your reasoning about not being able to audition speakers Due to the virus shut downh, hence your asking doesn’t hold water.  A year ago you asked pretty much the same question yet there was no virus then and no closing of audio stores.  Instead of talking about me, why not go out and actually listen?   Although you would have to leave the safety of your keyboard. 

Just when I think, Surely this person has reached and encapsulates the limits of Internet tedium you go and push the boundary even further.

I refer to your latest discharge of plebeian verbiage; in which, you have proven, once again, that there is no such thing as unutterable nonsense.

Just when I think I’ve read the stupidest thing ever, you go and say something else. I’ll go listen and buy a freaking speaker when I’m good and ready.

It’s hard to believe that I remind you of a friend or that you have any friends at all. You really should take up knitting because the advice you give is worthless.

wow ^^ you are my new hero I ran into so much bull**** on another forum I wish I would have you to consult with before I told them to ****

@zeal 

you are just a dreamer.  I will lay a bet that next year at this time you will still be talking about buying speakers. 

it is ok to dream I am sure you have some we all do. I know that a lot of them never become reality. It is interesting to hear what other people have for equipment etc.

it does suck when a thread gets hijacked but @zeal do you have any pics of your system now? I am just curious. I am renting a room in Portland from the most anxious person I have ever met who hasnt yet figured out the diminishing returns of alcohol and is noisy as absolute fuck and plays shitty oontzangle speakers all fucking day and if i didnt hate npr before I rented this horrendous shit hole I will when I leave!!! and the nosy neighbor can eat a bag of dicks!! whew

hey @zeal any pics of your current system? and yes would have liked to see what else they deleted nothing like a forum to trample on 1st amendment rights

Hey Zeal,  I am in the same boat.   Been waiting  a good long time before buying my next pair of speakers because I kind of savor the process.   I have been contemplating speakers for over a year as well and have gone from GE to PSB to Revel and now also looking at the Spendor D7's as a swap out pair with my B&W 805's. If anyone has thoughts on the difference between the 805's and D7's would be interested in their thoughts.  I have CJ ET3SE and Classic 60 gear with vinyl  so interested in comments from anyone who has driven the  D7's with tube gear.    BTW your sarcasm is sharp and crisp but not too bright.  Recommended Class A retorts. 

Suko
Thanks for the sideways compliment, " BTW your sarcasm is sharp and crisp but not too bright." It seems you can't make up your mind, sharp, crisp and not bright, hhmmmm.  Stereo5 had his mommy delete some great stuff. Oh well. I have Rogue Audio 180 Mono-blocks and a couple SS amps. The tubes are far better with my Martin Logans and the SS amps (April Music, Stello ai500 & Krell KVI300) sound better with my Pioneer/TADS and my Vandersteen Treo.

@zeal thanks for sharing I have never tried tubes I have been using wyred 4 sound amps on my focals sounded way better than the 110lb emotiva I had. For a total novice do you recommend any low on the totem pole or cheaper tube amp to start with? And in the comment department keep up the great work!!

@zeal,

I did not have anyone delete anything.  The moderator made the deletions on his/her own.  I got 3 notifications that my posts were deleted due to:  "None of your business".  I don't complain or cry to anyone.  Perhaps it was your mommy who made the deletions.  My mom died in 2012 at the age of 92.  God Rest Her Soul.

viablex1
Check out Audiogon and HIFI shark once you have an idea of what you want.

Stereo5,
Sorry about your mom but you're still annoying.

Yes sorry about your mom @stereo5 Mine passed away when she was 52 years of age a long time ago.They deleted mine about the crazy old woman in the shoe that drinks