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GoldenEar Technologies Anticipation Thread

729K views 6K replies 686 participants last post by  Mccglastron1972 
#1 ·
I didn't see a post about this yet. A new speaker company named GoldenEar is set to launch any day now. Sounds interesting.

http://bitstream.soundandvisionmag.c...echnology.html

"One of the best things about big trade shows like CES is running into old friends. I was glad to get the chance to catch up with Definitive Technology founder Sandy Gross, who recently parted ways with the company that he founded in 1990 (and sold to Directed Electronics in 2004).


Sandy is a purposeful guy, so his presence in Las Vegas is an obvious indicator that something big is in the works. As it turns out, that something is a new company: GoldenEar Technology. Sandy's longtime engineering partner and co-Def Tech founder Don Givogue is onboard with the new company, which means that we'll likely be seeing exciting stuff from them in the near future. No details are available to share yet, but given this duo's history of turning out high-performance, high-value speakers, I'd lay odds that something along those lines is in the works. Al Griffin"



http://blog.hometheatermag.com/ces20..._you_but_then/

Yeah, it's one of those kinds of things. We're sworn to secrecy (hopefully not too much longer), but we were one of the few who were given a glimpse at a new speaker line from a brand new company called GoldenEar Technology. New companies come into existence all the time, of course, but what makes this one so special is the fact that it's being started by Sandy Gross and Don Givogue, two of the founders of one of our (and many, many other' people's - if all of the stellar reviews and impressive sales numbers are anything to go by) favorite speaker brands, Definitive Technology. Gross was also one of the founders of another speaker brand you might have heard of: Polk. So when we heard Sandy Gross was working on a new speaker, our ears started to tingle (and not just from being at CES for several days). We can't tell you many of the details, but what we saw was elegant, affordable, and has all the makings of another blockbuster line of gear. To use a Vegas analogy, it's the kind of thing you might get if Frank Sinatra and Elvis had a love child. (Yeah, I know it's not biologically possible, but this is Vegas, after all...)
 
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#27 ·
What does better impedance matching to the air in the room mean?
 
#29 ·
Some of the ad copy sounds like recycled bullsh!t from the Heil AMT days.
 
#32 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chu Gai /forum/post/19205190


What does better impedance matching to the air in the room mean?

Impedance is just complex resistance, ie resistance varying with (or a function of) frequency. Basically you're increasing the physical load (or resistance to movement) the driver sees.


In horn loaded speakers impedance matching is a big deal as it reduces the cones excursion by a factor of three, as compared to the driver in free air, for a given SPL. Remember excursion = distortion. A good way to visualize this is to think of a leaver or fulcrum. The cone is at the end close to the pivot, so it moves very little compared to air at the mouth of the horn, which moves a lot. The driver needs to have a strong motor to accomplish this.


What this has to do with the speaker in question I can't say. Since this is just another box speaker, it's probably 99% marketing BS but who knows...
 
#37 ·
Are they worth what they're charging


The $1,249-each Triton Two three-way tower, which is 5.25-inch-wide and 48-inch-tall, features black cloth that wraps around the whole curved-back cabinet. It features two 4.5-inch upper bass/midrange drivers with multi-vaned phase plug, with one driver above the HVFR tweeter and the other below. The built-in 1,200-watt powered subwoofer system consists of two active front-mounted 5x9-inch flat quadratic planar (racetrack) drivers and two side-mounted 7x10-inch quadratic planar passive bass radiators.


* The slim two-way SuperSat 50 left-right speaker and its center-channel version, the SuperSat 50C, both at $499 and both suitable for wall mounting because of their 2.5-inch depth. Their other dimensions are 27 inches and 4.75 inches. They feature two 4.5-inch round bass/midrange drivers, which flank an HVFR tweeter, two flat quadratic 4x7-inch passive bass radiators, and piano-gloss-black extruded-aluminum cabinets that curve back at the top and bottom. An optional base is available for the left-right model.


* The SuperSat3 small satellite, available in a horizontal center-channel SuperSat 3C version, each offered at $249. The SuperSat3 models can also be used as surround speakers. All come with included shelf stands but are suitable for wall mounting because of their 2.7-inch depth. Their other dimensions are 12 inches and 4.75 inches. Their piano-gloss-black cabinets are made of marble-filled polymer to make them non-resonant.


* The $499 ForceField 3 and $699 ForceField 4 powered subs, made of high-density MDF in matte-black finish. Both are trapezoid-shaped with rounded edges. The ForceField 3 features 1,000-watt amp, 8-inch front-mounted driver, and bottom-mounted 9.6x11.4-inch quadratic planar passive radiator. The step-up model features 1,200-watt amp, 10-inch front driver, and 11x13.9-inch bottom-mounted passive radiator.


The speakers can be assembled to create three different 5.1-channel home theater speaker systems.

