In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR02 BT and The Fives, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Triangle and Klipsch. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR02 BT and Klipsch The Fives first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR02 BT | Klipsch The Fives |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 120-watt RMS | 160-watt RMS (320-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" fiberglass | 4.5" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-22kHz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90dB | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 48 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | — | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 10.20kg / 22.4lbs | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2" x 6.9" x 10.8"
310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm | 12.375" x 6.5" x 11.125"
314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Borea BR02 BT and The Fives are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR02 BTKlipsch The Fives
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Triangle Borea BR02 BT |
Klipsch The Fives |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Borea BR02 BT features a 1" EFS fabric Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" fiberglass Woofer. On the other hand, The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Borea BR02 BT has a frequency range of 47-22kHz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Borea BR02 BT can go slightly deeper then The Fives's min frequency of 50Hz.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Borea BR02 BT and The Fives have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Triangle Borea BR02 BT's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR02 BT has external dimensions of 310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm (8.1x 14.1 x 12.36 inches) whereas Klipsch The Fives has external dimensions of 314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm (12.375 x 6.5 x 11.125inch).
Triangle Borea BR02 BT is 4.3mm shorter and 8.6mm less deeper than Klipsch The Fives but it is also 10.9mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Triangle Borea BR02 BT and Klipsch The Fives in scale.
Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR02 BT and Klipsch The Fives 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 Triangle Borea BR02 BT is approximately 482.2cm2 / 74.7inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The Borea BR02 BT requires 3% more surface area than The Fives which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR02 BT and Klipsch The Fives on a Media Console
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 Triangle Borea BR02 BT weighs 10.20kg / 22.4lbs and the Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs. This makes the Borea BR02 BT 110% heavier than The Fives.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR02 BT and The Fives's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR02 BT?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR02 BT:
- 1 x passive loudspeaker BOREA BT cable to link the loudspeakers 8. 1 x user manual
- 1 x active loudspeaker BOREA BT (indicator light on the front)
- 2 x protection grills
- 1 x remote control, incl. 2 AAA batteries
- 8 x adhesive anti-slip feet to place below the speakers
- 1 x AC power cord
- 1 x 3 meters speaker
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?
Here are the items that come with The Fives:
- Powered speaker (right)
- Passive speaker (left)
- 6-inch AC power cord
- 13-feet Proprietary speaker cable
- 58-inch HDMI cable
- 59-inch USB-A to USB-B cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- Instruction Booklet
- Need Help? card
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
310mm
vs
314mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
969USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
466cm2
vs
482cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
Triangle Borea Active BR02 BT |
Klipsch The Fives |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Sensitivity |
90dB |
n/a |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
47-22kHz |
50-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
120-watt RMS |
160-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
4.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
310.0mm (12.2") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Width |
176.0mm (6.9") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
282.6mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
10.20kg (22.4lbs) |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak Blue,Oak Green,Cream,Light Oak,Black |
Black,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
No |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical,Coaxial |
Optical, HDMI |
| HDMI Input |
No |
ARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch The Fives costs roughly 1.9x what Triangle Borea BR02 BT 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 | Triangle Borea BR02 BT digs deeper - 47Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Built-in power | B | Klipsch The Fives has the bigger amplifier (160W vs 120W RMS). |
| Connections | B | Klipsch The Fives adds HDMI. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Triangle Borea BR02 BT: a sub output; Klipsch The Fives: a sub output. |
| Price | A | Triangle Borea BR02 BT is cheaper - $499 against $969, about 49% less; arguably a different class. |
A Triangle Borea BR02 BT B Klipsch The Fives
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?
Klipsch The Fives is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 94% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Triangle Borea BR02 BT looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Klipsch The Fives appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $470 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.