In this review, we will be comparing Q Acoustics 5020 and Borea BR03, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics 5020 and Triangle Borea BR03 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Q Acoustics 5020 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer
- 53-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 87.9 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:25-100watts
- Weight:7.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 286.0" x 7-1/8" x 11-1/2"( 286.0 x 181.0 x 293.0mm )
Triangle Borea BR03 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" fiberglass Woofer
- 46 - 22k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:6.26kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 380.0" x 8.1" x 12.3"( 380.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm )
What size room are the Q Acoustics 5020 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* |
Q Acoustics 5020 |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Q Acoustics 5020 and Triangle Borea BR03 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 Q Acoustics 5020 and Borea BR03 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics 5020 |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Q Acoustics 5020 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR03 features a 1" silk Tweeter and 1 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3600Hz.
Frequency Response
Q Acoustics 5020 has a frequency range of 53-30k 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 Q Acoustics 5020's min frequency of 53Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Q Acoustics 5020 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Borea BR03 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q Acoustics 5020 sensitivity is rated at 87.9 dB and the Borea BR03's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR03 a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics 5020, 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. 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.
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
Q Acoustics 5020 features Binding post type posts and Borea BR03 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5020's Binding post terminals
Triangle Borea BR03's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Q Acoustics 5020 has a rear firing port whereas Borea BR03 has a front firing ports. Triangle Borea BR03's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Q Acoustics 5020 with its rear-firing 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 Q Acoustics 5020's and Triangle Borea BR03's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 5020 has external dimensions of 286.0 x 181.0 x 293.0mm ( 11-1/4nch x 7-1/8inch x 11-1/2inch ) 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 25mm wider, 94mm taller and 21mm deeper than Q Acoustics 5020.
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 Q Acoustics 5020 is approximately 530.3cm2 / 82.2inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR03 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Q Acoustics 5020 requires 18% less surface area than the Borea BR03 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.