The vinyl wrap also seemed to be more bubbly to me in several spots and, for a speaker at this price point, I expect better. That said, these arent for bassheads or hip-hop fans the equalisation on the BR03s is fairly balanced, which results in a transparent sound that wont colour your music. As research shows, reliable, unbiased comparison tests of audio products can occur only if the identities of the products are concealed from the listener and if the volume levels are matched. The Polk Audio Monitor XT20 comes very close to the performance of the Q Acoustics 3020i, with clear highs and natural-sounding voice reproduction, but its bass sounds slightly boomy and for the price, its looks are rather plain. The B5.2s are the second version of the line, but this isnt an incremental upgrade. At just 11.875 inches high, 6.5 inches deep, and 7 inches wide, each B652 speaker is compact enough to fit on most bookshelves, and because each speaker weighs only 4.7 pounds, most shelves can support them both easily. For 299 they are a steal. Many readers are concerned about how the manufacturing, shipping, and normal use of the products we recommend impact the world. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Q Acoustics 3020i also had a fairly flat response, but with less deep bass. Also, wed guess that many people would prefer the S1000MKIIs styling to the plain black box look of the Monoprice and PSB models, but thats a matter of individual taste. A better comparison may be the Polk L200 vs the KEF R series bookshelf speaker (3-way design). The Triangle Borea BR03 has a frequency response of 46Hz - 22kHz with +/-3dB. Are they being sold by stores that allow in-home auditions or do cheap and easy returns? In all likelihood KEF will win this poll because KEF spends way more on marketing than Triangle, and the recent discount is fresh on everyone's mind. Performance & security by Cloudflare. A good set of passive bookshelf speakers is an investment that will last longer than most other audio gear you can buy today and will never become obsolete. The speakers are also nicely designed for the price, with custom binding posts, magnetically attached grilles, a decor-friendly 10.875-inch height, and nicely rounded corners that resist chipping. To our ears, it didnt sound quite as good as the Edifier S1000MKII pair, but our eyes appreciated the R-51PMs more compact form and contemporary look. Seattle Area. Its a neat concept, but the speakers sound is rather thin and crude. So even though this speaker set seems intended for audiophiles, who tend to prefer acoustic music, its also a great choice for hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music. We focus on education, discussion, and sharing of entry and mid level separate & multi component audio systems. If for no other reason the KEFs coaxial setup will image better, especially on a desk. Triangle Borea BR03 are a popular option in the middle of the speakers price range. Here are the criteria we considered when deciding which models to test: A pair of speakers can cost anywhere from two to seven figures. SHOP NOW. Triangle Borea BR03. Some metal parts of the speakers may be recyclable; the company does not have a recycling partner in the US, but in France it works with a recycler called Eco-System. Very nice review!!! Considering the recent price drop for the R-51PM, and the fact that the R-51PM is already a little bass-challenged, it seems like a bad idea to go after even less bass just to save a few dollars. For more information, please see our $599.99. The Dayton Audio MK402X looks a little nicer than the B652, but its mid range sounded a little rough, and it didnt have much bass. With its tone controls centered, the Edifier R1700BTs pair sounded too trebly and thin, and voices sounded coarse and crude. To meet every readers needs, we tested traditional passive speakers as well as active (powered) speakers. insider9 This pair did have a clear sound with a decent amount of bass in our tests, so if youre looking for something priced between our top pick and our budget pick, its worth a listen. You must log in or register to reply here. The B652 is a sealed-box design with no bass ports, so you can place the speakers against a wall without making the bass sound too boomy. The Q acoustic concept 20s and Elac debuts (can't seem to get the other speakers mentioned) seem to be about double the price of the other options I proposed so I'm not sure whether that's worth it in my market. These could be for you. Just a question for you: which one did you keep? Id be interested to hear a comparison between the Triangle Esprit Comte EZ and the Polk Legend L200 as they are more similarly priced to one another and feature the same size drivers. I think the Triangles are 31.5cm deep (though some sites have them deeper. Some powered speakers (including one of our picks) even incorporate a phono preamp so you can plug a turntable straight into them. Otherwise, the S1000MKII set just does its job well without many noticeable sonic flaws, something that we cant say about most powered speakers in its price range. Still that well all depend on amplifier, source room. