In this review, we will be comparing BR03 Connect and Borea BR02 BT, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by Triangle. 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 Connect and Triangle Borea BR02 BT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR03 Connect | Triangle Borea BR02 BT |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 120-watt RMS | 120-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp | 5" fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-22k Hz | 47-22kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | — | 90dB |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | — | 24-bit / 48 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs | 10.20kg / 22.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-3/16" x 8-1/8" x 12-3/8"
360.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm | 12.2" x 6.9" x 10.8"
310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
BR03 Connect and Borea BR02 BT are members of Triangle's Borea Active series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Triangle Borea Active Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both BR03 Connect and Borea BR02 BT are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR03 ConnectTriangle Borea BR02 BT
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 Connect |
Triangle Borea BR02 BT |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
BR03 Connect features a 1" EFS silk dome Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Borea BR02 BT features a 1" EFS fabric Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" fiberglass Woofer.
Frequency Response
BR03 Connect has a frequency range of 47-22k Hz whereas Borea BR02 BT has a frequency range of 47-22kHz.
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 BR03 Connect and Borea BR02 BT 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 Connect's and Triangle Borea BR02 BT's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR03 Connect has external dimensions of 360.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (14-3/16 x 8-1/8 x 12-3/8inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR02 BT has external dimensions of 310.0 x 176.0 x 274.0mm (8.1x 14.1 x 12.36 inches).
Triangle Borea BR03 Connect is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 50mm taller and 40mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR02 BT.
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 Connect needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. Triangle Borea BR03 Connect is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Triangle Borea BR03 Connect is 50mm 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 Connect is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR02 BT is approximately 482.2cm2 / 74.7inch2. The BR03 Connect requires 34% more surface area than the Borea BR02 BT 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 Connect weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs and the Triangle Borea BR02 BT weighs 10.20kg / 22.4lbs. This makes the Borea BR02 BT 55% heavier than the BR03 Connect.
Here is a comparison of how BR03 Connect and Borea BR02 BT's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Triangle Borea BR03 Connect
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR02 BT?
Here are the items that come with the 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
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
 Height |
310mm
vs
360mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
482cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Borea BR03 Connect |
Triangle Borea Active BR02 BT |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
90dB |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-22k Hz |
47-22kHz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
120-watt RMS |
120-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
n/a |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
n/a |
48 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Natural cellulose pulp |
fiberglass |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
360.0mm (14.2") |
310.0mm (12.2") |
| Width |
206.0mm (8.1") |
176.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
314.0mm (12.4") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
10.20kg (22.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Light Oak Blue,Oak Green,Cream,Light Oak,Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
No |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
Yes |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical,Coaxial |
Optical,Coaxial |
| HDMI Input |
ARC |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Triangle's Borea Active series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (47Hz vs 47Hz). |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (120W vs 120W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Triangle Borea BR03 Connect adds HDMI. |
| Size | depends | Triangle Borea BR02 BT is easier to place; Triangle Borea BR03 Connect is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Triangle Borea BR03 Connect: a sub output; Triangle Borea BR02 BT: a sub output. |
| Price | B | Triangle Borea BR02 BT is cheaper - $499 against $799, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A Triangle Borea BR03 Connect B Triangle Borea BR02 BT
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?
Triangle Borea BR03 Connect is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 60% 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 Triangle Borea BR03 Connect appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Triangle Borea BR03 Connect has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Borea BR02 BT is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $300 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.