In this review, we will be comparing Q950 and Triton Seven, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q950 and GoldenEar Triton Seven first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q950 | GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Dome | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.0" Aluminum | 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-28k Hz | 29-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 10-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.68kg / 45.5lbs | 14.55kg / 32lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-15/16" x 14-1/4" x 12-3/8"
1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm | 40-1/2" x 10-1/2" x 14-1/2"
1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q950 and GoldenEar Triton Seven 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* |
KEF Q950 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Q950 and Triton Seven are 2-way speakers.
KEF Q950GoldenEar Triton Seven
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF Q950 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Q950 features a 1.5" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8.0" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q950 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz whereas Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q950's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
Q950 and Triton Seven have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Q950 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Triton Seven's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KEF Q950 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 Q950 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 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
Q950 features 5-way Post type posts and Triton Seven has a 5-way Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q950 has a front firing port whereas Triton Seven has a rear firing ports. KEF Q950's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to GoldenEar Triton Seven with its rear-firing 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 KEF Q950's and GoldenEar Triton Seven's external dimensions. KEF Q950 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 362.0 x 315.0mm (43-15/16 x 14-1/4 x 12-3/8inch) whereas 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).
GoldenEar Triton Seven is 95mm narrower and 88mm shorter than KEF Q950 but it is also 54mm deeper.
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.
KEF Q950 needs about 16% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar Triton Seven is 54mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KEF Q950 is 88mm 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 KEF Q950 is approximately 1140.3cm2 / 176.7inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2. The Q950 requires 16% more surface area than the Triton Seven 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 KEF Q950 weighs 20.68kg / 45.5lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the Q950 42% heavier than the Triton Seven.
Here is a comparison of how Q950 and Triton Seven'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 KEF Q950?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q950:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 6 Screws
- 6 Washers
- 4 Rubber inserts
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Seven?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Seven:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1029mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
985cm2
vs
1140cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q950 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Brand |
KEF |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-200 watts |
10-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
44-28k Hz |
29-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.0" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1117.0mm (44") |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
20.68kg (45.5lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| 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: KEF Q950 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 | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven digs deeper - 29Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KEF Q950 is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar Triton Seven is easier to place; KEF Q950 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | KEF Q950: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | GoldenEar Triton Seven is cheaper - $1,798 against $2,200, about 18% less. |
A KEF Q950 B GoldenEar Triton Seven
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 44Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF Q950 the better fit for a mid-size room, and GoldenEar Triton Seven for a very large room.
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.