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The frequency response measurements for the S1000MKII were a little shocking in that they were the best of any of the speakers we tested. B&W's generally need a fair amount of space to breathe or they become boomy being rear ported. Europe's busiest forums, with independent news and expert reviews, for TVs, Home Cinema, Hi-Fi, Movies, Gaming, Tech and more. We independently review everything we recommend. They may be best option. The R-51PM set is especially suitable for use with a TV not only because of its optical digital input, but also because the manual provides codes for programming remotes from DirecTV and RCA satellite receivers and AT&T, Bright House, and Xfinity cable boxes to control the R-51PMs volume and mute functions. Its fairly common to see audio enthusiasts using refurbished 50-year-old speakers with modern amplifiers and sources. The No. Im mentioned in the most popular text on speaker design, Loudspeaker Design Cookbook, and I have written for Voice Coil, the leading trade magazine for the speaker industry. Bookshelf speakers arent just for music, either. Your IP: Triangle Borea BR03 A step up in sound quality The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we've heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. *At the time of publishing, the price was $330. While there were no major introductions of new bookshelf speakers at CES 2023, we have found a few current models that we hope to get in for testing. Credit: Triangle Manufacture Electroacoustique. Copyright 2000-2023 M2N Limited E. & O.E. Triangle Borea BR03 Vs KEF Q150. Every part of the audio spectrum, from deep bass to mid range to treble, sounded natural, and we noticed no sonic flaws that distracted from the music. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and a spacious sound, and their design and build quality are better than what you get from most speakers in their price range. This impressive level of detail should be just as beneficial with the drum machine and electronic effects on hip-hop tunes, as well as the dozens of interwoven instrumental sounds on orchestral recordings. Is there any of these that should be a clear favourite? Not the surrealist Dali stands for Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries, and theyre a seasoned brand that has earned near-universal plaudits for its entry-level and mid-range hi-fi speakers. Good thinking! Would really like to audition the Oberon 5s in the future. Likewise, the newer HD4a slightly larger version of the HD3 with a bigger wooferhad a muted treble that made it sound less lively than the HD3. On more mainstream pop recordings in our tests, the 3020i set performed equally impressively, presenting a natural and detailed sound on voices and guitars. Style and build quality: If you dont want to throw off your homes feng shui, youll want to ensure your speakers complement the rest of the room theyre in, rather than overpowering it. The Spektor 2s are among the brands most affordable speakers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Q Acoustics 3020i set has pretty much everything most people could ask for in a pair of passive bookshelf speakers. Note that all of these speakers have tone controls that will let you tailor the sound to your liking and that can reduce the sonic differences among them, if youre willing to do a little tweaking. The Triangle Borea BR03 was loved by reviewers at Wirecutter (NYTimes), a highly trusted source that performs reliable in . I regularly attend audio-measurement clinics and conferences, and Im a member of the Audio Engineering Society, which publishes most of the leading research on audio. Compared with passive speakers, powered models are a more plug-and-play, all-in-one option. The B652s frequency response measurements werent impressive, although any attempt on Dayton Audios part to make them better would almost certainly involve increasing the cost. Read More. Edit: The Q150 benefits the most of a subwoofer. Each speakers cabinet is finished in a vinyl wrap that looks far better than the faux wood grain you usually see at this price. It's a dense piece of music, and the Dali's really articulates all the layers whilst producing a full sound. The Polk Alpha AM5 has a more focused and intimate sound that fans of jazz, classical, and acoustic pop may find appealing, but it distorts more with bass-heavy music. KEF amazon.com. The only bad audio system, is the one you don't enjoy to the fullest. The 3020i cabinet is ported to help improve bass output, but because the port is rear-facing instead of front-facing, the speakers will sound boomy if you push them against a walland the fact that theyre rather deep, at 10.5 inches, makes it more likely youll need to push them back against the wall. The Q Acoustics 3020i is our favorite pair of passive bookshelf speakers to mate with your favorite stereo receiver, while the excellent Edifier S1000MKII pair is a more complete option with built-in amplifiers and Bluetooth. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Next up are the ELAC Debut Reference DBR62 speakers, which arrived the day after the LSiM703. The KEFs really shine on songs that are heavily layered, for example Emancipator - Rattlesnakes or The Books - Tokyo. However, the inclusion of a subwoofer output does allow you to add your own subwoofer, and the R-51PMs remote control includes subwoofer output-level controls, so you can fine-tune the bass level without adjusting your subwoofers controls. I was pleased with the performance of the DBR82 but they didnt stand out in any specific way to me beyond what the KEF speakers were already giving me. And measuring 8.11 x 12.36 x 14.96 inches, the Borea BR03s are the largest on this list, too. highend666. Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers https://amzn.to/2ybOCwjPrice: $549 (April, 2020), Overall Rating: Pros: Detail Sound, Clean Midrange and Bass . I was so impressed with the BR03 that I had to check out . Cautious as my recommendation may seem, the B652 did sound clearly better than every other inexpensive speaker I compared it with, including models from Micca and OSD as well as Dayton Audios B652-AIR, a costlier and supposedly better version of the B652 that uses a fancier tweeter. The BR03 cabinet features a front-facing port, so pushing the speakers back close to a wall is less of a concern than it is with rear-ported models like the Q Acoustics 3020i. I'm pretty new to the hifi world, but can try to give a subjective impression of each. Big (7.09 x 9.21 x 13.43 inches), black and bold, the ELAC Debut B5.2s look indestructible in that 80s sort of way if thats your jam. Theyre certainly not as lively as the Dali Spektor 2s not a bad thing if you listen to older recordings. I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D. Nice review Victor. The B652 set isnt handsome, but its surprisingly good for the price, making it perfect for workrooms, kids rooms, and other places where expensive speakers dont make sense. Triangle Borea BR03 (300 euro) KEF Q150 (360 euro) They would be used for nearfield listening now (desk usage), but hoping to use them in a medium-sized room at some point in the future. We used a wide variety of music for testing, including Tracy Chapmans Fast Car (found by audio testing experts at Harman International to be the all-around best overall choice for speaker listening tests), Lil Babys Woah, Ccile McLorin Salvants version of Wives and Lovers, and the live version of James Taylors Shower the People digitally dubbed from the Live at the Beacon Theatre DVD. Nina SimoneMy Baby Just Care for Me BOREA BR03 ,BOREA BR03 Theyre well-tuned speakers, but our panelists preferred the similarly sized and priced Audioengine HD3 set (which we describe in Other bookshelf speakers we like). The Dali's are in their way. The 0.5-inch tweeter is really there only to add a little sparkle to the soundalthough that sparkle might be more accurately described as glare. Audiolab 6000a with BW685 s2 missing bass. The SVS Prime Wireless Speaker System provides DTS Play-Fi Wi-Fibased audio in addition to Bluetooth and a subwoofer output; I liked it, but the rest of our panelists said it needed more bass. Unfortunately, in our tests this pair had almost no bass and distorted easily. AUDIO AND SCOTCH 743 subscribers Subscribe 11 Share 667 views 10 months ago Show more Show more Best Speaker Under $600 - Elac Debut Reference. The BR03 is well worth its higher price. Matching with an amplifier: Theres too much in this to go through here, but in general, youll want to avoid connecting speakers with a lower impedance (measured in ohms) to an amp with a higher minimum impedance. I demoed the B&W's 607's when I bought my Rega Brio Amp a before lockdown. I am a Kef owner of almost 20 years with some Kef Reference Ones. enjoyed reading your thoughts on the different speakers. In my current tests and in the original panel tests we conducted for the previous wireless powered speaker guide, we gave the R-15PM speakers positive feedback for their sound quality, but everyone concluded that voices sounded a bit bright and trebly, which suggests this set could use a little more bass (although some audiophiles may disagree). As I said earlier, this was not a slam-dunk but I do appreciate the differences between the speakers enough to decide to keep them. I don't have an amp to go with them yet and there don't seem to be any great deals, so I'll probably pick up a Yamaha A-S301/501 and get a sound card to use the optical input. The Klipsch R-41PM (which we did not test) is a smaller version of the R-51PM with the same features but a smaller woofer. I really wanted the Dali's but couldn't pass up the Triangle sale going on right now. Audio enthusiasts might think they should spend more on speakers than the cost of the Triangle Borea BR03 pair, but this is such a satisfying set of passive speakers that Im not sure you really need to spend more. Was just curious! The S1000MKII powered-speaker pair delivers best-in-class sound, looks nice, and comes with useful features such as built-in Bluetooth, bass and treble controls, and a remote. Lively piano jazz such as Old Castle by Chick Corea and Hiromi is still really fun and engaging. Brent Butterworth explains what improvements you might get when you spend more. I hope to be able to articulate that well someday! The new model appears almost identical but has a nicer remote and adds support for the aptX HD Bluetooth codec, which can deliver somewhat better sound from PCs and Android devices. Triangle Borea BR03. The 3030is are also considered unfussy speakers, which really just means theyll work well with most (budget) amplifiers and wherever in the room you place them. Haven't tried the Kefs, but have no qualm recommending the BR02s. The mid range looked quite flat, but there was a big peak at 3.6 kHza frequency often reached by the upper harmonics of female vocals, but not so often by male vocals. Powered by Xenforo, Hosted by Nimbus Hosting, Original design Critical Media Ltd. You must log in or register to reply here. The room I am trying to fill is 12.5x9 FT so its an odd shape bedroom and I don't think I can return something that isn't faulty in the UK. And not forgetting the Q Acoustics Concept 20 if they are available in Belgium. This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. Unfortunately can't demo or return the triangles. Forward may not be the right way to describe the Q150 speakers but I think, in comparison to the other two speakers so far, one could see it that way. Combined with a minimum impedance of 4.1ohms, these specifications make the speaker quite easy to drive. So depending on how much room you have, they might be a better choice. In the BR03, particularly in the black finish, this could also legitimately be seen to be a little dull. These $549 Triangle Borea BR03 and $599 KEF Q150s are just the kind of speakers that I enjoy listening to and evaluating. I started reviewing speakers professionally in 1991 as senior editor of Video magazine, and Ive since served as an editor or writer at audio-focused publications such as Home Theater, Sound & Vision, SoundStage, and HomeTheaterReview.com. That is my guess anyway. Triangle