In this review, we will be comparing BRS1 and BRA1, two Passive Surround speakers by Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Borea BRS1 and Triangle Borea BRA1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Borea BRS1 | Triangle Borea BRA1 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp | 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-22k Hz | 90-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 90 watts | up to 80 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.80kg / 12.8lbs | 3.60kg / 7.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-13/16" x 14-15/16" x 5-7/8"
275.0 x 380.0 x 150.0mm | 7-1/16" x 8-1/8" x 11-13/16"
180.0 x 206.0 x 300.0mm |
|---|
BRS1 and BRA1 are members of Triangle's Borea series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Triangle Borea Series
History
What size room are the Triangle Borea BRS1 and Triangle Borea BRA1 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 BRS1 |
Triangle Borea BRA1 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both BRS1 and BRA1 are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Borea BRS1Triangle Borea BRA1
TweeterWoofer
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 BRS1 |
Triangle Borea BRA1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
BRS1 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the BRA1 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
BRS1 has a frequency range of 55-22k Hz whereas BRA1 has a frequency range of 90-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the BRS1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BRA1's min frequency of 90Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Surround class in our database.
Low Frequency
Surround 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
BRS1 and BRA1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
Sensitivity
Surround 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.
BRS1 can handle a max power of 90 watts RMS, whereas BRA1 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the BRS1.
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
BRS1 features Binding post type posts and BRA1 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 BRS1's and Triangle Borea BRA1's external dimensions. Triangle Borea BRS1 has external dimensions of 275.0 x 380.0 x 150.0mm (10-13/16 x 14-15/16 x 5-7/8inch) whereas Triangle Borea BRA1 has external dimensions of 180.0 x 206.0 x 300.0mm (7-1/16 x 8-1/8 x 11-13/16inch).
Triangle Borea BRA1 is 174mm narrower and 95mm shorter than Triangle Borea BRS1 but it is also 150mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Triangle Borea BRA1 needs about 8% more floor or shelf area. Triangle Borea BRA1 is 150mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Triangle Borea BRS1 is 95mm taller.
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 BRS1 is approximately 570.0cm2 / 88.4inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BRA1 is approximately 618.0cm2 / 95.8inch2. The BRS1 requires 8% less surface area than the BRA1 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 BRS1 weighs 5.80kg / 12.8lbs and the Triangle Borea BRA1 weighs 3.60kg / 7.9lbs. This makes the BRS1 61% heavier than the BRA1.
Here is a comparison of how BRS1 and BRA1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Surround class.
Weight
All Surround Speakers
 Max Input Power |
90 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.6 ohms
vs
4.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
90 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
570cm2
vs
618cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
180mm
vs
275mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
475USD
vs
575USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Borea BRS1 |
Triangle Borea BRA1 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Surround speaker |
Surround speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 90 watts |
up to 80 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.6 ohms |
4.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-22k Hz |
90-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Natural cellulose pulp |
Natural cellulose pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
275.0mm (10.8") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Width |
380.0mm (15") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
150.0mm (5.9") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Weight |
5.80kg (12.8lbs) |
3.60kg (7.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| 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 |
Siblings in Triangle's Borea series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Triangle Borea BRS1 digs deeper - 55Hz against 90Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (90W vs 80W). |
| Size | depends | Triangle Borea BRA1 is easier to place; Triangle Borea BRS1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | Triangle Borea BRA1: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | B | Triangle Borea BRA1 is cheaper - $475 against $575, about 17% less. |
A Triangle Borea BRS1 B Triangle Borea BRA1
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 90Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Triangle Borea BRA1 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Triangle Borea BRS1 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Triangle Borea BRA1 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.