Review: Triangle Comete EZ Speakers

Speed, agility, grace, and control, these are words you might use to describe the new mid-engine C8 Corvette, but they also perfectly describe the Triangle Comete EZ speakers ($1,400). Chevrolet made an unconventional and polarizing choice to build a mid-engine Corvette. Likewise, Triangle chose to use titanium horn-loaded tweeters in the company’s Esprit EZ line.

Both design decisions elicit a “love it or hate it” response with plenty of preconceived notions. After taking the Comete EZ speakers for a test drive, I reaffirmed my belief that you can’t judge a speaker by its tweeter.

Description and Design

The Triangle Comete EZ is a 2-way medium-sized bookshelf loudspeaker that utilizes a front-ported bass-reflex design. Both the 6.5” natural paper cone mid-woofer and the aforementioned titanium dome tweeter are custom manufactured by Triangle. The rear of the enclosure features a brushed-satin aluminum terminal and high-quality copper binding posts with a self-locking system for banana plugs. Inside, you’ll find a well-designed custom crossover with Triangle-branded capacitors and oxygen-free copper cabling.

I was surprised to see this level of detail and build quality at this price point. Triangle also includes a generous five-year warranty. With a sensitivity of 89db and a nominal impedance of 8ohms, they have the flexibility to perform admirably with most amplifiers.

What Makes the Triangle EZ Speakers Unique?

These Comete EZ speakers have a confident and assertive way of projecting treble energy into the room. The highs are lightning-fast and reminiscent of live music. The presentation was neutral and effortless, and while the treble information was somewhat forward, I perceived it as more “music forward” versus “treble forward”. Most importantly, the horn-loaded titanium dome doesn’t sound like you would expect. It’s not harsh or bright, even at higher-than-average volume levels.

Thanks to the lightweight paper cone woofers, the midrange reproduction was among the most natural and nuanced I’ve heard in my listening room. They produced realistic levels of detail, such as a palpable texture on initial drum strikes; it felt like the drum kit was in the room with me. The sound is deeply layered yet cohesive, with good body weight.

The woofers also provided surprisingly tight, deep bass with admirable control for a bass-reflex designed enclosure. When I turned up the volume with some bass-heavy music, I was pleasantly surprised at the muscular low-end frequency response. They repeatedly hit deeper than I expected for a speaker of this size, without sounding muddy or producing audible port noise. 

Amplifier Pairings and Synergy

Parasound NewClassic 200: At lower listening levels, the sound wasn’t as expressive as some speakers that I’ve paired with this Parasound integrated amp. However, once I cranked up the volume I was treated to enthusiastic rhythm and dynamics. There were good “wrap around your head” imaging effects and plenty of musical layers to explore. This pairing also excelled at conveying the atmosphere of a recording.  I could hear the resonance of the venue on a well-recorded classical piece. It was stunning. I could happily live with this pairing long term.

Benchmark LA4 & AHB2: Lovers of detail should take note of this pairing. The Benchmark components delivered an astounding level of detail, clarity, and nuance. The depth and layering combined with unrestricted dynamic swings made for a downright startling performance when sounds seemed to jump out of the speakers and surprise me. The revealing tweeters in the Triangle speakers seemed to be a great match for the level of refinement and transparency provided by the Benchmark gear.

The pairing seemed to excel when listening to classical music that featured large explosive crescendos. The Comete EZ speakers realistically conveyed the musical energy and impact of an orchestra at full tilt, but then during subtle passages, I got goosebumps from the grace and beauty. The emotional connection to the music was immediate and palpable.

MastersounD BoX: The BoX integrated amplifier uses three EL34 tubes per channel in a single-ended pentode configuration and produces 35wpc. It provided two main changes versus the Parasound and Benchmark pairings. The first change is that the high frequencies were slightly dialed back. I could imagine people who aren’t historically fans of horn-loaded tweeters appreciating this subtle but noticeable change. Secondly, I noticed an additional tonal richness and body added to the midrange. This room-filling richness seemed to add more flesh and blood to the music, and it felt like I didn’t have to set the volume as loud in order for the music to reach a level that was satisfying. This worked nicely for jazz and also surprisingly well for electronic music.

Sony TA-A1ES: This pairing produced a wide and expansive soundstage that was thoroughly enjoyable. The sound was less localized to the speakers themselves compared to the Benchmark and MastersounD pairings. There was a slight sparkle to the highs, and also an accented midrange. This subtle midrange boost worked well to showcase vocals and acoustic instruments, without altering their original tonal character. The textured midrange combined with good pace and rhythm made for a very musical and energetic performance.

Conclusion and Value

The Triangle Comete EZ speakers are a bargain. For $1,400, their accuracy and transparency rival my reference $4,000 PMC twenty.22 speakers. They produce a sound that is exciting, engaging and keeps you listening. Their well-rounded character means they will shine with all genres of music.

Along with genuinely rewarding performance, their strongest quality is that they shatter preconceptions about how a horn-loaded titanium dome tweeter can sound.

Product: Triangle Comete EZ Speakers
Price: $1,400 in black ash or walnut veneer. $1,600 in high gloss white, black, or brown maple finish.