In this review, we will be comparing Theva No2 and Borea BR09, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Theva No2 and Triangle Borea BR09 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Theva No2 | Triangle Borea BR09 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 3 x 6" fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 53-28kHz | 35 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | up to 170 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.82kg / 37lbs | 21.80kg / 48lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-5/8" x 7-1/2" x 13-7/8"
931.0 x 191.0 x 353.0mm | 43.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Theva No2 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Focal Theva No2 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Theva No2 is a 2-way design whereas the Borea BR09 is a 3-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.
Focal Theva No2Triangle Borea BR09
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Theva No2 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Theva No2 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280 Hz - 2900 Hz. 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
Theva No2 has a frequency range of 53-28kHz whereas Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Borea BR09 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theva No2's min frequency of 53Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Theva No2 and Borea BR09 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theva No2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Borea BR09's is at 92.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Theva No2, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Theva No2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Theva No2.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Theva No2 features Binding post type posts and Borea BR09 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Theva No2's Binding post terminals
Triangle Borea BR09's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Theva No2 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 Focal Theva No2 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 Theva No2's and Triangle Borea BR09's external dimensions. Focal Theva No2 has external dimensions of 931.0 x 191.0 x 353.0mm (365/8 x 71/2 x 137/8) whereas Triangle Borea BR09 has external dimensions of 1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (43.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch).
Focal Theva No2 is 15mm narrower and 164mm shorter than Triangle Borea BR09 but it is also 39mm deeper.
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 Theva No2 is approximately 674.2cm2 / 104.5inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Theva No2 requires 4% more surface area than the Borea BR09 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 Focal Theva No2 weighs 16.82kg / 37lbs and the Triangle Borea BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs. This makes the Borea BR09 30% heavier than the Theva No2.
Here is a comparison of how Theva No2 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 |
200 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1095mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
1850USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
674cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Theva No2 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
up to 170 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
53-28kHz |
35 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280 Hz - 2900 Hz |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
16.82kg (37lbs) |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss,Dark Wood,Light Wood |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Triangle Borea BR09 digs deeper - 35Hz against 53Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Triangle Borea BR09 is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 170W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Triangle Borea BR09 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,798 vs $1,850 a pair). |
A Focal Theva No2 B Triangle Borea BR09
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Triangle Borea BR09 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 53Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Triangle Borea BR09 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.