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.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton One.R | Focal Aria 948 |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Polymer | 2 x 8.25" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 13-35k Hz | 37-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-650 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 36.36kg / 80lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 54-1/8" x 12-3/8" x 20-5/16"
1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm | 45-1/4" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Triton One.R and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar Triton One.RFocal Aria 948
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 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.
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
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
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 Aria 948 has a max power handling value of 350 watts RMS, 300 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
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
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 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.
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.
Near-identical footprints. GoldenEar Triton One.R is 95mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar Triton One.R is 225mm 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 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
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
 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 |
 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) |
| 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 |
A generation apart: GoldenEar Triton One.R is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | GoldenEar Triton One.R digs deeper - 13Hz against 37Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Triton One.R takes more power (650W vs 350W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Price | B | Focal Aria 948 is cheaper - $6,598 against $7,498, about 12% less. |
A GoldenEar Triton One.R B Focal Aria 948
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?
The usual trade-off: GoldenEar Triton One.R measures better, Focal Aria 948 costs about about 14% more% 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 37Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal Aria 948 much easier to justify.
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.