In this review, we will be comparing Kendall and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and GoldenEar. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KLH Kendall and GoldenEar Triton Five compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kendall is a 3-way design whereas the Triton Five is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
KLH Kendall |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer . On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz whereas Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go slightly deeper then the Triton Five's min frequency of 26Hz.
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
Kendall and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kendall sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Five, 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.
Kendall can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of watts RMS , 400 watts less than the Triton Five.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Five has a 5-way Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 KLH Kendall's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm ( 40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton Five has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 11-1/16 x 16-9/16inch) .
GoldenEar Triton Five is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 69mm wider, 110mm taller and 41mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
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 KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Kendall requires 32% less surface area than the Triton Five 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 KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Kendall 22% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall and Triton Five'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 KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleFoam port4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet (with nuts)4 Protective discsManual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Five:
Floorstanding loudspeaker4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Locking nutsOwners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
26 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2 (212x380mm)
vs
1183cm2 (281x421mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
| General |
KLH Kendall |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
KLH |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-23k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |