In this review, we will be comparing Heresy III and Triton Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Heresy III and GoldenEar Triton Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Heresy III | GoldenEar Triton Five |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix horn | Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 1.75" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Fiber-composite | 2 x 6" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-20k Hz | 26-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 99 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 watts | 15-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 23-7/8" x 15-1/2" x 13-7/16"
607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm | 44-1/2" x 11-1/16" x 16-9/16"
1131.0 x 281.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Heresy III 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.
Klipsch Heresy IIIGoldenEar Triton Five
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch Heresy III |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.75-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Heresy III features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression Tractrix horn Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fiber-composite Woofer. On the other hand, the Triton Five features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Heresy III has a frequency range of 58-20k Hz whereas Triton Five has a frequency range of 26-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the Triton Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Heresy III's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
Heresy III and Triton Five have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Heresy III sensitivity is rated at 99 dB and the Triton Five's is at 90 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heresy III 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Triton Five can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Heresy III has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the Triton Five.
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
Heresy III features 5-way 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.
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 Klipsch Heresy III's and GoldenEar Triton Five's external dimensions. Klipsch Heresy III has external dimensions of 607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm (23-7/8 x 15-1/2 x 13-7/16inch) 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).
Klipsch Heresy III is 524mm shorter and 79mm less deeper than GoldenEar Triton Five but it is also 113mm wider.
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 Klipsch Heresy III is approximately 1347.5cm2 / 208.9inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Five is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2. The Heresy III requires 14% more surface area than the Triton Five 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 Klipsch Heresy III weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Five weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Heresy III 10% heavier than the Triton Five.
Here is a comparison of how Heresy III 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 Klipsch Heresy III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Heresy III:
- Floor-standing loudspeaker
- Detachable grille (installed)
- Base riser (installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Five?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Five:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking nuts
- Owners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
99 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
607mm
vs
1131mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2346USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
four 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1183cm2
vs
1347cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Capitol Heresy III |
GoldenEar Triton Five |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100 watts |
15-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
99 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
58-20k Hz |
26-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Treated cloth |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix horn |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
1.75" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
607.0mm (23.9") |
1131.0mm (44.5") |
| Width |
394.0mm (15.5") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
342.0mm (13.5") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Blonde Cherry |
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 Five digs deeper - 26Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch Heresy III is more sensitive (99dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | GoldenEar Triton Five takes more power (400W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch Heresy III is easier to place; GoldenEar Triton Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Passive Radiator. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | Klipsch Heresy III: bi-amping. Klipsch Heresy III sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,346 vs $2,398 a pair). |
A Klipsch Heresy III B GoldenEar Triton Five
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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, GoldenEar Triton Five has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch Heresy III is the easier speaker to get right.
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.