In this review, we will be comparing Chora 816 and Triton Seven, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and GoldenEar. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 816 and GoldenEar Triton Seven first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Focal Chora 816 and GoldenEar Triton Seven speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Chora 816 and GoldenEar Triton Seven compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Chora 816 is a 3-way design whereas the Triton Seven is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Focal Chora 816 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Chora 816 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Chora 816's min frequency of 50Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Chora 816 and Triton Seven have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 816 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Triton Seven's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 816 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Seven, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Chora 816 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Chora 816 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Triton Seven.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Chora 816 features 5-way Post type posts and Triton Seven has a 5-way Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Chora 816 has a front firing port whereas Triton Seven has a rear firing ports. Focal Chora 816's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to GoldenEar Triton Seven with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Chora 816's and GoldenEar Triton Seven's external dimensions. Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton Seven has external dimensions of 1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm ( 40-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) .
GoldenEar Triton Seven is 38mm narrower and 35mm less deeper than Focal Chora 816 but it is also 22mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Focal Chora 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2. The Chora 816 requires 25% more surface area than the Triton Seven which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Focal Chora 816 weighs 18.50kg / 40.7lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Chora 816 27% heavier than the Triton Seven.
Here is a comparison of how Chora 816 and Triton Seven's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Chora 816?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora 816:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Screws4 WashersHex-keyGrilleUser manual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Seven?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Seven:
Floorstanding loudspeaker4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Locking nutsOwners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1029mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
dual 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
985cm2 (267x369mm)
vs
1232cm2 (305x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Chora 816 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Brand |
Focal |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
10-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
50-28k Hz |
29-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
404.0mm (15.9") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
18.50kg (40.7lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |