2. amps-preamps
  3. 157340-8042

Keeping it Simple - An Integrated Amp for Golden Ear Triton One.R Speakers

A’gon Members!

Its time to build a new basement system, and my aim is a mid-level setup that is highly musical, and good value for money. As you can see from the previous systems in my profile, I’ve enjoyed some fun and relatively high end setups over the years. This time around I’m going for powered speakers (sub section) and an integrated amp as the foundation of the system. II’ll pull digital from my Meridian/Roon setup that feeds the rest of the house, and a VPI deck to satisfy my vinyl cravings. The basement is a relatively large space (30’ x40’) and I’m looking forward to using the tunable bass output of the Triton One.R speakers to appropriately couple with the room. The budget for the integrated is in the $5k - $8k range. So what say you A’gon members? Which integrated amps would you recommend? I’m particularly interested in comments from Triton One.R owners!

Thanks...
cbd0815
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
cbd0815 OP
An Integrated Amp for Golden Ear Triton One.R Speakers
in a relatively large space (30’ x40’)

To get the best out of them, especially in the bass, in a big room your going to need CURRENT!!

You can’t go wrong with a new or used a John Curl designed Parasound Halo Hint or later Hint 6,
They have a ESS Sabre32 Reference DAC (ES9018K2M)
HT bypass
Phono input for MM, MC and MI with 100 Ω or 47k Ω load
Can be used as a power amp also.

Or if you can afford it Gryphon Diablo 120 or 300

They both use bi-polar transistors which can give more current into those Tritons bass impedance than mofest can. Because the Tritons go down to 3ohms in the mid bass and have a nasty -60 to -80 degree phase angle below that, they need current, to keep them driving and tight down there.
https://www.stereophile.com/images/1119GET1Rfig1.jpg

Cheers George

stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,261 posts
 
I had the original Parasound integrated and it was not a good match with my GE Triton Ones.  Moving up to the McIntosh was a revelation.

avanti1960
1,406 posts
 
@georgehifi 
the OP does not need much current because the Triton woofers are actively amplified.  
he just needs to drive the midrange and tweeters at 100hz and up.  
perfect opportunity for a quality tube amp.  
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
avanti1960
the OP does not need much current because the Triton woofers are actively amplified.

If you cared to look at the impedance graph I posted above, it is the load presented to the users amplifier used by the two mid/bass drivers from 100Hz up, you’ll see that the load presented to an amp.
The combined load of at 100hz is 4ohms and -50 degrees of negative phase angle, needs current, so to the 3.1ohm from 290-400hz, these speakers will need current from an amp as I mentioned, between 100hz to 500hz https://www.stereophile.com/images/1119GET1Rfig1.jpg
Stereophile
The solid trace in fig.1 reveals that the impedance magnitude ranges between 3 and 6 ohms for much of the audioband, with a minimum value of 3.1 ohms between 290Hz and 390Hz. Like the original One, the One.R’s use of a passive high-pass filter with a low corner frequency means that the electrical phase angle becomes increasingly capacitive below that frequency.

Cheers George
More to discover