In this review, we will be comparing Borea BR09 and RTi A9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Triangle and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BR09 and Polk RTi A9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BR09 | Polk RTi A9 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 2 x 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6" fiberglass | 3 x 7" Polymer composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35 - 22k Hz | 30-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 170 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.80kg / 48lbs | 34.09kg / 75lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.1" x 8.1" x 12.3"
1095.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm | 48-1/16" x 10-11/16" x 21-1/2"
1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Borea BR09 and Polk RTi A9 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 |
Polk RTi A9 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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 RTi A9 are 3-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BR09Polk RTi A9
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 |
Polk RTi A9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6-inch
|
3 x 7-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 RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Borea BR09 has a frequency range of 35 - 22k Hz whereas RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the RTi A9 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Borea BR09's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 RTi A9 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 RTi A9's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR09 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk RTi A9, 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.
RTi A9 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Borea BR09 has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 330 watts less than the RTi A9.
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
RTi A9 features 5-way 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
Both Borea BR09 and RTi A9 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Polk RTi A9'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 Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm (48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch).
Polk RTi A9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 66mm wider, 126mm taller and 233mm deeper than Triangle Borea BR09.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Triangle Borea BR09 and Polk RTi A9 in scale.
Comparison image of Triangle Borea BR09 and Polk RTi A9 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 Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2. The Borea BR09 requires 57% less surface area than the RTi A9 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 BR09 weighs 21.80kg / 48lbs and the Polk RTi A9 weighs 34.09kg / 75lbs. This makes the RTi A9 56% heavier than the Borea BR09.
Here is a comparison of how Borea BR09 and RTi A9'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 Polk RTi A9?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A9:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Detachable black cloth grille
- 4 Screw-on spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
1095mm
vs
1221mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
1487cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
500 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
1498USD
vs
1850USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Borea BR09 |
Polk Audio RTi A9 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 170 watts |
50-500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35 - 22k Hz |
30-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiberglass |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
310Hz and 3900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1095.0mm (43.1") |
1221.0mm (48.1") |
| Width |
206.0mm (8.1") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Depth |
314.0mm (12.4") |
547.0mm (21.5") |
| Weight |
21.80kg (48lbs) |
34.09kg (75lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
Cherry |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Triangle Borea BR09 is the newer design, against a 2008 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk RTi A9 digs deeper - 30Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Triangle Borea BR09 is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk RTi A9 takes more power (500W vs 170W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Triangle Borea BR09 is easier to place; Polk RTi A9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Polk RTi A9: bi-amping. Triangle Borea BR09 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk RTi A9 is cheaper - $1,498 against $1,850, about 19% less. |
A Triangle Borea BR09 B Polk RTi A9
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?
Polk RTi A9 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 35Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Triangle Borea BR09 the better fit for a mid-size room, and Polk RTi A9 for a very large room.
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.