In this review, we will be comparing AE520 and Borea BR09, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Triangle. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE520 and Triangle Borea BR09 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the AE520 and Triangle Borea BR09 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 AE520 and Triangle Borea BR09 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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Drivers
Both AE520 and Borea BR09 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
AE520 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
AE520 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter , a 5.2" Midrange and 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 373Hz and 2.8kHz. On the other hand, the Borea BR09 features a 1" silk dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 310Hz and 3900Hz.
Frequency Response
AE520 has a frequency range of 30Hz - 28kHz whereas Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the AE520 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Borea BR09's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
AE520 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Borea BR09 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE520 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Borea BR09's is rated at 92.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to AE520, 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.
AE520 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the AE520.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AE520 has a rear firing port whereas Borea BR09 has a front firing ports. Triangle Borea BR09's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to AE520 with its rear-firing 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 AE520's and Triangle Borea BR09's external dimensions. AE520 has external dimensions of 1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm ( 44.5 x 7.3 x 12.6inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR09 has external dimensions of 1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm ( 43.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) .
Triangle Borea BR09 is 35mm shorter and 6mm less deeper than AE520 but it is also 21mm 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 AE520 is approximately 592.0cm2 / 91.8inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The AE520 requires 8% less surface area than the Borea BR09 which gives it a small advantage 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 AE520 weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the Triangle Borea BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs. This makes the AE520 38% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how AE520 and Borea BR09'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 Triangle Borea BR09?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR09:
2 x Borea speakers 2 x protections grids 2 x pedestals 8 x screws 8 x adhesive rubber plots 8 x decoupling spikes 1 x user manual
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
3
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
592cm2 (185x320mm)
vs
646cm2 (206x314mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1095mm
vs
1130mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1850USD
vs
4999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE520 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
up to 170 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30Hz - 28kHz |
35 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon fibre cone |
fiberglass |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
373Hz and 2.8kHz |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1130.0mm (44.5") |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |