About the GoldenEar Aon 3
Great sound for all spaces
Great sound for all spaces
You might be thinking if you go with a small pair of speakers, you'll be compromising on sound quality. After all, tower speakers are the best around since they use larger cabinets and bigger drivers, right? GoldenEar's unique, uncompromising Aon 3 stands ready to challenge that. Whether you're into smooth jazz or hair metal (or anything in-between), the speaker effortlessly brings gobs of detail and clarity to your music. Plus, it's a homerun hitter in smaller-to-mid-sized spaces, making it a great alternative to larger tower speakers.
What's up with the odd appearance?
One look at the Aon 3 and you'll see it's not like other speakers. Its machined MDF cabinet certainly has an eye-catching shape. The company chose that shape primarily to reduce standing waves inside the cabinet. The tweeter is also slightly offset to the right. That's not an engineering mistake; with the tweeter offset like that, the sound waves bouncing around off the front baffle and cover won't amplify each other and create harsh, sharp highs.
Potent drivers
If you pull down the speaker's sock-like cover, you'll find lots to geek out over.
GoldenEar's proprietary HVFR™ tweeter is one of the company's favorite achievements. It's a trickle-down technology borrowed from their top-of-the-line Triton-Series. It uses neodymium magnets to squeeze and pressurize the air between the folds of a high-density Kapton film diaphragm.
X-ray view of the Aon 3 bookshelf speaker
The no-resonance and low-distortion design helps the tweeter reach an astonishingly high 35,000 Hz while keeping a smooth, detailed response at all volumes. There's almost no moving mass and, as a result, the tweeter isn't subject to the piston-like issues (namely, "wobble" or distortion) of traditional dome-style tweeters. And since it has a much larger surface area, the dispersion is wider and the stereo imaging is superb.
The 7" mid/woofer is intricate and detailed thanks to the added stiffness and rigidity the cast basket provides. The large magnet used in its motor structure keeps the cone's movement precisely linear and the sound pure and accurate. The center of the driver uses GoldenEar's proprietary MVPP (multi-vaned phase plug), which is used to control energy in the center of the driver and minimize cone diffraction.
The twin 8" bass radiators mounted on either side gives the speaker what GoldenEar calls an "inertially balanced configuration." By that, they mean that cabinet vibrations are minimized since the two bass radiators' frequencies cancel each other out inside the box, keeping internal resonances very low.
Who is GoldenEar?
Since their founding in 2010, GoldenEar has racked up rave reviews across the audio industry for their high-tech speaker lineup and cutting-edge design philosophy. The company's goal is to create speakers that sound better than comparable models costing three, four, or even five times more. Their signature sound includes pinpoint stereo imaging, a spacious three-dimensional soundstage, and ultra-low distortion. Each of GoldenEar's custom-designed drivers, passive radiators, and carefully tuned cabinets help create an ultra-immersive listening experience with your favorite albums and movie soundtracks.
Got wire?
The Aon 3 bookshelf speaker doesn't include any speaker wire. Read our article about choosing and installing speaker wire.
Shop our selection of speaker wire.
Product highlights:
- two-way design
- HVFR™ (High-Velocity Folded Ribbon) tweeter
- 7" cast-basket mid/bass driver
- two 8" side-mounted passive radiators for enhanced bass response
- non-parallel cabinet walls and offset tweeter help deliver purer sound
- keyhole bracket for wall mounting
- frequency response: 38-35,000 Hz
- recommended amplifier power: 10-250 watts
- sensitivity: 90 dB
- impedance: 8 ohms
- 5-way binding post speaker terminals
- cloth cover can be pulled down to expose drivers, but not removed
- 9"W x 14"H x 11"D
- weight: 15 lbs.
