The dazzling opening spectacle of the Olympic Games in Paris showcased France's inclusiveness and diversity in the realms of art, technology, and innovation. The Triangle Capella loudspeakers exemplify these qualities and are strong contenders for the Olympic gold medal in the ‘Wireless Monitor Speaker’ category. Vive la France!
The Capella (€2,490) may be considered an active wireless speaker. However, like all other smart speakers, they still need a power cable. Maybe one day, there will be a battery-powered model.
25mm tweeter, with magnesium dome, mounted on a waveguide with a bullet phase plug for better dispersion
They need power because they boast an independent 50W Class D amplifier for each driver (2 x 100W per speaker). These amplifiers power the 25 mm tweeter, with a magnesium dome, mounted on a waveguide with a bullet phase plug for better dispersion; and a mid-bass unit with a cellulose cone. Both have rubber rings with an angular pattern that reduces diffraction effects, as do the baffle rounded edges. They also have a dedicated DAC for each unit and an active crossover filter with DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to control the dynamic behaviour of the speakers.
The Hub connects the Capellas to the audio world that brings them the music.
They need power because they have independent 50W Class D amplifiers inside for each driver (2 x 100W per speaker), which power the 25mm tweeter, with a magnesium dome mounted on a waveguide with a bullet phase plug for better dispersion and a mid-bass unit with a cellulose cone. Both have rubber rings with an angular pattern that reduces diffraction effects, as do the rounded edges of the baffle. They also have a dedicated DAC for each unit and an active crossover filter with DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to control the dynamic behaviour of the speakers.
French Connection
Their connection to the audio world (Bluetooth, USB B, SPDIF optical (3x) and coaxial (1x), RCA and Jack 3.5 mm) is exclusively made via a hub (black box), which also receives the digital audio signal via Chromecast, AirPlay and Roon, and sends it to the speakers via Wi-Fi (WISA).
The Capellas don't have a dedicated streamer, which is a shame, as this would make them self-sufficient. Although a PC can fulfil this function via USB and a phone via Bluetooth and Chromecast, the hub only uses the Internet to communicate with the speakers; the phone, or other digital sources that use the transmission protocols described above.
It looks like a sealed-box speaker, but the reflex port shoots downwards, so it comes with a gold-plated metal base that lifts it slightly off the shelf or stands. This option allows you to place them closer to the back wall without ‘muffling’ the bass.
Triangle Capella Official Video presentation
French Beauty
The Triangle Capella is stunning both inside and out. The JLM Group sent me a pair in black (Black Star) with a fabulous finish featuring walnut nuances immersed in lacquer gloss depth. The visibility of these nuances depends on ambient lighting. I would have preferred the dark blue (Astral Blue) or brown (Brown Nebula) versions, but since it was a loaned item, one does not look a loaned horse in the mouth. Ultimately, I fell in love with the black colour, which is actually a very dark brown with subliminal walnut root details.
The photo below shows that the internal construction is also solid. Ingenious bracing fixes the mid-bass speaker motor to the internal structure. Nothing has been left to chance.
Triangle Capella internal view (image courtesy of Triangle Hi-Fi)
However, the JLM Group didn't send me the dedicated S05 stands (€279), which are indispensable because the upper plate has the exact dimensions of the open aluminium structure of the speaker base. So, I had to adapt one of the available stands at home, which may have affected the acoustic performance.
The area of my workplace is small. Therefore, I placed the Capella about 2.5 metres away, 2 metres from each other, and 1 metre from the back wall, toed in towards the listening point. Unlike other rivals, you don't have to connect the speakers to each other, just to the mains, as we've already mentioned.
Triangle Capella: Hub+Remote
The hub should be placed close to digital or analogue sources, which use connection cables, but not necessarily near the speakers (up to 5 m). First, you need to download the Google Home App to connect the hub to your internet network (it doesn't have an Ethernet connection, only Wi-Fi). Then, you can pair the hub with the speakers (button on the back) via WISA, a low-latency transmission technology with a resolution of up to 96kHz/24bit, although the hub accepts resolutions of up to 192kHz/24bit. The hub is incompatible with DSD or MQA. Don't let that be a dealer breaker, though, as these are both niche formats.
