Capital AudioFest 2023

AudioQuest Presents the GoldenEar T66

Ken Micallef  |  Nov 10, 2023

Presenting the new GoldenEar T66 floorstanding speakers ($6900/pair in Gloss Black, $7200/pair in Santa Barbara Red), Ken Forsythe (AudioQuest), aided and abetted by Chet Pelkowski and Chris Volk (both from GoldenEar), got down and dirty, and insisted I join in. I did!

Whether streaming pianist Paul Novotny’s take on "My Favorite Things" or an epic version of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" performed by a practically out-of-body Sara Bareilles, this system cast a massive soundstage that seemed to take over the floor.

Adding up to $42,000, the system included an Aesthetix Audio Mimas integrated amplifier ($8750 w/options), Hegel Viking CD player ($5000), Aurender A15 Streamer ($8500), Pangea Vulcan rack ($199.95), AudioQuest PQ-707 power conditioner ($1299.95)—and, of course, AudioQuest wire and accessories: the NRG-Z3 AC power cable ($349.95/2m), Blizzard AC power cable ($895/2m), Pegasus XLR interconnects ($1995/1m pair), Black Beauty XLR interconnects ($995/1m pair), Cinnamon RJ/E Ethernet cable ($109.95/0.75m), Robin Hood ZERO BiWire Combo speaker cables ($4470/10' pair), and AQ Fog Lifters ($149.95/set of 8).

COMMENTS
georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on November 11, 2023 - 2:49pm

"This system cast a massive soundstage that seemed to take over the floor"

I can confirm with what Ken Micallef said about these, I have the earlier ones and that is the magic that they can do, and yet stay sweet dynamic and very tight.

Cheers George

ednazarko's picture
Submitted by ednazarko on November 13, 2023 - 3:52pm

...I've owned (still own) a few Goldenear speakers. Had the Triton 2 initially, then a few of their surround speakers... now still have the Triton 1 reference that I upgraded to, along with an upgraded center, and a pair of Aons for rear AV speakers. They are expert at sound stage. I ran some other speakers in the rear for awhile, so I could enjoy the Aons as stand mounts in stereo for awhile, and when I swapped them back in my AV system, the rear channels suddenly had depth.

I'd love a set of those T66, in red... but I'd have a battle with my wife who continually talks about how we have all these famous musicians appearing in our listening room, something the GoldenEar speakers do amazingly well. How much more corporeal could they be, I'll have to argue that.

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