Short answer: the Infinity Reference 253. It ranks #48 of 56 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $400; the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez ranks #55 and costs $1799, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Infinity Reference 253 side: Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is fairly smooth and well controlled. Set against that: CEA2034 spinorama and predicted in-room response both show elevated treble above 4kHz (“too hot”), a dip around 2kHz, and bass shelved down relative to the midrange.
The case for the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez: Predicted in-room response sums rather nicely aside from the resonance and bass issues. The tradeoff: Resonance around 260Hz and a number of other resonances show up on-axis, along with a dip in bass response.
Buy the Infinity Reference 253. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Triangle Esprit Antal Ez and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 56 floorstanding speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Infinity Reference 253 | Triangle Esprit Antal Ez | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $400 used, Discontinued | $1799 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #48 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #55 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) | 43.9"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1115.0 x 300.0 x 400.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms nominal (2.7 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | Dual 5.25" (130mm) CMMD™ woofers, 5.25" (130mm) flat-piston CMMD™ midrange, 1" (25mm) CMMD™ tweeter | 2x 6.5" (160mm) fiberglass cone woofers, 1x 6.5" (160mm) natural cellulose midrange, 1x 1" (25mm) titanium dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88dB manufacturer specified) | 90.7dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each | 98.5 lbs / 44.7 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, front |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Polk T50 vs JBL Studio 590
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs Sony SS-CS3
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- Klipsch RP-8000F II vs Infinity Reference 253
- Sony SS-CS3 vs Triangle Esprit Antal Ez
The Two Speakers In Full
Infinity Reference 253: $400 used, Discontinued
Pros: Horizontal beamwidth of about ±60 degrees is fairly smooth and well controlled. Really amazing value for the performance.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama and predicted in-room response both show elevated treble above 4kHz (“too hot”), a dip around 2kHz, and bass shelved down relative to the midrange. Vertical directivity requires staying at or below the tweeter axis for accurate tonal balance. Distortion at 96dB SPL/1m is broadly elevated above the reviewer’s audibility threshold across much of the midrange. Minimum impedance dips to 4.2 ohms. Discontinued.
Full Infinity Reference 253 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | Dual 5.25" (130mm) CMMD™ woofers, 5.25" (130mm) flat-piston CMMD™ midrange, 1" (25mm) CMMD™ tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 88dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Infinity Reference 253 vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Sony SS-CS3
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Magnepan LRS+
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Polk T50
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Klipsch RP-6000F II
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Dynaudio Emit 30
- Infinity Reference 253 vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
- See all 14 comparisons
Triangle Esprit Antal Ez: $1799 Discontinued
Pros: Predicted in-room response sums rather nicely aside from the resonance and bass issues. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±50 degrees is reasonably controlled.
Cons: Resonance around 260Hz and a number of other resonances show up on-axis, along with a dip in bass response. Two distinct distortion sources - one around 250-300Hz, another around 3-4kHz - already cross the reviewer’s audibility threshold even at moderate output, and get much worse at 96dB SPL/1m, where distortion broadly exceeds 50% relative level across large parts of the spectrum. Directivity is not great overall. The reviewer does not recommend it. Discontinued.
Full Triangle Esprit Antal Ez review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - low confidence - on-axis curve shows an unusual notch/dip around 250-300Hz for this floorstanding tower |
| Dimensions | 43.9"H x 11.8"W x 15.7"D (1115.0 x 300.0 x 400.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5" (160mm) fiberglass cone woofers, 1x 6.5" (160mm) natural cellulose midrange, 1x 1" (25mm) titanium dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (2.7 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 90.7dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 98.5 lbs / 44.7 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Bose 901 Series V
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs JBL Studio 590
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Magnepan LRS+
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs JBL Stage 2 280F
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Sony SS-CS3
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs Focal Aria Evo X N°2
- Triangle Esprit Antal Ez vs KEF Reference 203