Borea BR03 (300 euro) KEF Q150 (360 euro) They would be used for nearfield listening now (desk usage), but hoping to use them in a medium-sized room at some point in the future. This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. These speakers are more forgiving than the KEFs, which may be important since it sounds like you may be using these as computer speakers in addition to music. Frequency range: 51Hz - 22KHz (+/- 3dB) Power handling: 80W Nominal impedance: 8 Minimum impedance: 3.6 Dimensions: 17.6 cm (~7") W, 31cm (~12.2") H, 27.4cm (~10.8") D Weight: 4.87kg (~10.7 lbs.) And the company said it is often able to repair speaker drivers that are decades oldsomething thats true of the speaker industry in general. As with most things in life, you can pay a premium for a top-of-the-line speaker combo, but there are also plenty of budget options available, too. These are the speakers to do it. I am currently deciding on what to get out of the 2 listed and the KEF Q150. In our tests, its treble sounded muted compared with that of the B652; both models had a dip in their treble response around the frequency where the tweeter started working, but with the B652-AIR, the dip was much deeper. A great pair of bookshelf speakers is one of the best investments a music lover can make. It also had much deeper bass response than the other two models. Bookshelf speakers are great for the music lover who wants better performance than anyone can get from the vast majority of one-piece, wireless tabletop speakers that dominate the scene right now. You can pair passive bookshelf speakers with a Bluetooth-equipped stereo receiver (such as the Sony STR-DH190) or with a streaming amplifier (such as the Sonos Amp) to get the latest music-streaming technologies, and if you decide to upgrade your system as new technologies arise, the passive speakers will still work fine. The House of Marley Get Together Duo is a small set of powered speakers with Bluetooth and line inputs, and the right speaker has a rechargeable battery that lets it work on its own as a portable speaker. In our tests with Holly Coles version of Train Song, the sound sparkled, filling the room with the jingle of percussion instruments and the subtle sounds of fingers scraping the strings of the double bass. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. company number 03997482, registered in England and Wales. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. ELAC tweaked everything, from the enclosure size to the tweeter to the speaker drivers, and the result is a robust bookshelf speaker that reproduces balanced, if a little too mature, audio. In our tests, the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 pair offered very good bass response and detail but had a relatively restricted soundstage. It should last for years and deliver better performance than you can get from the majority of all-in-one Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers that are all the rage now. The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets weve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. Thanks! That said, they are both very different speakers, and which is right for you really comes down to preference. While they may be a tad too large (7.9 x 12.8 x 13 inches) to mount on your wall, theyre advertised as being perfect for bookshelves, and they put their larger cabinet size to use with increased internal volume for clearer sound. These speakers also had a less attractive finish and were harder to drive than some other models. What is the External Dimensions of Triangle Borea BR02 They are front ported, which makes placement a little easier for me. First and foremost, the 3020i performs beautifully, offering a clear, spacious sound on vocals and instruments thats at least as good as anything weve heard in its price range. The R-51PM has an unusually versatile set of connection options, including a phono input and an optical digital audio input. The grille attaches to the speaker via steel posts that stick out from the front baffle, so the pair looks much better with the grille on, but the grille is extra-thin and has little effect on the sound. The Fluance Ai61 had a recessed mid range, which in our tests took the body out of singers voices and made them sound a little like they had their hands cupped around their mouths. These monochrome offerings from Triangle come in both black and white pairs and are pretty sizeable, making a true audio-visual statement. Speakers with boosted treble can sound more exciting than the BR03, but to us they dont sound as natural. The mid range, especially, looked extremely flat, varying by only 2 decibels, which is why voices sounded so natural. SDA SRS 2.3TL's/SDA SRS 3.1TL's/SDA CRS+4.1TL's and some other stuff. I think either the Rega or the MF would be ok for the triangle.. for sure you would most certainly hear the difference between them and the Pioneer.. even on those ageing missions of yours!. The Klipsch R-51PM was less even, with a bit of excess treble, and its bass response wasnt as deep. The Kanto YU4 offers a cool design, a phono input, and a reasonable price, but only one of our panelists really liked its sound. They eliminate at least one component (the receiver/amplifier) and at least one cable. Before conducting listening tests, I broke in each speaker pair for 10 hours with music. Despite the use of a relatively large, 6.5-inch woofer, the B652s compact enclosure limited its bass output to an average of 102.2 dB for two speakers from 40 to 63 Hznoticeably below that of any of our other picksalthough this set had fairly decent output of 89.2 dB all the way down to 31.5 Hz. I see that you have the Triangles for sale, have you moved on to another bookshelf speaker that you like better, or just going with your new 705s?