In this review, we will be comparing Golden Ear T44 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar T44 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar T44 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5 x 9" Polymer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.27kg / 60lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Golden Ear T44 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar T44KLH Kendall
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5 x 9-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Golden Ear T44 has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall 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 Kendall 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 Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar T44, 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 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Golden Ear T44.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Golden Ear T44 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 KLH Kendall'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 KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
GoldenEar T44 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 90mm wider, 38mm taller and 54mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
GoldenEar T44 needs about 63% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar T44 is 54mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar T44 is 38mm 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 GoldenEar T44 is approximately 1310.7cm2 / 203.2inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Golden Ear T44 requires 63% more surface area than the Kendall 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 GoldenEar T44 weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Golden Ear T44 23% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Golden Ear T44 and Kendall'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 KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 x 9 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1059mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1310cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
4998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar T44 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5 x 9" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1059.0mm (41.7") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
302.0mm (11.9") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
434.0mm (17.1") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Bi-wire only |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - GoldenEar T44 costs roughly 3.3x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar T44 takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; GoldenEar T44 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | depends | GoldenEar T44: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. GoldenEar T44 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $4,998, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar T44 B KLH Kendall
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take GoldenEar T44 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. 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. In a large or open-plan room, GoldenEar T44 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall 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.