In this review, we will be comparing Chora 816 and Borea BR08, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 816 and Triangle Borea BR08 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Chora 816 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 89.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:18.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 12" x 15-7/8"( 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm )
Triangle Borea BR08 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Break_in Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 40 - 22k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:18.85kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1020.0" x 8.1" x 12.3"( 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm )
What size room are the Focal Chora 816 and Triangle Borea BR08 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* |
Focal Chora 816 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Chora 816 and Triangle Borea BR08 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
Both Chora 816 and Borea BR08 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Chora 816 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Chora 816 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR08 features a 1" silk Break_in Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 215Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Borea BR08 has a frequency range of 40 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Borea BR08 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Chora 816's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Chora 816 and Borea BR08 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 816 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Borea BR08's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR08 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Chora 816, 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.
Chora 816 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Borea BR08 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Chora 816.
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
Chora 816 features Binding post type posts and Borea BR08 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR08's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Chora 816 and Borea BR08 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Focal Chora 816's and Triangle Borea BR08's external dimensions. Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR08 has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm ( 40.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) .
Triangle Borea BR08 is 99mm narrower and 90mm less deeper than Focal Chora 816 but it is also 13mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Chora 816 and Triangle Borea BR08 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Chora 816 and Triangle Borea BR08 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 Focal Chora 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR08 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Chora 816 requires 91% more surface area than the Borea BR08 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.