At $1,750, the SuperCinema3 consists of four SuperSat3 speakers, a SuperSat 3C center channel, and a ForceField 3 subwoofer.


At $2,700, the SuperCinema 50 system consists of two SuperSat 50 speakers, a SuperSat 50C center channel, two SuperSat 3 speakers, and a ForceField 4 sub.


The $3,500 Triton Cinema system consists of two Triton towers, a SuperSat 50C center channel, and two SuperSat 3 speakers.
 
#38 ·
Sure they are! Look at all them fancy, high falutin' words.
  • multi-vaned
  • HVFR tweeter
  • quadratic planar
  • SuperSat
  • extruded-aluminum
  • marble-filled polymer
  • trapezoid


Them's words that warm the cockle's of a salesman's heart and there's plenty of margin built in to make everyone happy.
 
#39 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by AcuDefTechGuy /forum/post/19205796


That's my first impression of GoldenEar Technology.



Let's take a DefTech Mythos tower and call it GoldenEar.



Sandy Gross has lost his mind.

Hi, I normally don't get involved in these forums, although I enjoy reading them. However, when someone says that I am out of my mind, I think that it is time to step in. I assume that, based on your screen name, you must like the previous speakers that I have created, which is gratifying and appreciated. When I read some of your statements I suppose that I can understand them, to some degree, because you have not seen or heard the new speakers. Let me assure you that the Triton Two Tower is absolutely nothing like a "rebadged Mythos" and believe me, I should know as I designed both. The Triton Tower is a different size and shape and ID, different cosmetics, constructed of different materials and a totally different construction, different finish, different drivers (wait until you hear the new tweeter, you will flip out, as listeners did yesterday, see Darryl's Wilkinson's blog post on Home Theater entitled" Are Domes Done?), different and much, much more powerful sub amp, different sonic signature etc. etc. I could go on and on. The Mythos ST and STS are great speakers. The Triton Two is much better. This was absolutely the response of the dealers and press who came by yesterday at the show and I hope and expect that it will be your reaction too when you have an opportunity to hear the Triton. Most people continue to get better and better at what they do as they continue to learn and get more experience and you can see and hear this as you follow my speakers over the last 38 years. I think that I can confidently say that the Triton Tower is the best yet. And yes, the tweeter is a new and updated version of the Heil. It is fantastic and we are seeing similar designs showing up in some very high-end speakers including the mega-buck Lyngdorf-Steinway. Wait until you hear it. Sandy Gross
 
#40 ·
When you say you designed the speakers Sandy, just what does that mean?
 
#41 ·
Hey, I'd LOVE to audition these. Will they be in any dealers in MN anytime soon?? Our two main stores are Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics and they both carry Def Tech so it seems unlikely they'd carry both. I have a pair of BP 2006s in my bedroom and over the last 4-6 months I'm looking for something that would be better, and it has been very hard to find anything under 3k that will smoke them. I do really like Focal 826 or 836s but I'd need a sub with both, and I am struggling as to whether they'd be $3-$4k better than what I have. These golden ears aren't dipoles so I'm wondering if maybe they give a different soundstage than Deftech.
 
#42 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenear tech /forum/post/19237428


Hi, I normally don't get involved in these forums, although I enjoy reading them. However, when someone says that I am out of my mind, I think that it is time to step in. I assume that, based on your screen name, you must like the previous speakers that I have created, which is gratifying and appreciated. When I read some of your statements I suppose that I can understand them, to some degree, because you have not seen or heard the new speakers. Let me assure you that the Triton Two Tower is absolutely nothing like a "rebadged Mythos" and believe me, I should know as I designed both. The Triton Tower is a different size and shape and ID, different cosmetics, constructed of different materials and a totally different construction, different finish, different drivers (wait until you hear the new tweeter, you will flip out, as listeners did yesterday, see Darryl's Wilkinson's blog post on Home Theater entitled" Are Domes Done?), different and much, much more powerful sub amp, different sonic signature etc. etc. I could go on and on. The Mythos ST and STS are great speakers. The Triton Two is much better. This was absolutely the response of the dealers and press who came by yesterday at the show and I hope and expect that it will be your reaction too when you have an opportunity to hear the Triton. Most people continue to get better and better at what they do as they continue to learn and get more experience and you can see and hear this as you follow my speakers over the last 38 years. I think that I can confidently say that the Triton Tower is the best yet. And yes, the tweeter is a new and updated version of the Heil. It is fantastic and we are seeing similar designs showing up in some very high-end speakers including the mega-buck Lyngdorf-Steinway. Wait until you hear it. Sandy Gross
http://blog.hometheatermag.com/cedia2010/


The rest of the industry may not be ready to abandon dome tweeters, but Sandy Gross and his new company, GoldenEar Technology, are using accordion-like High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR) high-frequency drivers in place of the ubiquitous domes found in 90-some-odd percent of the speakers currently on the market. The HVFR drivers work in a manner similar to an accordion and generate sound by squeezing a folded diaphragm from the sides rather than in an up-and-down motion. The result is a dramatically open, sublime sound free of any listening fatigue you might get from a lesser, standard driver – at least, that’s what I heard in the GoldenEar Technology booth earlier this morning. The HVFR tweeters are in the $1,249/ea floor-standing Triton Two Towers, the$499/ea SuperSat satellites , and the $249/ea SuperSat 50 satellites. GoldenEar Technology is also introducing a pair of powered subwoofers (ForceField 3 - $499, ForceField 4 - $699).
 
