In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR03 and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Triangle and Monitor Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR03 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.5" C-CAM Woofer
- 55-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-70watts
- Weight:3.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 260.0" x 6.4" x 8.0"( 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm )
What size room are the Triangle Borea BR03 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 BR03 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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 Triangle Borea BR03 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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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Drivers
Both Borea BR03 and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Triangle Borea BR03 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Borea BR03 features a 1" silk Tweeter and 1 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3600Hz. On the other hand, the Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Borea BR03 has a frequency range of 46 - 22k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k 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 Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Borea BR03 and Bronze 1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Borea BR03 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Bronze 1's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR03 a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 1, 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.
Borea BR03 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Borea BR03.
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
Borea BR03 features Post type posts and Bronze 1 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR03's Binding post terminals
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Borea BR03 has a front firing port whereas Bronze 1 has a rear firing ports. Triangle Borea BR03's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Monitor Audio Bronze 1 with its rear-firing port.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 Triangle Borea BR03's and Monitor Audio Bronze 1's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR03 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm ( 14.9 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) whereas Monitor Audio Bronze 1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm ( 10.2 x 6.4 x 8.0inch) .
Triangle Borea BR03 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 41mm wider, 120mm taller and 109mm deeper than Monitor Audio Bronze 1.
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 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Borea BR03 requires 91% more surface area than the Bronze 1 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 weighs 6.26kg / 13.8lbs and the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Borea BR03 79% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR03 and Bronze 1'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 BR03?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR03:
2 x Borea speakers 2 x protections grids 8 x adhesive rubber plots 1 x user manual
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Bronze 1?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 1:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles 2 Foam port plugs Hex-key Owner's Manual Important Safety Instructions