In this review, we will be comparing Imagine X2T and Borea BR09, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X2T and Triangle Borea BR09 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X2T | Triangle Borea BR09 |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 3 x 6" fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-23k Hz | 35 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | up to 170 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs | 21.80kg / 48lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm | 43.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Imagine X2T 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* |
PSB Imagine X2T |
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
Both Imagine X2T and Borea BR09 are 3-way speakers.
PSB Imagine X2TTriangle 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 |
PSB Imagine X2T |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz. 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
Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz whereas Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Borea BR09's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
Imagine X2T and Borea BR09 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Imagine X2T 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 PSB Imagine X2T, 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.
Imagine X2T 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 Imagine X2T.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Borea BR09 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Triangle Borea BR09's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Imagine X2T and Borea BR09 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
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 PSB Imagine X2T's and Triangle Borea BR09's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch) 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 23mm narrower and 112mm less deeper than PSB Imagine X2T but it is also 75mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Imagine X2T and Triangle Borea BR09 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Imagine X2T and Triangle Borea BR09 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 PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Imagine X2T requires 51% 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 PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs and the Triangle Borea BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs. This makes the Imagine X2T 8% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine X2T 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 PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
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 |
 Woofer Size |
6.2 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1095mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1850USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
975cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
PSB Imagine X2T |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Brand |
PSB |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
up to 170 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-23k Hz |
35 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.2" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Triangle Borea BR09 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| 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 | Triangle Borea BR09 is easier to place; PSB Imagine X2T is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. Triangle Borea BR09 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | PSB Imagine X2T is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,850, about 19% less. |
A PSB Imagine X2T 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, PSB Imagine X2T has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Borea BR09 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.