In this review, we will be comparing Golden Ear T44 and Triton One.R, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar T44 and GoldenEar Triton One.R first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar T44 | GoldenEar Triton One.R |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5 x 9" Polymer | 5" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 13-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | 20-650 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.27kg / 60lbs | 36.36kg / 80lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-11/16" x 11-7/8" x 17-1/16"
1059.0 x 302.0 x 434.0mm | 54-1/8" x 12-3/8" x 20-5/16"
1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm |
|---|
Golden Ear T44 and Triton One.R are members of GoldenEar's Triton series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
GoldenEar Triton Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Golden Ear T44 and Triton One.R are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar T44GoldenEar Triton One.R
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
GoldenEar T44 |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5 x 9-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Golden Ear T44 features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5 x 9" Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton One.R features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
Golden Ear T44 has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Triton One.R has a frequency range of 13-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 13Hz, the Triton One.R can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Golden Ear T44's min frequency of 32Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
Golden Ear T44 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Triton One.R which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Golden Ear T44 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 92 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Triton One.R can handle a max power of 650 watts RMS, whereas Golden Ear T44 has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 250 watts less than the Triton One.R.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Golden Ear T44 features 5-Way post type posts and Triton One.R has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare GoldenEar T44's and GoldenEar Triton One.R's external dimensions. GoldenEar T44 has external dimensions of 1059.0 x 302.0 x 434.0mm (41-11/16inch x 11-7/8inch x 17-1/16inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton One.R has external dimensions of 1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm (54-1/8 x 12-3/8 x 20-5/16inch).
GoldenEar Triton One.R is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 13mm wider, 316mm taller and 82mm deeper than GoldenEar T44.
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 GoldenEar T44 is approximately 1310.7cm2 / 203.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton One.R is approximately 1625.4cm2 / 251.9inch2. The Golden Ear T44 requires 19% less surface area than the Triton One.R which gives it a small advantage 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 GoldenEar T44 weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs and the GoldenEar Triton One.R weighs 36.36kg / 80lbs. This makes the Triton One.R 33% heavier than the Golden Ear T44.
Here is a comparison of how Golden Ear T44 and Triton One.R'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 GoldenEar T44?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Golden Ear T44:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 10' AC power cord
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- Hex-key
- Hook spanner tool
- Owner's manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Accessory Kit Note
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton One.R?
Here are the items that come with the Triton One.R:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 9-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes (with locking nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- Very Important Note
 Woofer Size |
5 x 9 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1059mm
vs
1375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1310cm2
vs
1625cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4998USD
vs
7498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
650 watts
vs
400 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
13 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 7-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
| General |
GoldenEar T44 |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
20-650 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
13-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5 x 9" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer |
Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1059.0mm (41.7") |
1375.0mm (54.1") |
| Width |
302.0mm (11.9") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Depth |
434.0mm (17.1") |
516.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
36.36kg (80lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Bi-wire only |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in GoldenEar's Triton series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
GoldenEar Triton One.R digs deeper - 13Hz against 32Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
GoldenEar Triton One.R is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
GoldenEar Triton One.R takes more power (650W vs 400W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
GoldenEar T44 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton One.R is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
A |
GoldenEar T44: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
GoldenEar T44 is cheaper - $4,998 against $7,498, about 33% less. |
A GoldenEar T44
B GoldenEar Triton One.R
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them.
Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: GoldenEar Triton One.R measures better, GoldenEar T44 costs about 33% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper GoldenEar T44 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, GoldenEar Triton One.R has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar T44 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.