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.
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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Triangle Borea BR09 and B&W 603 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 BR09 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| 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.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 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. 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 BR09 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS , 30 watts less than the BW 603.
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
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
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 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 (190x340mm)
vs
646cm2 (206x314mm)
|
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 |