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GoldenEar Triton One.R vs Focal Aria 948 Comparison

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GoldenEar Triton One.R

Passive Floor-standing | 13-35k Hz

GoldenEar Triton One.R
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Focal Aria 948

Passive Floor-standing | 37-28k Hz

Focal Aria 948
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GoldenEar Triton One.R GoldenEar Triton One...
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Focal Aria 948 Focal Aria 948
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GoldenEar Triton One...
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Focal Aria 948
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GoldenEar Triton One.R vs Focal Aria 948 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Triton One.R and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Focal.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of GoldenEar Triton One.R and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

GoldenEar Triton One.R Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter
  • 5.25" Midrange
  • 5" Polymer Woofer
  • 13-35k Hz Frequency Response
  • 92 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-650watts
  • Weight:36.36kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1375.0" x 12-3/8" x 20-5/16"( 1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm )

Focal Aria 948 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" inverted dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 37-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 92.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:50-350watts
  • Weight:35.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1150.0" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"( 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm )

What size room are the GoldenEar Triton One.R and Focal Aria 948 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 Triton One.R Focal Aria 948
Near-field Are you nuts? Are you nuts?
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Good Good

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the GoldenEar Triton One.R and Focal Aria 948 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

Both Triton One.R and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.

Driver GoldenEar Triton One.R Focal Aria 948
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter -inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 5.25-inch 1 x 6.5-inch
Woofer 1 x 5-inch 2 x 8.25-inch

Triton One.R features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer . On the other hand, the Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz.

Frequency Response

Triton One.R has a frequency range of 13-35k Hz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k 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 Aria 948's min frequency of 37Hz.

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

Triton One.R
Aria 948
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

GoldenEar Triton One.R
Focal Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

Impedance and Sensitivity

Triton One.R and Aria 948 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton One.R sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Aria 948's is at 92.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton One.R, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Triton One.R
Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

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.

Triton One.R can handle a max power of 650 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Aria 948 has a max power handling value of 350 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the Triton One.R.

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

Triton One.R features Binding post type posts and Aria 948 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

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 GoldenEar Triton One.R's and Focal Aria 948's external dimensions. 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) whereas Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch) .

Focal Aria 948 is 225mm shorter and 95mm less deeper than GoldenEar Triton One.R but it is also 57mm 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 Triton One.R is approximately 1625.4cm2 / 251.9inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Triton One.R requires 4% more surface area than the Aria 948 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 Triton One.R weighs 36.36kg / 80lbs and the Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Triton One.R 4% heavier than the Aria 948.

Here is a comparison of how Triton One.R and Aria 948's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
GoldenEar Triton One.R
Focal Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton One.R?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
  • What's in the Box of Focal Aria 948?

    Here are the items that come with the Aria 948:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Base
  • 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
  • 4 Plastic feet
  • 4 Screws
  • Allen-key
  • Hex-tool
  • User Manual

  • Reasons to choose GoldenEar Triton One.R over Focal Aria 948
    Max Input Power 650 watts vs 350 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Low Frequency Response 13 Hz vs 37 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 35k Hz vs 28k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Passive Radiator four 7-inch vs None Increases the bass performance

    Reasons to choose Focal Aria 948 over GoldenEar Triton One.R

    Sensitivity 93 dB vs 92 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 8.25 inches vs 5 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Height 1150mm vs 1375mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 1566cm2 vs 1625cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 6598USD vs 7498USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    GoldenEar Triton One.R vs Focal Aria 948 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General GoldenEar Triton One.R Focal Aria 948
    Brand GoldenEar Focal
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 20-650 watts 50-350 watts
    Sensitivity 92 dB 92.5 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance n/a 2.5 ohms
    Frequency Response 13-35k Hz 37-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 2
    Woofer Size 5" 8.25"
    Woofer Composition Polymer Flax
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size - 1"
    Tweeter Type High-Velocity Folded Ribbon inverted dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 5.25" 6.5"
    Crossover Frequency n/a 280Hz and 2,600Hz
    Physical Specs
    Height 1375.0mm (54.1") 1150.0mm (45.3")
    Width 315.0mm (12.4") 372.0mm (14.6")
    Depth 516.0mm (20.3") 421.0mm (16.6")
    Weight 36.36kg (80lbs) 35.00kg (77lbs)
    Enclosure Passive Radiator Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Lacquer MDF/Glass/Leather
    Available Colors Gloss Black Gloss Black
    Grille n/a Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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