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Tri-Art Audio Open 5 open, baffle speaker.

On my extended speaker hunt I have found a speaker that has surprised me specially for the price range. The tri-Art Audio Open 5 speaker $7500 Can$. 

I have gone a very meandering way in speaker ownership the last ten years. Living Voice Avatar2 (wonderfully musical), Tekton lore (ok for the price), Omega SAM (best soundstage I've heard), LaScala (supper fun still miss them), Spendor D9.2's (most disappointing speaker I have owned). ADS L901 ( smooth, enjoyable over the long term but vintage). I demoed prior Focal Kantas and Sopra's 2,  few Sonus Faber's, new LaScala's and Cornwall's, Something made of granite can't recall the brand. Now enter the Open 5's and a total chance buy. 

The Tri-Art Open 5's are a three way 5 driver open baffle speaker. With remote crossovers. They are made from Bamboo ply. They use a 5 driver compliment; a 18" sub bass, 15" mid bass, 8" mid range, 1" soft dome tweeter and a supper tweeter. I really like the control on the crossover that allows you to attenuate the low end to help in room integration. this allows you to adjust the bass level to tailor the room and distance from wall, helps with tone as well. The also use a clamping system to attach the drivers to the baffle that interesting. Reason for the wood around the rear of the drivers. 

Nominal Impedance: Single Input 8 Ω

Sensitivity: 94 dB SPL (1W/1M)

Volume Matching: Crossover Only

Frequency Range: 27 – 40,000 Hz

5 Open (Pair) with crossover (triartaudio.com)

I've had them for a few weeks now and I'm very presently surprised at how much better then the Spendor's they are for half the cost. They play lower, have better dynamics, smoother response, much better tone, equally detailed, much faster. they are more neutral then the Spendor's and most box speakers I've tried. Soundstage is excellent in depth and width. as a friend of mine said they are very neutral and true to live.  As my first OB I'm shocked at the bass out of these did not expect that.  

The Open 5 is really a great speaker it does so much right. And looks amazing, much better in person. I recommend anyone looking for an almost full range OB that integrates fairly easy to have a look at this Canadian company based in Hamilton Ont.  They have 3 OB's in their line the open 3, open 4 and open 5 getting larger as they go. Open 3 starts at $3100 Can$ I'm betting these with a sub would be a great entry point for a new audiophile. 

 

Cheers 

Glen  

All Specifications

Design: Open Baffle

Nominal Impedance: Single Input 8 Ω

Recommended Amplifiers: 25 Up to 150 Watts RMS

Sensitivity: 94 dB SPL (1W/1M)

Volume Matching: Crossover Only

Frequency Range: 27 – 40,000 Hz

Driver Details

Total Drivers: Five

Input 1:

1″ Fabric Dome Tweeter (13,000 Hz and up) 20 Watts

8″ Full Range Paper Cone Cloth Edge

Super Tweeter (40,000 Hz)

Input 2:

Up to 150 Watts

Two Paper Cone Cloth Edge Woofers

Top 15″: 30-100Hz @ 1st Order 6dB Slope

Bottom 18″: 27-50Hz @ 1st Order 6 dB Slope

Crossover Details (Optional)

Inputs: 2

Adjustable Volume Control for Full Range Speaker Section: Crossover Only

Outputs: 3

Cables: Set of 0.5-meter jumper cables with banana plugs.

Output 1 (Full Range)

100-Watt Attenuator

47-Ohm Resistor

100 Hz Single Cap Filter

Output 2 (Bass)

Single open-air inductor filter 100Hz @ 1st Order 6 dB Slope

Output 3 (Sub Bass)

Single open-air inductor filter 50 Hz @ 1st Order 6 dB Slope

Mode: Floor Standing

Finish: Bamboo Laminate Soaked in Hemp Oil

Stands: Bamboo Stand with 4 Brass-Collared, Bronze Spikes with Bamboo Spike Cups

Dimensions

H: 62.0″ (157.48cm) W: 19″ (48.26cm) D: 16.25″ (41.27cm)

128x128glennewdick
4 responses Add your response
tomsch's avatar
tomsch
34 posts
 

I've been a huge open baffle fan this last year as my loft/audio room seems to really work with OBs. I took a look at the Tri Arts and they are simply beautiful. Great to hear that you are loving yours. 

arnold_h
96 posts
 

I heard the open 5 speakers a couple of weeks ago we have a dealer here in Winnipeg, $6900.  I also heard the open 3 as well, very  impressive 3d soundstage. Very impressive speakers for the money, almost have a Magnepan type of sound. Except they are much easier to drive than Magnepan.

sauniq's avatar
sauniq
8 posts
 

I finally purchased the 5 open from a Tri-art dealer.   I have wanted a pair for a few years and I was letting the price stand in the way, I was seeing others who have open baffles for slightly less.  Every time I heard them I would just be struck with that feeling that I haven't heard much better sound ever.

I visited their facility located in Kingston Ontario last fall after the Toronto Audiofest and had a look at their facility and how they are made.  The owner Steve took us around and gave us a tour and I was impressed with the details they take into consideration when they make their products.  He also showed us a glimpse of what they might have coming in the future, with the possibility of manufacturing their own drivers.

I now own the 5 Open speakers with their amplifier and passive preamp as a combo, and moved out the magnepan 1.7i and Accuphase class A amp and preamp.  I still consider them my reference but slowly and surely my ears can hear a difference in dynamics, I can hear more music and detail , especially bass!  Bass instruments and the lower frequency range of say 40-450 hz. is so beautiful to hear on these speakers with the room dialed in with the adjustable crossover. You can add in as little or as much of the brightness from higher frequencies and your ears want or can stand. :) details are there and after hours and hours of comparison with two sets of ears we both agreed that while on some tracks the maggies were still king, overall the 5 open speakers were so much more fun and dynamic and having 4 huge drivers in the room gives them so much presence that the maggies do not. 

I almost bought the 4 open to save a few bucks but glad I finally pulled the trigger.  totally happy and totally recommend to anyone , take a pair home and see if you could want to give them back :)

 

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick OP
1,665 posts
 

 

sauniq:

nice to see another happy open 5 customer. I really like mine as well. 

My bet is they would sound better on the Accuphase gear then the tri-Art amp. I run mine on McIntosh gear and they sound excellent. 

Note after opening up one of Tri-Arts little inexpensive tuners ($205 can$ tax's and delivery included) and found a cheep Asian tuner board inside, $9 retail on ali-express (via part number on the board). I don't think there was $15 (retail) worth of electronic parts inside, wrapped in a $20 case. I know manufactures need to make a profit, but on the tuner it does say made in Canada which it is not fully. Oh the screws holding the case together were anti-tamper torxs wonder why.....

Reality is its a $100 tuner so probably makes sense the costs of the insides but I didn't like the fact they state made in Canada when it is only assembled in Canada. Sound wise its not good at all better to buy a vintage tuner. Hope their amps are better made and not an Asian class D amp stuffed inside a fancy case. Not that Asian class d amps are necessarily bad or anything. Just being honest is the most important thing to me. 

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