In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and Triton Two+, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and GoldenEar Triton Two+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch RF-7 III | GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.75" dome | High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10" Cerametallic | 5" Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-25k Hz | 16-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 100 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 20-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.10kg / 97lbs | 27.27kg / 60lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49-1/16" x 13-15/16" x 17-15/16"
1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm | 48-1/2" x 11-11/16" x 19-1/8"
1232.0 x 297.0 x 486.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch RF-7 III 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* |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RF-7 III is a 2-way design whereas the Triton Two+ is a 3-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 RF-7 IIIGoldenEar 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 |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz. 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
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k 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 RF-7 III's min frequency of 32Hz.
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
RF-7 III and Triton Two+ have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RF-7 III sensitivity is rated at 100 dB and the Triton Two+'s is at 91 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to GoldenEar Triton Two+, 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 RF-7 III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 250 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
RF-7 III 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.
Klipsch RF-7 III'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 Klipsch RF-7 III's and GoldenEar Triton Two+'s external dimensions. Klipsch RF-7 III has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm (49-1/16 x 13-15/16 x 17-15/16inch) 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 58mm narrower and 15mm shorter than Klipsch RF-7 III but it is also 30mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and GoldenEar Triton Two+ in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RF-7 III 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 Klipsch RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Two+ is approximately 1443.4cm2 / 223.7inch2. The RF-7 III requires 12% more surface area than the Triton Two+ 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 RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Two+ weighs 27.27kg / 60lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 62% heavier than the Triton Two+.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III 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 Klipsch RF-7 III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RF-7 III:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Plinth
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 2 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Machine screws
- Owners Manual
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
 Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
4398USD
vs
4498USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
two 7-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1232mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1443cm2
vs
1618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
20-500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
16-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
1232.0mm (48.5") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
297.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
486.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
27.27kg (60lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, 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 32Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Klipsch RF-7 III is more sensitive (100dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
B |
GoldenEar Triton Two+ takes more power (500W vs 250W) - 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 |
Klipsch RF-7 III: bi-amping. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($4,398 vs $4,498 a pair). |
A Klipsch RF-7 III
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?
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 32Hz 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.