In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR02 and Borea BR03, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR02 and Triangle Borea BR03 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR02 | Triangle Borea BR03 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" fiberglass | 6" Paper Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51 - 22k Hz | 46 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 80 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.87kg / 10.7lbs | 7.40kg / 16.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2" x 6.9" x 10.7"
310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm | 14.9" x 8.1" x 12.3"
380.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
Borea BR02 and Borea BR03 are members of Triangle's Borea series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Triangle Borea Series
History
What size room are the Triangle Borea BR02 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* |
Triangle Borea BR02 |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Borea BR02 and Borea BR03 are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR02Triangle Borea BR03
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 |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Borea BR02 features a 1" silk Tweeter and 1 x 5" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR03 features a 1" silk Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3600Hz.
Frequency Response
Borea BR02 has a frequency range of 51 - 22k 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 Borea BR02's min frequency of 51Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Borea BR02 and Borea BR03 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Borea BR02 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Borea BR03's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR03 a more sensitive speaker compared to Triangle Borea BR02, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Borea BR03 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR02 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Borea BR03.
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
Borea BR02 features Binding post type posts and Borea BR03 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR02's Binding post terminals
Triangle Borea BR03's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Borea BR02 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 Triangle Borea BR02 with its rear-firing port.
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's and Triangle Borea BR03's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR02 has external dimensions of 310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm (12.2 x 6.9 x 10.7inch) 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 30mm wider, 70mm taller and 40mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR02.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Triangle Borea BR02 and Triangle Borea BR03 in scale.
Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR02 and Triangle Borea BR03 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 is approximately 482.2cm2 / 74.7inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR03 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Borea BR02 requires 25% less surface area than the Borea BR03 which gives it a small advantage 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 and Triangle Borea BR03 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 weighs 4.87kg / 10.7lbs and the Triangle Borea BR03 weighs 7.40kg / 16.3lbs. This makes the Borea BR03 52% heavier than the Borea BR02.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR02 and Borea BR03's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR02?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR02:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 1 x user manual
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR03?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR03:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 1 x user manual
 Height |
310mm
vs
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
482cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
529USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.2 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
51 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
| General |
Triangle Borea BR02 |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 80 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51 - 22k Hz |
46 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
Paper Cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2900Hz |
3600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
310.0mm (12.2") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
176.0mm (6.9") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
4.87kg (10.7lbs) |
7.40kg (16.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black Ash, White, Blue, Green |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| 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 |
Siblings in Triangle's Borea series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Triangle Borea BR03 digs deeper - 46Hz against 51Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Triangle Borea BR03 takes more power (100W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Triangle Borea BR02 is easier to place; Triangle Borea BR03 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Triangle Borea BR02 is cheaper - $529 against $599, about 12% less. |
A Triangle Borea BR02 B Triangle Borea BR03
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?
The usual trade-off: Triangle Borea BR03 measures better, Triangle Borea BR02 costs about about 13% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 51Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Triangle Borea BR02 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Triangle Borea BR03 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Borea BR02 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.