- warranty: 5 years
- MFR # GKMA
What's in the box:
GoldenEar Aon 3 owner's manual
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Key-hole hanger
- 2 Screws
- Owner's Manual
Customer reviews for GoldenEar Aon 3
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More details on the GoldenEar Aon 3
Features & specs
| Enclosure | Sealed | |
| Finish | MDF/Lacquer | |
| Color | Black | |
| Tweeter Type | Folded Ribbon | |
| Tweeter Size (inches) | --- | |
| Midrange Size (inches) | N/A | |
| Woofer Size (inches) | 7 | |
| Woofer Composition | Polypropylene | |
| Woofer Surround | Rubber | |
| Power Range | 10-250 | |
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | |
| Impedance (Ohms) | 8 | |
| Frequency Response | 38-35k Hz | |
| Connector Type | 5-Way post | |
| Bi-amp Inputs | No | |
| Height (inches) | 14-1/8 | |
| Width (inches) | 9 | |
| Depth (inches) | 11-1/16 | |
| Weight (pounds) | 15 | |
| Wall-mountable | Yes | |
| Bracket Included | Fixed bracket | |
| Recommended Stand Height (inches) | 24-26 | |
| Parts Warranty | 5 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 5 Years | |
Product Research
Features
2-Way Bookshelf Loudspeaker: The GoldenEar Technology Aon 3 is a compact, ultra-high performance bookshelf speaker that was originally developed for use as a near-field monitor in professional mixing applications. The Aon 3 is designed to produce accurate high-definition sonic reproduction, with superb three-dimensional (3D) imaging from a modestly-sized shelf or stand-mountable speaker. The Aon 3 loudspeaker is extremely efficient and can be driven to loud listening levels with moderate amplifier power, but is also able to handle the output of a very powerful amplifier.
High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR) Tweeter: The Aon bookshelf loudspeaker houses GoldenEar Technology's own High-Velocity Folded Ribbon (HVFR) tweeter. This new folded-ribbon tweeter is silky smooth with ultra high resolution capability. The HVFR tweeter propagates sound waves and moves the air by squeezing it with its accordion-like pleated diaphragm, rather than pushing it as conventional drivers do. Greater efficiency, lower distortion, improved dynamics and superbly detailed sound are the result of this amazing technology.
7" Polypropylene Woofer: The GoldenEar Technology Aon bookshelf loudspeaker incorporates a 7" cast-basket bass/midrange driver. The cone is formed with a proprietary curve, from a special formulation of polypropylene, which combines superior internal damping with a high speed of wave transmission through the cone for exceptional midrange performance. The 7" polypropylene cone woofer also provides exceptional long-throw with tremendous dynamic range for deep bass response from a compact bookshelf speaker.
Dual Planar Infrasonic Radiators: A pair of inertially balanced 8" planar infrasonic radiators located on either side of the cabinet (one on each side), acoustically load the active 7" driver as well as couple the internal bass energy to the room for tight, quick, extended bass response.
Pyramid Shaped Cabinet: The Aon 3 bookshelf speaker features a pyramid shaped cabinet, which results in significant performance advantages due to the non-parallel cabinet walls and the reduced baffle area around the tweeter. Aesthetically, the sleek, attractive pyramid-inspired shape combined with appealing design details including piano-gloss black end-caps, results in speakers that look and sound beautiful.
Binding Post Terminals: The GoldenEar Technology Aon Series loudspeaker is outfitted with a set of 5-way binding post terminals that will accept bare wire (up to 10AWG), pin-connectors, spade-lugs, and banana plugs (single or dual).
Flexible Placement: The GoldenEar Technology Aon 3 speaker is designed to fit and sound beautifully in a wide variety of room applications. The Aon Series offers flexible placement while providing a very large window of sound throughout your listening room.
- For the most accurate and natural timbre, the speaker's high-frequency drivers should be at approximately ear level. A pair of Aon speakers should form a equilateral triangle between each other and the main seated listening position. To further optimize imaging, turn a pair of speakers inward (toe-in) so they point toward the listening position with their axes crossing just behind it.
- Placing the speaker in a corner will over-emphasize bass and reduce overall clarity. If possible, position the loudspeaker 8" or more from the wall behind the speaker and as much as possible from either side wall. This will ensure better bass performance and optimal midrange clarity.
- When used as surround speakers, the Aon speaker may be located on the side or behind the main listening area. When used on the sides, take care never to locate the speaker forward of the main listening position. If the speaker is placed along the rear wall as surrounds, it is suggested that the speaker be positioned fairly wide apart if possible.
Mounting Options: The speaker can be placed on a stand (sold separately), shelf, bookcase, or other piece of furniture with a solid flat surface. Integrated plastic feet help to isolate the speaker from your mounting surface. The Aon 3 can also be wall-mounted using the included keyhole hanger and hardware.
Note: The included keyhole hanger must be installed to the back of the speaker using the two supplied screws. The screws to hang the speaker on the wall are not included and sold separately at your local hardware store.
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Sound great whether your cranking Steely Dan or Cannibal Corpse!
Scott from Webster, NY