In this review, we will be comparing Triton Seven and RP-8000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton Seven and Klipsch RP-8000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton Seven | Klipsch RP-8000F |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-35k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-300 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.55kg / 32lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/2" x 10-1/2" x 14-1/2"
1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm | 43-1/4" x 10-7/8" x 17-1/2"
1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Triton Seven and Klipsch RP-8000F 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 Seven |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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 Seven and RP-8000F are 2-way speakers.
GoldenEar Triton SevenKlipsch RP-8000F
TweeterWoofer
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 Seven |
Klipsch RP-8000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the RP-8000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz whereas RP-8000F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven can go slightly deeper then the RP-8000F'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
Triton Seven and RP-8000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton Seven sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RP-8000F's is at 98 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-8000F a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Seven, 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 Seven can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas RP-8000F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Triton Seven.
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
RP-8000F features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Seven has a 5-way Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-8000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Triton Seven and RP-8000F have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Klipsch RP-8000F Port
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 Seven's and Klipsch RP-8000F's external dimensions. GoldenEar Triton Seven has external dimensions of 1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm (40-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) whereas Klipsch RP-8000F has external dimensions of 1099.0 x 277.0 x 445.0mm (43-1/4 x 10-7/8 x 17-1/2inch).
Klipsch RP-8000F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 70mm taller and 76mm deeper than GoldenEar Triton Seven.
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 Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-8000F is approximately 1232.7cm2 / 191.1inch2. The Triton Seven requires 20% less surface area than the RP-8000F 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 Triton Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the Klipsch RP-8000F weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the RP-8000F 87% heavier than the Triton Seven.
Here is a comparison of how Triton Seven and RP-8000F'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 Seven?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Triton Seven:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-8000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-8000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
dual 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1029mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
985cm2
vs
1232cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
1658USD
vs
1798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-8000F |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
10-300 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-35k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
1099.0mm (43.3") |
| Width |
267.0mm (10.5") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
369.0mm (14.5") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Klipsch RP-8000F 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 Seven digs deeper - 29Hz against 32Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-8000F is more sensitive (98dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Triton Seven takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar Triton Seven is easier to place; Klipsch RP-8000F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch RP-8000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-8000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,798 vs $1,658 a pair). |
A GoldenEar Triton Seven B Klipsch RP-8000F
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton Seven the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-8000F for a mid-size room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-8000F 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.