Anyone compared GoldenEar Triton 7 with Triton Reference?


Hi folks -- newbie here.

Has anyone compared GoldenEar Triton 7s with GoldenEar Triton References?

Asking because I have Triton 7s + subwoofer, and am looking to upgrade. So I auditioned [7’s + subwoofer] and References side by side at 2 different dealers, playing my own music, and switching back and forth repeatedly between the two sets. To my ears, the References provided maybe 40% bigger soundstage, and maybe 5-10% better detail and clarity. This was surprising to me, given the large difference in price points: $8.5K for Reference vs. maybe $3K for Triton 7 + sub. (Maybe my ears aren’t experienced enough to appreciate the differences...?)

Has anyone directly compared the 7s and Refs in similar listening environments? How did you think they compared?  (How much better did you think the Refs were...?)

Thanks!
otinkyad
Otinkyad,

My main room is 20x15x8 and both Triode Masters worked great without a sub.
4 - 15” open baffle woofers was all I needed 99% of the time in that space for bass. Playing Royals from Lorde sounded pretty damn low. Some tracks sounded a hair better with a sub, but I really did not need it.
@jackd and @winefix, 

Many thanks for all your input on the Spatial M3TM.  I actually spoke with Clayton today and he was incredibly gracious and helpful.  But unfortunately, after measuring my constrained positioning/space again, I just don’t think I can make them work with 3 feet behind them..   

Next thinking of auditioning Revel F208 and F228Be...

Hope everyone has a good holiday!
@otinkyad 

What's your theoretical max price range and color preference if any?
@jackd 

i hope to to be able to go up to $10K.  Color preference probably black, just because this will need to look neutral (it goes in the main living area).  I do have a list of speaker options that I’ve been researching, which has a lot of overlap with the list at the other thread I linked to a few posts ago.  

Any recommendations.. ?
Nola KO- https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/nola/products/nola-ko-floorstanding-loudspeaker-pair
On the KO's the difference between the original and the Series 2 is that the mid-range manufacturer  change the driver so that the crossover had to be re-worked so they gave every speaker in their line that used that driver a Series 2 designation and raised the price 25%.  A friend that owned the originals like me heard the new ones at RMAF and could detect no difference of note.  

PSB Imagine T3
Spendor D9
Audio Physics Avanti

All have bass into the 20's and are attractive enough to pass any WAF test.