In this review, we will be comparing Golden Ear T44 and Triton Three+, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar T44 and GoldenEar Triton Three+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar T44 | GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5 x 9" Polymer | 5" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 21-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.27kg / 60lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 44-1/2" x 11-5/8" x 17-9/16"
1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm |
|---|
Golden Ear T44 and Triton Three+ 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 Three+ are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar T44GoldenEar Triton Three+
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 Three+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 4.5-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 Three+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
Golden Ear T44 has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Triton Three+ has a frequency range of 21-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 21Hz, the Triton Three+ 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
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Golden Ear T44 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Triton Three+ 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.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Golden Ear T44 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Triton Three+'s is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar T44 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Three+, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Golden Ear T44 and Triton Three+ have the same power range of 20-400 watts.
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 Three+ 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 Three+'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 Three+ has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm (44-1/2 x 11-5/8 x 17-9/16inch).
GoldenEar T44 is 72mm shorter and 13mm less deeper than GoldenEar Triton Three+ but it is also 6mm wider.
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 Three+ is approximately 1323.1cm2 / 205.1inch2. The Golden Ear T44 requires 1% less surface area than the Triton Three+ 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 Three+ weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Golden Ear T44 33% heavier than the Triton Three+.
Here is a comparison of how Golden Ear T44 and Triton Three+'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 Three+?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Three+:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 9-feet AC power cord
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on base)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5 x 9 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1059mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1310cm2
vs
1323cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
21 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-3/4-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
2998USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar T44 |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
21-35k 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" |
4.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1059.0mm (41.7") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
302.0mm (11.9") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
434.0mm (17.1") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Weight |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| 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 Three+ digs deeper - 21Hz against 32Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
GoldenEar T44 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (400W vs 400W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
A |
GoldenEar T44: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ is cheaper - $2,998 against $4,998, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar T44
B GoldenEar Triton Three+
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 32Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, GoldenEar T44 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.