Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Triangle Titus Speakers by jonbee

Model:	Titus
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$500
Description:	Stand Mount- 2way-1st order crossover- above av efficiency
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available

Review by jonbee ( A ) on August 21, 2004 at 22:41:11
IP Address: 24.19.55.0

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for the Titus

This review pertains to the Titus 202, which has an upgraded tweeter compared to the original. I think the complaints about brightness caused Triangle to tone down the top end a bit. I've not heard the original, so I can't confirm any differences.
Ther are many, many reviews of this speaker; the most (in)famous being those by Sam Tellig. Over the years I've found Sam to be both very right on and very off the mark, but the latest round of price discounting (there's new models on the horizon, I think) brought me a price I couldn't refuse. I bought a mint used pair already broken in.
The first thing that I heard was Harry Connick's We Are in Love, which features with a very dynamic and well recorded but borderline too bright brass section. It quickly separates those speakers that are inherently too bright or harsh on top as the horns can become painful with a bit too much energy or distortion. I was pleased to hear each horn cleanly delineated, dynamic and naturally bright, but not over the top. Internal voicing was excellently delineated and separated, with excellent dynamics and timbre, down to 70 hz. or so. Bass was clean as far as it went, but rolled off very quickly below 70 hz. There was no midbass boost, which I welcomed. It had a sound reminiscent of 'stats and ribbons in its' quickness, transparency and detail.
I do think there is a tad too much top end energy, but it's very cleanly displayed.
The overall sound is dynamic, clear and dry, without easily detectable coloration or sweetening of the sound. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, and if matched with a hot or gritty source or amp these could be very difficult to live with. They are easy to drive, though, and there are plenty of smooth sounding front ends at nearly all price ranges to find a happy match. I'm going to power these eventually in my office system with a vintage NAD 7020 receiver (which includes the classic 3020 amp) and a small sub; in my small home office the NAD 340 amp sounds just fine with them.
These little speakers can fully transmit the qualities of fine gear as well, but in all applications one major caveat must be factored in: they don't have any visceral bass punch at all. IMO that restricts their use to small rooms, or mating with a sub. With a fast sub they can produce amazingly high end clarity and definition, but keep their characteristic dryness of tone.
I like these a lot. If you like a quick, clean, dry sound, and can ignore or work around the bass shortage, these are an astonishing value and could be on a very short list.

Product Weakness: Dry presentation, a tad too much high end energy, no real bass.(Not so much weaknesses as characteristics).
Product Strengths: Clean, fast, open,coherent, dynamic and detailed with very low coloration and a great vanishing act. Amazing value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	NAD 340,NAD 7020, PS Audio HCA2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	CJ PFR
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	ModWright Sig Truth Sony 999ES SACD, Technics 700 portable
Speakers:	Titus 202, Thiel 3.6
Cables/Interconnects:	.99999 braided silver/teflon and GoertzTQ I/Cs
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	lots/varied
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 days
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Dry presentation, a tad too much high end energy, no real bass.(Not so much weaknesses as characteristics).
Product Strengths:	Clean, fast, open,coherent, dynamic and detailed with very low coloration and a great vanishing act. Amazing value.