In this review, we will be comparing R11 and Triton One.R, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R11 and GoldenEar Triton One.R first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R11 | GoldenEar Triton One.R |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 5" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 13-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-300 watts | 20-650 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs | 36.36kg / 80lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51-3/16" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"
1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm | 54-1/8" x 12-3/8" x 20-5/16"
1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R11 and GoldenEar Triton One.R 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 R11 |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 R11 and Triton One.R are 3-way speakers.
KEF R11GoldenEar Triton One.R
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R11 |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Triton One.R features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas Triton One.R has a frequency range of 13-35k 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 R11's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
R11 and Triton One.R have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R11 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Triton One.R's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton One.R a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R11, 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 R11 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 350 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
R11 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton One.R has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R11's Binding post 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 KEF R11's and GoldenEar Triton One.R's external dimensions. KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm (51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch) whereas 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).
GoldenEar Triton One.R is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 74mm taller and 127mm deeper than KEF R11.
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.
GoldenEar Triton One.R needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. GoldenEar Triton One.R is 127mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. GoldenEar Triton One.R is 74mm 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 R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton One.R is approximately 1625.4cm2 / 251.9inch2. The R11 requires 25% less surface area than the Triton One.R 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 KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs and the GoldenEar Triton One.R weighs 36.36kg / 80lbs. This makes the R11 4% heavier than the Triton One.R.
Here is a comparison of how R11 and Triton One.R'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 R11?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R11:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton One.R?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
4
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1301mm
vs
1375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1213cm2
vs
1625cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6000USD
vs
7498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
650 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
13 Hz
vs
46 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 |
| General |
KEF R11 |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
| Brand |
KEF |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-300 watts |
20-650 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
13-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
1375.0mm (54.1") |
| Width |
312.0mm (12.3") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Depth |
389.0mm (15.3") |
516.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
36.36kg (80lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
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 | B | GoldenEar Triton One.R digs deeper - 13Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | GoldenEar Triton One.R is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton One.R takes more power (650W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF R11 is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton One.R is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability | A | KEF R11: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KEF R11 is cheaper - $6,000 against $7,498, about 20% less. |
A KEF R11 B GoldenEar Triton One.R
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, KEF R11 costs about about 25% 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 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R11 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar Triton One.R 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.