In this review, we will be comparing R700 and Borea BR09, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Triangle. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R700 and Triangle Borea BR09 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk R700 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk R700 and Triangle Borea BR09 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 R700 and Borea BR09 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R700 |
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 8-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz. 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
R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz whereas Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Borea BR09 can go slightly deeper then the R700's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
R700 and Borea BR09 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R700 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Borea BR09's is at 92.5 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the R700.
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
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Borea BR09 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Triangle Borea BR09's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R700 has a bottom 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 Polk R700 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
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 Polk R700's and Triangle Borea BR09's external dimensions. Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR09 has external dimensions of 1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm ( 43.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) .
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 114.7mm wider, 48.8mm taller and 114.3mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR09.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R700 and Triangle Borea BR09 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The R700 requires 112% 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs and the Triangle Borea BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs. This makes the R700 65% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how R700 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 Polk R700?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R700:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
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 |
300 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
3.3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1095mm
vs
1143mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2 (206x314mm)
vs
1373cm2 (320x428mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1850USD
vs
2198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
up to 170 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-38k Hz |
35 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1143.8mm (45") |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
320.7mm (12.6") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
428.3mm (16.9") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
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 |