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#44 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenear tech /forum/post/19237428


Hi, I normally don't get involved in these forums, although I enjoy reading them. However, when someone says that I am out of my mind, I think that it is time to step in. I assume that, based on your screen name, you must like the previous speakers that I have created, which is gratifying and appreciated. When I read some of your statements I suppose that I can understand them, to some degree, because you have not seen or heard the new speakers. Let me assure you that the Triton Two Tower is absolutely nothing like a "rebadged Mythos" and believe me, I should know as I designed both. The Triton Tower is a different size and shape and ID, different cosmetics, constructed of different materials and a totally different construction, different finish, different drivers (wait until you hear the new tweeter, you will flip out, as listeners did yesterday, see Darryl's Wilkinson's blog post on Home Theater entitled" Are Domes Done?), different and much, much more powerful sub amp, different sonic signature etc. etc. I could go on and on. The Mythos ST and STS are great speakers. The Triton Two is much better. This was absolutely the response of the dealers and press who came by yesterday at the show and I hope and expect that it will be your reaction too when you have an opportunity to hear the Triton. Most people continue to get better and better at what they do as they continue to learn and get more experience and you can see and hear this as you follow my speakers over the last 38 years. I think that I can confidently say that the Triton Tower is the best yet. And yes, the tweeter is a new and updated version of the Heil. It is fantastic and we are seeing similar designs showing up in some very high-end speakers including the mega-buck Lyngdorf-Steinway. Wait until you hear it. Sandy Gross

Sandy,


Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us. Looking forward to hearing how the "new guys" on the block sound.
 
#45 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cvictorg /forum/post/19237742

http://blog.hometheatermag.com/cedia2010/


The rest of the industry may not be ready to abandon dome tweeters, but Sandy Gross and his new company, GoldenEar Technology, are using accordion-like High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR) high-frequency drivers in place of the ubiquitous domes found in 90-some-odd percent of the speakers currently on the market. The HVFR drivers work in a manner similar to an accordion and generate sound by squeezing a folded diaphragm from the sides rather than in an up-and-down motion. The result is a dramatically open, sublime sound free of any listening fatigue you might get from a lesser, standard driver – at least, that’s what I heard in the GoldenEar Technology booth earlier this morning. The HVFR tweeters are in the $1,249/ea floor-standing Triton Two Towers, the$499/ea SuperSat satellites , and the $249/ea SuperSat 50 satellites. GoldenEar Technology is also introducing a pair of powered subwoofers (ForceField 3 - $499, ForceField 4 - $699).

I have no idea about this new speaker but Domes do SUCK!!! They are outdated, compromising solutions in my books.


I would like to see some polar response measuremnts on those Folded ribbons.
 
#46 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenear tech /forum/post/19237428


Let me assure you that the Triton Two Tower is absolutely nothing like a "rebadged Mythos" and believe me, I should know as I designed both. The Triton Tower is a different size and shape and ID, different cosmetics, constructed of different materials and a totally different construction, different finish, different drivers (wait until you hear the new tweeter, you will flip out, The Triton Two is much better. This was absolutely the response of the dealers and press who came by yesterday at the show and I hope and expect that it will be your reaction too when you have an opportunity to hear the Triton. I think that I can confidently say that the Triton Tower is the best yet. And yes, the tweeter is a new and updated version of the Heil. Wait until you hear it. Sandy Gross

I am a current Def Tech speaker owner and after reading those specs on the triton two and the above "review" by the creator I really wanna hear em! Anybody know where I can demo them in Michigan?
 
#48 ·
Goldenear Tech,


any plans on making some floorstanding speakers without power subs built in?
 
#49 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by penngray /forum/post/19238078


I have no idea about this new speaker but Domes do SUCK!!! They are outdated, compromising solutions in my books.

Come on now. A few years from now, you'll be singing a different tune!


Quote:
I would like to see some polar response measuremnts on those Folded ribbons.

I doubt you'll see that. Historically, the AMT tweeters had a reputation for raggedy response, resonances, durability issues and the efficiency improvements if you will, came from being placed within a magnet structure geometry that acted somewhat as a horn. As to whether the magnet geometry is constructed so the loading is optimized or compromised might not be a fair debate. I would think they must have found an inexpensive source in China for their manufacture to keep the costs down.
 
#51 ·
I'm sure he is.
 
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