In this review, we will be comparing Triton Two+ and Aria K2 936K2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton Two+ and Focal Aria K2 936K2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Triton Two+ | Focal Aria K2 936K2 |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Polymer | 3 x 6.5" K2 aramid fiber/fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 16-35k Hz | 39-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-500 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.27kg / 60lbs | 29.09kg / 64lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 48-1/2" x 11-11/16" x 19-1/8"
1232.0 x 297.0 x 486.0mm | 45-3/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-11/16"
1148.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Triton Two+ and Focal Aria K2 936K2 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 Two+ |
Focal Aria K2 936K2 |
| 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 Two+ and Aria K2 936K2 are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar Triton Two+Focal Aria K2 936K2
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 Two+ |
Focal Aria K2 936K2 |
|
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
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Triton Two+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the Aria K2 936K2 features a 1" aluminum/magnesium with waveguide inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" K2 aramid fiber/fiberglass Woofer.
Frequency Response
Triton Two+ has a frequency range of 16-35k Hz whereas Aria K2 936K2 has a frequency range of 39-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the Triton Two+ can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria K2 936K2's min frequency of 39Hz.
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 Two+ and Aria K2 936K2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton Two+ sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Aria K2 936K2's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria K2 936K2 a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Two+, 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 Two+ can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Aria K2 936K2 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Triton Two+.
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 Two+ features Binding post type posts and Aria K2 936K2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria K2 936K2's Binding post terminals
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 Two+'s and Focal Aria K2 936K2's external dimensions. GoldenEar Triton Two+ has external dimensions of 1232.0 x 297.0 x 486.0mm (48-1/2 x 11-11/16 x 19-1/8inch) whereas Focal Aria K2 936K2 has external dimensions of 1148.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm (45-3/16 x 11-9/16 x 14-11/16inch).
GoldenEar Triton Two+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 84mm taller and 112mm deeper than Focal Aria K2 936K2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar Triton Two+ and Focal Aria K2 936K2 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar Triton Two+ and Focal Aria K2 936K2 Size and External Dimensions
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 Two+ is approximately 1443.4cm2 / 223.7inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria K2 936K2 is approximately 1099.6cm2 / 170.4inch2. The Triton Two+ requires 31% more surface area than the Aria K2 936K2 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 Two+ weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs and the Focal Aria K2 936K2 weighs 29.09kg / 64lbs. This makes the Aria K2 936K2 7% heavier than the Triton Two+.
Here is a comparison of how Triton Two+ and Aria K2 936K2'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 Two+?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Triton Two+:
- 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 Focal Aria K2 936K2?
Here are the items that come with the Aria K2 936K2:
- 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 |
500 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 7-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
4498USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1148mm
vs
1232mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1099cm2
vs
1443cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
Focal Aria K2 936K2 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-500 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
16-35k Hz |
39-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer |
K2 aramid fiber/fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
6.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1232.0mm (48.5") |
1148.0mm (45.2") |
| Width |
297.0mm (11.7") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
486.0mm (19.1") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Weight |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
29.09kg (64lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Grey |
| 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 |
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 Two+ digs deeper - 16Hz against 39Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar Triton Two+ takes more power (500W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Focal Aria K2 936K2 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Two+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar Triton Two+ is cheaper - $4,498 against $6,598, about 32% less. |
A GoldenEar Triton Two+ B Focal Aria K2 936K2
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?
GoldenEar Triton Two+ is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Focal Aria K2 936K2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton Two+ 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.