I haven't found any comparisons of the Triton 5 and 7 that describe their relative strengths and weaknesses as related to listener profile.

For me maximum volume will be relatively moderate and experienced in 5.1 home theater duty. Until I have a sound level meter I can't say for sure but would guess moderate is in the range of ~ 90-95 dB 11' from the speaker. I'm not interested in rattling the walls.

Overall my profile will be
General ambient music 90%.
HT 8%
2ch listening 2%

2 ch listening is where I'll be most critical. If it handles 2 ch well I know I'll be satisfied at HT and general ambient volumes. I'm after the most complete full range reproduction at lower volumes.
I might crank it up well above HT volumes occasionally, but 2 ch listening will typically be at lower volumes than HT. Think 2 or 3 pc acoustic coffee shop rather than garage rock cover band.

With this in mind and assuming either would eventually be paired with a complimentary sub is one or the other better suited to my profile?

Thank you

Hi, 2dflier

Great questions. I suspect Wayne will weigh in on this with great comments....

My take: moving up the GEt speaker ladder brings more of the same sound quality, just deeper, some cleaner, richer. All good.

I don’t find that the sound volume played at changes the comparison . I listen a lot at background levels. (Would say that 90-95 dB is a tad or more beyond moderate. My listening SL is usually more in the 75-80 dB range, even as low as 55-60 dB for background.)


My advice: go for theT5’s. Newer balanced crossovers, cleaner sound, ability to dig deeper. Great speakers are keepers for a LONG time. Go for the best your budget allows.

Good luck and happy listening. GEt speakers are addictive!

Rick

Thank you Rick. I appreciate your comments.
Beyond the basics I don't know much about how speakers and amps communicate and what enables the pair to create full sound at moderate volumes.
Wayne and others have already provided a lot of helpful insights and echoes your thoughts about buying as much speaker as you can afford and hang onto them for awhile. To that I'll add how much the wife will put up with.
Thanks again, Allan

It's comments like this in a 14Apr15 "Sound & Vision" Trition 5 review by Steve Guttenburg that raise questions in my mind: "The louder I played them, the better I felt! Indeed, I found these speakers seem to like moderate to high volume; they were less satisfying at hushed, late-night levels."

Hey Allan, I think Bro Rick is right on as always!!!!
I don't think Guttenberg's comment is a big deal, I think there is some truth to it, and I would say that same comment could be made re all the GEt lineup of speakers. My take is that they all like to rock!!!! They all sound a little better at higher volumes. But that is a psycho-acoustic thing too isn't it?
IF you are playing these puppies as background music, I can't help you. I have no idea what they would sound like, because even on the two or three occasions when I have tried that, I end up listening to the music, screw everything else, turn it up there is music playing baby!!!!! For me you are either listening to music or you are not.

Anyway, I will stop my rant, what Bro Rick mentioned is true, there is newer technology in the T 5s than the T 7s have. IF I am not mistaken, and I could be, the only time I have experience of that newer technology is in my TOnes. And IF that is the case, whatever it is is worth it!
I wish this could help, but you probably just need to take your own music to the shop, listen to both the T 5 and the T 7 at the volume you like and compare. BUT, if in doubt, bigger is better. At least that is what I heard.
Happy listening,
God Bless,
Wayne

A year ago I went through the exact same decision. I was thinking of Triton 7's with a FF4 or 5, vs the Triton 5's. I listened 1st to the 7's and loved them. I then switched over to etc 5's and in 10 seconds knew the 5's were for me. The clarity, especially in the mid range, was astounding. And, there was enough bass with just the 5's for me to be satisfied. For me, listening side by side was a revelation. It was the 5's by a wide margin.

Hope this helps.