Best AMP for GE Triton Reference Speakers


Now that it’s my turn for Christmas, I’m asking for advice on what AMP users would suggest using with GoldenEar Triton Reference speakers? My budget is 10k, I have a local dealer who will let me bring home and test the amps they carry for a few days each - which include: Parasound JC5, Anthem STR, McIntosh MC312 and MC462, and Rotel’s Michi S5. Are there any other brands/ manufactures you would suggest checking out?

For more details: This is a dual-purpose room; listening room/ home theater but with an emphasis on music over movies. The room is well treated to reduce echo, but far from "dead sounding." The dimensions are 12 ft wide, 20 feet deep, and 8.5ft ceilings. I am looking for a neutral, resolving and detailed amp over warmth or musicality without sounding too lean esp in the midrange. I also don’t want to go below 200 watts for home theater purposes, so I believe that a tube amp is out of the question. I’m hoping to make a purchase decision on or around January 10th. I appreciate everyone’s input in advance. I also listen to a variety of music, but lean towards rock music and usually at mid listening levels (70 to 80 SPL) but with movies that can go quite a bit louder with explosions/ etc. 

jpeters568
jpeters568 I’ve heard them a few times at different shows and while, that’s not necessarily the best place to judge any component, it can give a hint at the general capability. On both occasions they were dull, undynamic, and downright bad. On one occasion, the guy giving the demo was making excuses about the room while other rooms sounded great.

@noromance,

 

your statement of the speakers being dull, undynamic and just plain bad contradicts my own experience since I own them, and every reviewer from many print and online magazine’s experiences.  Are you sure about your statements or is it you just don’t like GE?  They are the best sounding speakers I have ever owned over my 50+ years in this hobby. The best thing is I bought mine new which was in the first production run for 8K a pair.  They now go for 11K a pair.  Your statements do not make any sense to me or the countless others that own them.   

I used to own a pair of Triton 2+ speakers. Not quite the References, for sure, but they were in a fairly small room and were a good fit for the situation. 

When I got them, I had a Krell FPB-300 that I had owned for about 20 years. This amp was certainly overkill regarding power, but really made the speakers sound quite good. Excellent dynamics, tone and imaging.

Unfortunately one channel crapped out on the amp. I had already had it fixed several years earlier, and I took the advice of my local dealer to sell it for parts instead of investing in another repair. 

I tried a few other amps including a Levinson 383 I owned, Nord NCore monoblocks (with both Sparkos and Sonic Imagery discrete op amps in the buffer board), and finally a Parasound JC5. The JC5 was by far the best with these speakers, although I think it still fell short of the Krell in the warmth and richness of tone. 

Ultimately, I moved on to different speakers in a different room (and may other subsequent upgrades), but I still feel the Triton 2+ speakers with the Krell was quite satisfying. 

@stereo5 I heard what I heard. Maybe it was just a coincidence that both times were poor experiences.  The main thing is you like them.