Hello all! I am building out a potential 5.1.4 media room/home theater suite that will be mostly home theater (85%) usage. Very few "blow out the walls" sessions. One thing that I've been looking for is very good off-axis listening and a wide soundstage to help equalize the experience for everyone in the room, and that is one of the biggest factors that led me to investigate Goldenear (amongst other things). I've also looked at the Martin Logan Motion 40/20, and the Def Tech 8060/9060-ish series bipolars. They all have done a good job with a wide soundstage and not being overly directional, even though they are different styles.

I auditioned all three today, but it was my first time with the Goldenears. I listed to a set of Triton 5's, and while I loved everything we listened to at higher volumes through an Anthem receiver, when we turned it down to a "casual netflix watching" level (where you can make easy comments/conversation during the movie/show), it totally seemed to lose it's dynamics. The rep offered that the Anthem receiver doesn't play well at low volume whereas Japanese receivers normally do, and that putting on "night mode" on the receiver would resolve this in the real world. Online I've read a comment about that for the 5's, and in general I've heard that antidotally about speakers with passive radiators (though I don't put a lot of value in that, worth bringing up to clear or confirm that out of my subconscious).

I'd like feedback from those that use their towers for daily use and often play low casual volume, and whether there's a different experience for that across the 7, the 5, and the powered 3+ that what I had at the dealer. Thanks all!

Hi,

I own three sets of GE Speakers - Triton Ones, Triton Sevens, and SuperSat 3Cs. I generally listen at lower volumes. I am using all three sets of speakers exclusively for music. I have them spread around my "media room" to provide a wide sound stage. I drive the Ones with a Cambridge 851A Stereo Amp and both the Sevens and 3Cs with a 7-channel Cambridge CXR120 running in "All Channel" mode.

This arrangement allows me to adjust the Ones separately from the Sevens and 3Cs to provide the sound stage I prefer. I also have a Paradigm DSP3400 Sub, driven from the CXR120 Record Out line outputs through a Chase Technology line level controller.

I use the Paradigm sub only when I am listening at very low volumes to slightly augment the bass. Otherwise the Paradigm is off.

I find this combination very satisfactory for music, even at very low volume levels. When listening alone, I play the system at a bit higher volume - not convenient for conversation, but no where as loud as I suspect many HT systems are played.

My suggestion to you is to return to your dealer, try to find a demo amp with sound characteristics similar to yours (or take your own amp), and listen at your preferred volume levels. Let your ears guide you.

Best,

Art