In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR03 BT and M20 HD, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Triangle and Q Acoustics. 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 BR03 BT and Q Acoustics M20 HD first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR03 BT | Q Acoustics M20 HD |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS | 128-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 0.875" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" fiberglass | 5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 56-22kHz | 55-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89dB | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 48 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 13.90kg / 30.6lbs | 5.10kg / 11.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.2" x 8.1" x 12.4"
360.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm | 10-15/16" x 6-11/16" x 12-3/16"
278.0 x 170.0 x 310.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Borea BR03 BT and M20 HD are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR03 BTQ Acoustics M20 HD
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 BR03 BT |
Q Acoustics M20 HD |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.875-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Borea BR03 BT features a 1" EFS fabric Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" fiberglass Woofer. On the other hand, the M20 HD features a 0.875" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woofer.
Frequency Response
Borea BR03 BT has a frequency range of 56-22kHz whereas M20 HD has a frequency range of 55-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the M20 HD can go slightly deeper then the Borea BR03 BT's min frequency of 56Hz.
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 BR03 BT and M20 HD 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 BR03 BT's and Q Acoustics M20 HD's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR03 BT has external dimensions of 360.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (6.92 x 12.2 x 10.8 inches) whereas Q Acoustics M20 HD has external dimensions of 278.0 x 170.0 x 310.0mm (10-15/16 x 6-11/16 x 12-3/16inch).
Triangle Borea BR03 BT is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 36mm wider, 82mm taller and 4mm deeper than Q Acoustics M20 HD.
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.
Triangle Borea BR03 BT needs about 23% more floor or shelf area. Triangle Borea BR03 BT is 82mm taller.
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 BR03 BT is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics M20 HD is approximately 527.0cm2 / 81.7inch2. The Borea BR03 BT requires 23% more surface area than the M20 HD 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 Triangle Borea BR03 BT weighs 13.90kg / 30.6lbs and the Q Acoustics M20 HD weighs 5.10kg / 11.2lbs. This makes the Borea BR03 BT 173% heavier than the M20 HD.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR03 BT and M20 HD'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 BR03 BT?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR03 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 Q Acoustics M20 HD?
Here are the items that come with the M20 HD:
- Powered speaker
- Passive speaker
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- 13-feet Speaker wire
- 59-inch Optical digital cable
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
278mm
vs
360mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
527cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| General |
Triangle Borea Active BR03 BT |
Q Acoustics M20 HD Wireless Music System |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Q Acoustics |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered stereo speakers |
| Sensitivity |
89dB |
n/a |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
56-22kHz |
55-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
128-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
|
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.875" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
360.0mm (14.2") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Width |
206.0mm (8.1") |
170.0mm (6.7") |
| Depth |
314.0mm (12.4") |
310.0mm (12.2") |
| Weight |
13.90kg (30.6lbs) |
5.10kg (11.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak Blue,Oak Green,Cream,Light Oak,Black |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
3.5mm, Stereo RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical,Coaxial |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your sources and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (56Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Built-in power | B | Q Acoustics M20 HD has the bigger amplifier (128W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections | depends | Triangle Borea BR03 BT adds phono; Q Acoustics M20 HD adds streaming. |
| Size | depends | Q Acoustics M20 HD is easier to place; Triangle Borea BR03 BT is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Triangle Borea BR03 BT: a sub output; Q Acoustics M20 HD: a sub output. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($599 vs $599 a pair). |
A Triangle Borea BR03 BT B Q Acoustics M20 HD
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?
Q Acoustics M20 HD has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, Triangle Borea BR03 BT has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Q Acoustics M20 HD 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.