In this review, we will be comparing T50 and Borea BR08, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk Audio T50 and Triangle Borea BR08 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk Audio T50 | Triangle Borea BR08 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Break_in |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper | 2 x 6" fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-40k Hz | 40 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.88kg / 34.9lbs | 18.85kg / 41.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 9-1/4" x 12-1/2"
1026.0 x 235.0 x 318.0mm | 40.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk Audio T50 and Triangle Borea BR08 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* |
Polk Audio T50 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
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 T50 is a 2-way design whereas the Borea BR08 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.
Polk Audio T50Triangle Borea BR08
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk Audio T50 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
T50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Bi-laminate paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR08 features a 1" silk Break_in Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 215Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
T50 has a frequency range of 35-40k Hz whereas Borea BR08 has a frequency range of 40 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the T50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Borea BR08's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
T50 and Borea BR08 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. T50 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Borea BR08's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR08 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk Audio T50, 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.
T50 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR08 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the T50.
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
T50 features Binding post type posts and Borea BR08 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR08'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 Polk Audio T50's and Triangle Borea BR08's external dimensions. Polk Audio T50 has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 235.0 x 318.0mm (40-3/8 x 9-1/4 x 12-1/2inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR08 has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (40.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch).
Polk Audio T50 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 6mm taller and 4mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR08.
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.
Polk Audio T50 needs about 16% more floor or shelf area.
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 Audio T50 is approximately 747.3cm2 / 115.8inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR08 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The T50 requires 16% more surface area than the Borea BR08 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 Audio T50 weighs 15.88kg / 34.9lbs and the Triangle Borea BR08 weighs 18.85kg / 41.5lbs. This makes the Borea BR08 19% heavier than the T50.
Here is a comparison of how T50 and Borea BR08'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 BR08?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR08:
- 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
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
|
Passive Radiator |
2 x 8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
498USD
vs
1698USD
|
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 |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
747cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio T50 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-40k Hz |
40 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Bi-laminate paper |
fiberglass |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Break_in |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
215Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
318.0mm (12.5") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
15.88kg (34.9lbs) |
18.85kg (41.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
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 - Triangle Borea BR08 costs roughly 3.4x what Polk Audio T50 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 | A | Polk Audio T50 digs deeper - 35Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Triangle Borea BR08 is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Polk Audio T50 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Triangle Borea BR08 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk Audio T50 is cheaper - $498 against $1,698, about 71% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk Audio T50 B Triangle Borea BR08
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?
Polk Audio T50 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 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Polk Audio T50 the better fit for a small room, and Triangle Borea BR08 for a large 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.