In this review, we will be comparing Triton Three+ and 800F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton Three+ and Paradigm 800F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton Three+ | Paradigm 800F |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Polymer | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 21-35k Hz | 43-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-400 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 24.27kg / 53.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/2" x 11-5/8" x 17-9/16"
1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Triton Three+ and Paradigm 800F 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 Three+ |
Paradigm 800F |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Triton Three+ and 800F are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar Triton Three+Paradigm 800F
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 Three+ |
Paradigm 800F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Triton Three+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the 800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Triton Three+ has a frequency range of 21-35k Hz whereas 800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 21Hz, the Triton Three+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 800F's min frequency of 43Hz.
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 Three+ and 800F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton Three+ sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 800F's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm 800F a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Three+, 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 Three+ can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas 800F has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Triton Three+.
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
800F features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Three+ has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Paradigm 800F's Posts 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 Triton Three+'s and Paradigm 800F's external dimensions. GoldenEar Triton Three+ has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm (44-1/2 x 11-5/8 x 17-9/16inch) whereas Paradigm 800F has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm (42-1/8 x 9-1/4 x 13-7/8inch).
GoldenEar Triton Three+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 61mm wider, 61mm taller and 94mm deeper than Paradigm 800F.
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 Three+ is approximately 1323.1cm2 / 205.1inch2 and base area of the Paradigm 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2. The Triton Three+ requires 59% more surface area than the 800F 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 Three+ weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the Paradigm 800F weighs 24.27kg / 53.4lbs. This makes the 800F 19% heavier than the Triton Three+.
Here is a comparison of how Triton Three+ and 800F'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 Three+?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Triton Three+:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 9-feet AC power cord
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed on base)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Paradigm 800F?
Here are the items that come with the 800F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
Grille
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
4 Hex-nuts
2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
21 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-3/4-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
829cm2
vs
1323cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
Paradigm Premier 800F |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Paradigm |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-400 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
21-35k Hz |
43-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
6.5" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
296.0mm (11.7") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
447.0mm (17.6") |
353.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
24.27kg (53.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | GoldenEar Triton Three+ digs deeper - 21Hz against 43Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Paradigm 800F is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Triton Three+ takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Paradigm 800F is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Three+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | Paradigm 800F: bi-amping. Paradigm 800F sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Paradigm 800F is cheaper - $2,200 against $2,998, about 27% less. |
A GoldenEar Triton Three+ B Paradigm 800F
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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Paradigm 800F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton Three+ the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.