In this review, we will be comparing R700 and Triton Seven, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and GoldenEar. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R700 and GoldenEar Triton Seven first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk R700 and GoldenEar Triton Seven 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk R700 and GoldenEar Triton Seven 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R700 is a 3-way design whereas the Triton Seven 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 |
Polk R700 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Triton Seven features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz whereas Triton Seven has a frequency range of 29-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Triton Seven can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R700's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
R700 and Triton Seven have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R700 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Triton Seven's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton Seven a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
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
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton Seven has a 5-way Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R700 has a bottom firing port whereas Triton Seven has a rear firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to GoldenEar Triton Seven with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 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 Polk R700's and GoldenEar Triton Seven's external dimensions. Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) whereas GoldenEar Triton Seven has external dimensions of 1029.0 x 267.0 x 369.0mm ( 40-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 53.7mm wider, 114.8mm taller and 59.3mm deeper than GoldenEar Triton Seven.
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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar Triton Seven is approximately 985.2cm2 / 152.7inch2. The R700 requires 39% more surface area than the Triton Seven 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs and the GoldenEar Triton Seven weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs. This makes the R700 147% heavier than the Triton Seven.
Here is a comparison of how R700 and Triton Seven'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 Polk R700?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R700:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
What's in the Box of GoldenEar Triton Seven?
Here are the items that come with the Triton Seven:
Floorstanding loudspeaker4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Locking nutsOwners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
dual 8-inch infrasonic planar sub-bass
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
1029mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
985cm2 (267x369mm)
vs
1373cm2 (320x428mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
2198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
GoldenEar Triton Seven |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
10-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
38-38k Hz |
29-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Folded Ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1143.8mm (45") |
1029.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
320.7mm (12.6") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
428.3mm (16.9") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
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 |