In this review, we will be comparing R11 and Triton Two+, 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 Two+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R11 | GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 5" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 16-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-300 watts | 20-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 37.70kg / 82.9lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 48-1/2" x 11-11/16" x 19-1/8"
1232.0 x 297.0 x 486.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R11 and GoldenEar Triton Two+ 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 Two+ |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R11 and Triton Two+ are 3-way speakers.
KEF R11GoldenEar Triton Two+
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 Two+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 4.5-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 Two+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer.
Frequency Response
R11 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas Triton Two+ has a frequency range of 16-35k 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 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 Two+ 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 Two+'s is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Two+ 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 Two+ can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas R11 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
R11 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Two+ 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 Two+'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 Two+ has external dimensions of 1232.0 x 297.0 x 486.0mm (48-1/2 x 11-11/16 x 19-1/8inch).
GoldenEar Triton Two+ is 15mm narrower and 69mm shorter than KEF R11 but it is also 97mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R11 and GoldenEar Triton Two+ in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R11 and GoldenEar Triton Two+ 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 KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Two+ is approximately 1443.4cm2 / 223.7inch2. The R11 requires 16% less surface area than the Triton Two+ 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 Two+ weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the R11 38% heavier than the Triton Two+.
Here is a comparison of how R11 and Triton Two+'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 Two+?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
1213cm2
vs
1443cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
46 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 |
 Height |
1232mm
vs
1301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
4498USD
vs
6000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R11 |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
| Brand |
KEF |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-300 watts |
20-500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
16-35k 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" |
4.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1301.0mm (51.2") |
1232.0mm (48.5") |
| Width |
312.0mm (12.3") |
297.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
389.0mm (15.3") |
486.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
37.70kg (82.9lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| 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 Two+ digs deeper - 16Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ takes more power (500W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Ported vs Passive Radiator. |
| Expandability |
A |
KEF R11: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ is cheaper - $4,498 against $6,000, about 25% less. |
A KEF R11
B GoldenEar Triton Two+
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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+ has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz 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.