In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR09 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Triangle and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR09 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR09 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6" fiberglass | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35 - 22k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.5 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 170 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.80kg / 48lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Borea BR09 and B&W 603 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 BR09 |
B&W 603 |
| 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
Both Borea BR09 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR09B&W 603
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 BR09 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Borea BR09 features a 1" silk dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 310Hz and 3900Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Borea BR09 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 BR09 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Borea BR09 sensitivity is rated at 92.5 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603, 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.
BW 603 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the BW 603.
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
BW 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Borea BR09 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Triangle Borea BR09's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Borea BR09 has a front firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Triangle Borea BR09's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 603 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 BR09's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BR09 has external dimensions of 1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (43.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
B&W 603 is 16mm narrower and 110mm shorter than Triangle Borea BR09 but it is also 26mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Triangle Borea BR09 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR09 and B&W 603 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 BR09 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Borea BR09 requires 0% more surface area than the BW 603 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 BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 11% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR09 and BW 603'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 BR09?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Borea BR09:
- 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 B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinith (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock-washers
- Two-piece foam port plug
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1095mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 170 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35 - 22k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
206.0mm (8.1") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
314.0mm (12.4") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
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 | A | Triangle Borea BR09 digs deeper - 35Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Triangle Borea BR09 is more sensitive (93dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (170W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 603: bi-amping. Triangle Borea BR09 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Triangle Borea BR09 B B&W 603
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 BR09 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Triangle Borea BR09 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.