Two-Channel Audio Performance

Loudspeakers of this price and performance category must deliver world class two-channel audio performance in addition to their home theater prowess. To this end, I auditioned the Platinum LCRs and PowerSub as a two-channel-only system. Many of the great features offered by the Triads when used in the home theater application carried through. The speakers were able to deliver an impressively wide soundstage, even wider than my Platinum Audio Solo monitors. Soundstage depth was comparable, but from my last review of the Classé CAP-2100 integrated amplifier, I know that the depth limitation in my system is due to the Plinius 8150i, not the loudspeakers. Soundstaging was very precise, and was not in any way pulled towards the speaker cabinets.

The Triads did seem to require more careful alignment of my head to the acoustic center than my monitors, but this could be due to the limited options I had for speaker placement in my small room. One major difference was in imaging. The monitors were able to produce more focused images. This is not necessarily a good thing. One problem with any audio system is that they actually manage to produce a "scale model" of the actual sonic picture. In most cases, image size, soundstage size, dynamics, and SPL are all significantly smaller than they would be in reality. The Triads were able to produce images that were far more realistically sized than my small monitors. Listening to a solo acoustic guitar produced an image of about the size of the sounding board of a guitar.

Large scale recordings (orchestra, big band) were still smaller than reality, but setting up the Triads in a large room with a larger listening distance and greater left-right separation would go a long way to producing physically realistic images and soundstages. I have never heard a "small" speaker that can do this. Because of the combination of larger image sizes and a relatively small speaker separation (only about 8 feet) in my relatively small room, the imaging initially struck me as a bit imprecise, but further listening proved that the image size was clearly more realistic that the tightly focused spots produced by my monitors. Some listeners prefer this razor sharp presentation, even if it is less "real." If you are one of those people, then no large speaker is for you, including the Triad LCRs. If you do have an adequately large room, and like the presentation of realistically large images, then the Triads will more than fit the bill.

The Triads continued to deliver impressively accurate timbre in two-channel audio mode. Some listeners find the timbre of horn loaded speakers to be "hooty," but the high frequency performance of the Triads was always accurate to my ears. They do fit into the category of "ruthlessly revealing" in the top three or four octaves. Poorly recorded material was sometimes difficult to listen to at very high SPL. The combination of exceptional high SPL capability and the revealing tweeter really begs for properly recorded material. SACD recordings were always great, and most CDs played through my Bel Canto DAC 1.1 were also fine, but the occasional lousy recording would really make me dive for the volume knob.

The dynamics of the Triads, if anything, were even more impressive with music than with film sound tracks. Both the micro and macro dynamics of the Triads produced incredibly exciting and involving reproductions of recordings that I had heard many times before. I never noticed that albums like Bjork's Post, The Chemical Brothers' Dig Your Own Hole, or Gomez's Bring It On lacked any excitement, but listening to them with the Triads was like I was hearing them again for the first time. I am fully aware how overused this cliché is, but it's true. People always ask me, already assuming that they know the answer, "What's the point to audio systems like this?" Well, experiences like the ones I had listening to the Triads are the point.

This experience was brought to even a higher level because of the power and slam that the Triads can deliver. As with their home theater performance, the Triads were able to play as loud as I could stand with no loss in quality. The excitement, rhythmic drive, and power just kept increasing as I turned up the volume knob. Once again, I never found where the speakers fell apart. No matter how loud I played, there was always more left. There was no dynamic compression. At all. None. This is why the excitement and rhythm never suffered, even at the stupendously high volume levels the Triads could achieve. This quality sets the Triads apart from anything else available to my knowledge. When played loud, with quality source material, they are hard, if not impossible, to beat.

Conclusions

Since I have started reviewing components for Secrets, there has only been an occasional component that I really missed when I had to send it back, such as the Classé CAP-2100. I wanted to buy the review sample, but couldn't afford it at the time. These Triads are also in that category. The Triads were so vastly superior to what they replaced that I missed them sorely when they were gone. The main difference with the Triads is that there was no chance that I could buy the review samples. In fact, I doubt I will ever be able to afford a loudspeaker system like the Triad Platinums. But for anyone who can afford these loudspeakers, and have a listening space adequate to get the most out of them, they receive my highest recommendation. If I were building a custom home theater, they would be at the top of my list of loudspeaker choices. I strongly advise anyone in a position to be shopping for a reference class home theater loudspeaker system to audition the Triad Platinums. You will not be disappointed.

 

- Chris Groppi -

Associated Equipment:

Audio Source:
◊ Linn LP-12 Turntable, Ittok Level II tonearm, Grado Reference Platinum Cartridge, Lehmann Black Cube Phono Preamp
◊ Sony DVP-S9000ES SACD/DVD player (audio only)
◊ Bel Canto DAC 1.1
Video Source:
◊ Oppo Digital DV-971H upconverting DVD player
◊ Panasonic TU-HDS20 ATSC Tuner
◊ Rotel RTC-965 Surround Sound Processor
◊ Philips Directv/TiVo
Video Display:
◊ Westinghouse LVM-37W1 1080p LCD
Amplification:
◊ Plinius 8150i Integrated Amplifier (Left and Right channels, 2 channel audio)
◊ Acurus 3x100 3 channel amplifier (center, rear channels)
Loudspeakers (reference):
◊ Platinum Audio Solo left, right and center
◊ B&W DM302 (rear)
◊ REL Strata II subwoofer
Cables:
◊ Nordost Valhalla (speaker)
◊ Nordost Blue Heaven & Kimber PBJ (audio interconnects)
◊ Wireworld home theater interconnects
◊ Better Cables dual link DVI cable
◊ Homebrewed AC power cables
◊ Audio Power PowerWedge power conditioners