In this review, we will be comparing SuperCenter Reference and SuperCenter XL, two Passive Center Channel speakers by GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar SC Ref and GoldenEar SuperCenter XL first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar SC Ref | GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-35k Hz | 36-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.09kg / 31lbs | 9.55kg / 21lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5-7/8" x 35" x 11-1/16"
150.0 x 889.0 x 281.0mm | 5-3/4" x 29" x 11-1/8"
147.0 x 737.0 x 283.0mm |
|---|
SuperCenter Reference and SuperCenter XL are members of GoldenEar's SuperCenter series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
GoldenEar SuperCenter Series
History
What size room are the GoldenEar SC Ref and GoldenEar SuperCenter XL 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:
| Listening Environment* |
GoldenEar SC Ref |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SuperCenter Reference is a 3-way design whereas the SuperCenter XL 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 |
GoldenEar SC Ref |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x -inch
|
SuperCenter Reference features a " Tweeter and 4 x 5.25" Woofer. On the other hand, the SuperCenter XL features a " Tweeter and 2 x " Woofer.
Frequency Response
SuperCenter Reference has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz whereas SuperCenter XL has a frequency range of 36-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the SuperCenter Reference can go slightly deeper then the SuperCenter XL's min frequency of 36Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
SuperCenter Reference and SuperCenter XL have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
SuperCenter Reference can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas SuperCenter XL has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the SuperCenter Reference.
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
SuperCenter Reference features 5-Way post type posts and SuperCenter XL 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 SC Ref's and GoldenEar SuperCenter XL's external dimensions. GoldenEar SC Ref has external dimensions of 150.0 x 889.0 x 281.0mm (5-7/8 x 35 x 11-1/16inch) whereas GoldenEar SuperCenter XL has external dimensions of 147.0 x 737.0 x 283.0mm (5-3/4 x 29 x 11-1/8inch).
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is 152mm narrower and 3mm shorter than GoldenEar SC Ref but it is also 2mm deeper.
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 SC Ref is approximately 2498.1cm2 / 387.2inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is approximately 2085.7cm2 / 323.3inch2. The SuperCenter Reference requires 20% more surface area than the SuperCenter XL 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 SC Ref weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs and the GoldenEar SuperCenter XL weighs 9.55kg / 21lbs. This makes the SuperCenter Reference 48% heavier than the SuperCenter XL.
Here is a comparison of how SuperCenter Reference and SuperCenter XL's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SC Ref?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SuperCenter Reference:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Leveling feet
- 4 Threaded-inserts
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SuperCenter XL?
Here are the items that come with the SuperCenter XL:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 3 Leveling feet
- 3 Threaded-inserts
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-3/4-inch x 8-inch + one 7-inchx 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
147mm
vs
150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2085cm2
vs
2498cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
1899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar SuperCenter Reference |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-350 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-35k Hz |
36-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
150.0mm (5.9") |
147.0mm (5.8") |
| Width |
889.0mm (35") |
737.0mm (29") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
9.55kg (21lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in GoldenEar's SuperCenter series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
GoldenEar SC Ref digs deeper - 33Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
GoldenEar SC Ref takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar SuperCenter XL is cheaper - $1,099 against $1,899, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar SC Ref
B GoldenEar SuperCenter XL
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 SC Ref measures better, GoldenEar SuperCenter XL costs about 42% 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. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar SC Ref the better fit for a very large room, and GoldenEar SuperCenter XL for a mid-size room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $800 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.