In this review, we will be comparing F5E and Borea BR03, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Fyne Audio and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F5E and Triangle Borea BR03 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F5E | Triangle Borea BR03 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" | 6" Paper Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-38k Hz | 46 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 90 W watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.90kg / 8.6lbs | 7.40kg / 16.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.6" x 6.9" x 9"
269.2 x 175.3 x 228.6mm | 14.9" x 8.1" x 12.3"
380.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F5E and Triangle Borea BR03 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* |
Fyne Audio F5E |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Bad |
(* 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
Both F5E and Borea BR03 are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F5ETriangle Borea BR03
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F5E |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
F5E features a " Tweeter and x 5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800 Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR03 features a 1" silk Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3600Hz.
Frequency Response
F5E has a frequency range of 55-38k Hz whereas Borea BR03 has a frequency range of 46 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Borea BR03 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the F5E's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
F5E and Borea BR03 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F5E sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Borea BR03's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR03 a more sensitive speaker compared to Fyne Audio F5E, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Borea BR03 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas F5E has a max power handling value of 90 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the Borea BR03.
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
F5E features Binding post type posts and Borea BR03 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR03's Binding post terminals
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 Fyne Audio F5E's and Triangle Borea BR03's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F5E has external dimensions of 269.2 x 175.3 x 228.6mm (10.6 x 6.9 x 9inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR03 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (14.9 x 8.1 x 12.3inch).
Triangle Borea BR03 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30.7mm wider, 110.8mm taller and 85.4mm deeper than Fyne Audio F5E.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Triangle Borea BR03 needs about 61% more floor or shelf area. Triangle Borea BR03 is 85mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Triangle Borea BR03 is 111mm 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 Fyne Audio F5E is approximately 400.7cm2 / 62.1inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR03 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The F5E requires 38% less surface area than the Borea BR03 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 Fyne Audio F5E weighs 3.90kg / 8.6lbs and the Triangle Borea BR03 weighs 7.40kg / 16.3lbs. This makes the Borea BR03 90% heavier than the F5E.
Here is a comparison of how F5E and Borea BR03's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR03?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR03:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 1 x user manual
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
269mm
vs
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
400cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
90 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F5E |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30 - 90 W watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-38k Hz |
46 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper Cone |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800 Hz |
3600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
269.2mm (10.6") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
175.3mm (6.9") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
228.6mm (9") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
3.90kg (8.6lbs) |
7.40kg (16.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black Ash, White, Blue, Green |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Fyne Audio F5E is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Triangle Borea BR03 digs deeper - 46Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Triangle Borea BR03 is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (90W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Fyne Audio F5E is easier to place; Triangle Borea BR03 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Triangle Borea BR03 is cheaper - $599 against $699, about 14% less. |
A Fyne Audio F5E B Triangle Borea BR03
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 BR03 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Fyne Audio F5E if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F5E the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.