Connecting to the network and pairing is not as easy as it sounds, so get advice from your dealer who should also help you with the automatic/manual equalisation process.
Automatic/manual EQ
The Capella has an elegant metal remote control that activates when you pick it up, provided you've put the batteries in first, of course. However, the remote's limited functions include only source selection and volume control. Channel balance and automatic/manual equalisation are only possible with the (free) Triangle Capella app, available in the Google and Apple stores. However, automatic Room EQ is only available for iOS devices, which use their own internal microphone; Android devices need an external Zen microphone that will cost you €150.
With Room EQ active the Capella's sound has that extra spice that makes them a real audiophile delicacy. Oh, là là!
You need the Triangle Capella app for channel balance and Room EQ.
JLM Group didn't send me the microphone either. Manual correction is complex and requires some care to avoid excesses that could damage the speakers. And since I have an Android phone, I had to borrow my wife's iPad to run the automatic room correction software. I opted for bass centred on 40Hz, with surprising results up to 1000Hz (see photo on the right in the image above). The Capella's sound is already well balanced 'au naturel'. But with Room EQ active it has that extra spice that makes them a real audiophile delicacy. Oh, là là!
Digital menu
I drove the hub mainly with digital sources (Coax, USB, BT, Wi-Fi), because analogue sources (Line/Aux) are, in any case, converted to digital internally to be transmitted to the speakers via WISA and processed (DSP-EQ).
First, yopu have to log in to Tidal, Qobuz or Spotify on your phone or PC, then choose the zone (Office, Living room, etc.) assigned to the Triangle Capella on Google Home. Alternatively, you can use an app like mConnectlite (free). Roon recognises the hub as Platin-Stereo Hub via USB. You can also access Roon via Air-Play2 and Chromecast. JRiver only recognises it as Stereo Hub (Wasapi).
Note: I couldn't figure out why the remote-control volume is always at the maximum level with the USB selected, forcing me to adjust it with other applications.
The Triangle Capellas sound and look stunning in any room.
Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité
The overall dynamics, the voice projection, the impressive bass control, and the stability of the stereo image initially surprised me. After some time, I felt that a bit less alacrity (I only adjusted the bass, not the treble, in the app) would be perhaps better suited for long listening sessions. However, as time passed, I realised that this "French temperament", the proverbial ‘Je ne sai quoi’, is precisely what imparts a sense of liveliness and sensuality to the experience.
Despite their small size (W x D x H: 200 x 315 x 380 mm), the Capellas produce a sound reminiscent of a grand Renaissance church rather than a tiny, er, chapel. The stereo image has a wide breadth (Liberté) while remaining stable and focused, and this expansiveness does not compromise its coherence in time and space (Egalité). This sense of integrity and cohesion (Fraternité) can be attributed to the high cut-off frequency of 3600 Hz in the pass-through to the tweeter, which allows almost the entire mid-range—where the human voice sings—to be reproduced by a single driver. Listen to ‘Chants d’Auvergne’ by Kiri Te Kanawa, and you will immediately understand what I mean.
Sound quality
The bass is punchy, solid, articulate, and well-defined with and without EQ. The mid-range could be more transparent, but Triangle has chosen long-term listening comfort over excess clarity that conveys a false sense of detail. There's no hint of glare or colouration, and the treble improves after a few hours of burning in. The result is compelling tonally and timbrally, especially for a €2,500 speaker.
"While 'People Got to Be Free' by Keb Mo, 'I Wonder' by Robert Cray, and 'When Will I Be Loved' by Van Morrison carried me away with their rhythm, 'The Sound of Silence' by David Radcliff (The Ghost of Johnny Cash) chilled me with the ghostly presence of his voice. 'Simple Twist of Faith' by Bob Dylan, 'Behind the Wall' by Tracy Chapman, and 'Por Este Rio Acima' by Fausto made me feel nostalgic. 'Thanks to You' by Boz Scaggs and 'Differently' by Marina Hill proved that the Capellas are neither scared of viciously synthesised bass notes nor the telluric depths of 'Norbu' from the 'Himalaya' album."
At the Audio Olympics, the Triangle Capella wireless monitor speakers win the gold medal for their outstanding performance in the ‘All-Around’ competition.
Très bien, Triangle. Mes felicitations.
For further information in Portugal contact Grupo JLM