In this review, we will be comparing Theva No3-D 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 No3-D and Triangle Borea BR09 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Theva No3-D | Triangle Borea BR09 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 3-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 | 48-28kHz | 35 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | up to 170 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.82kg / 48lbs | 21.80kg / 48lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/8" x 8-3/8" x 15-1/4"
1020.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm | 43.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Theva No3-D 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 No3-D |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Theva No3-D and Borea BR09 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Theva No3-DTriangle 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 No3-D |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-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 No3-D 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 270 Hz - 2700 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 No3-D has a frequency range of 48-28kHz 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 No3-D's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 No3-D and Borea BR09 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theva No3-D sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Borea BR09's is at 92.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Theva No3-D, 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 No3-D can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Theva No3-D.
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 No3-D 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 No3-D's Binding post terminals
Triangle Borea BR09's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Theva No3-D 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 No3-D 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 No3-D's and Triangle Borea BR09's external dimensions. Focal Theva No3-D has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm (401/8 x 83/8 x 151/4) 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 7mm narrower and 74mm less deeper than Focal Theva No3-D but it is also 75mm taller.
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 No3-D is approximately 826.4cm2 / 128.1inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Theva No3-D requires 28% 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 No3-D weighs 21.82kg / 48lbs and the Triangle Borea BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs. This makes the Theva No3-D 0% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how Theva No3-D 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 |
250 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in 1 x 5-inch
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1095mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.3 ohms
vs
2.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
826cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1850USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Theva No3-D |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
up to 170 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-28kHz |
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 |
270 Hz - 2700 Hz |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
21.82kg (48lbs) |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Theva No3-D costs roughly 1.6x what Triangle Borea BR09 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Triangle Borea BR09 digs deeper - 35Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Triangle Borea BR09 is more sensitive (93dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Theva No3-D takes more power (250W vs 170W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Focal Theva No3-D: Atmos drivers. Triangle Borea BR09 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Triangle Borea BR09 is cheaper - $1,850 against $2,998, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Theva No3-D 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 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Theva No3-D the better fit for a very large room, and Triangle Borea BR09 for a mid-size room.
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.