In this review, we will be comparing Reference 3 Meta and Triton Three+, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 3 Meta and GoldenEar Triton Three+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF Reference 3 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer
- 43-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:51.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1207.0" x 12.7" x 18.4"( 1207 x 323 x 467 mm )
GoldenEar Triton Three+ Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 5" Polymer Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 21-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-400watts
- Weight:20.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1131.0" x 11-5/8" x 17-9/16"( 1131.0 x 296.0 x 447.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Reference 3 Meta and GoldenEar Triton Three+ 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 Reference 3 Meta |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Reference 3 Meta and GoldenEar Triton Three+ compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Reference 3 Meta and Triton Three+ are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KEF Reference 3 Meta |
GoldenEar Triton Three+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Reference 3 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Three+ features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer .
Frequency Response
Reference 3 Meta has a frequency range of 43-35k Hz whereas Triton Three+ has a frequency range of 21-35k 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 Reference 3 Meta's min frequency of 43Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference 3 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Triton Three+ which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 3 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 3 Meta sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Triton Three+'s is rated at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Three+ a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 3 Meta, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Reference 3 Meta can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Reference 3 Meta has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Triton Three+.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Reference 3 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding 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.
KEF Reference 3 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF Reference 3 Meta Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Reference 3 Meta's and GoldenEar Triton Three+'s external dimensions. KEF Reference 3 Meta has external dimensions of 1207 x 323 x 467 mm ( 47.5 x 12.7 x 18.4 in.) whereas 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) .
KEF Reference 3 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 27mm wider, 76mm taller and 20mm deeper than GoldenEar Triton Three+.
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 Reference 3 Meta is approximately 1508.4cm2 / 233.8inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Three+ is approximately 1323.1cm2 / 205.1inch2. The Reference 3 Meta requires 14% more surface area than the Triton Three+ which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.