In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR08 and R-820F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Triangle and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR08 and Klipsch R-820F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR08 | Klipsch R-820F |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Break_in | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" fiberglass | 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40 - 22k Hz | 35-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.85kg / 41.5lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm | 43-1/8" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"
1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Borea BR08 and Klipsch R-820F 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 BR08 |
Klipsch R-820F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Borea BR08 is a 3-way design whereas the R-820F is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Triangle Borea BR08Klipsch R-820F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 BR08 |
Klipsch R-820F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Borea BR08 features a 1" silk Break_in Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 215Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer.
Frequency Response
Borea BR08 has a frequency range of 40 - 22k Hz whereas R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the R-820F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Borea BR08's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 BR08 and R-820F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Borea BR08 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the R-820F's is at 97 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F a more sensitive speaker compared to Triangle Borea BR08, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 BR08 and R-820F have the same power range of up to 150 watts.
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 BR08 features Post type posts and R-820F has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR08's Binding post terminals
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 BR08's and Klipsch R-820F's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR08 has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (40.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) whereas Klipsch R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm (43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch).
Klipsch R-820F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 71mm wider, 76mm taller and 112mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR08.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Triangle Borea BR08 and Klipsch R-820F in scale.
Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR08 and Klipsch R-820F 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 BR08 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2. The Borea BR08 requires 45% less surface area than the R-820F which gives it a small advantage 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 BR08 weighs 18.85kg / 41.5lbs and the Klipsch R-820F weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the R-820F 30% heavier than the Borea BR08.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR08 and R-820F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR08?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR08:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 2 x pedestals
- 8 x screws
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 8 x decoupling spikes
- 1 x user manual
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-820F?
Here are the items that come with the R-820F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1020mm
vs
1096mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
1180cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
Klipsch Reference R-820F |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 150 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40 - 22k Hz |
35-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Break_in |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
215Hz and 3500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1096.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
206.0mm (8.1") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
314.0mm (12.4") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
18.85kg (41.5lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
Black |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch R-820F digs deeper - 35Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-820F is more sensitive (97dB vs 92dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Triangle Borea BR08 is easier to place; Klipsch R-820F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Triangle Borea BR08 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-820F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,600, about 25% less. |
A Triangle Borea BR08 B Klipsch R-820F
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 R-820F is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Triangle Borea BR08 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch R-820F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Borea BR08 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.