In this review, we will be comparing Solstice 3 and Borea BR04, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Triangle Solstice 3 and Triangle Borea BR04 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Triangle Solstice 3 | Triangle Borea BR04 |
|---|
| Brand | Triangle
France · founded 1980 | Triangle
France · founded 1980 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp | 6" Paper Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 44 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-130 watts | up to 110 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.90kg / 28.4lbs | 8.64kg / 19lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-7/16" x 8-11/16" x 14-9/16"
418.0 x 221.0 x 370.0mm | 16.7" x 8.7" x 12.3"
425.0 x 220.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Triangle Solstice 3 and Triangle Borea BR04 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 Solstice 3 |
Triangle Borea BR04 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 Solstice 3 and Borea BR04 are 2-way speakers.
Triangle Solstice 3Triangle Borea BR04
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 Solstice 3 |
Triangle Borea BR04 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Solstice 3 features a 1" Magnesium alloy dome Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Natural cellulose pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Borea BR04 features a 1" silk Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200Hz.
Frequency Response
Solstice 3 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas Borea BR04 has a frequency range of 44 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Borea BR04 can go slightly deeper then the Solstice 3'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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Solstice 3 and Borea BR04 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 BR04 can handle a max power of 110 watts RMS, whereas Solstice 3 has a max power handling value of 90 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Borea BR04.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Solstice 3 and Borea BR04 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
Triangle Borea BR04 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 Solstice 3's and Triangle Borea BR04's external dimensions. Triangle Solstice 3 has external dimensions of 418.0 x 221.0 x 370.0mm (16-7/16 x 8-11/16 x 14-9/16inch) whereas Triangle Borea BR04 has external dimensions of 425.0 x 220.0 x 314.0mm (16.7 x 8.7 x 12.3inch).
Triangle Borea BR04 is 1mm narrower and 56mm less deeper than Triangle Solstice 3 but it is also 7mm taller.
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 Solstice 3 needs about 18% more floor or shelf area. Triangle Solstice 3 is 56mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Solstice 3 is approximately 817.7cm2 / 126.7inch2 and base area of the Triangle Borea BR04 is approximately 690.8cm2 / 107.1inch2. The Solstice 3 requires 18% more surface area than the Borea BR04 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 Solstice 3 weighs 12.90kg / 28.4lbs and the Triangle Borea BR04 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs. This makes the Solstice 3 49% heavier than the Borea BR04.
Here is a comparison of how Solstice 3 and Borea BR04's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Triangle Borea BR04?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR04:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 1 x user manual
 Minimum Impedance |
5.3 ohms
vs
4.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
418mm
vs
425mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
110 watts
vs
90 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
690cm2
vs
817cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
1349USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Triangle Solstice 3 |
Triangle Borea BR04 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-130 watts |
up to 110 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5.3 ohms |
4.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-22k Hz |
44 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Natural cellulose pulp |
Paper Cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
3200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
418.0mm (16.5") |
425.0mm (16.7") |
| Width |
221.0mm (8.7") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
12.90kg (28.4lbs) |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Teak, Birch, Black Ash, White |
Oak Green,Chestnut,Blue,Black Ash,White,Light Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Triangle Solstice 3 costs roughly 2.1x what Triangle Borea BR04 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Triangle Borea BR04 digs deeper - 44Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (90W vs 110W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Triangle Borea BR04: bi-amping. Triangle Borea BR04 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Triangle Borea BR04 is cheaper - $649 against $1,349, about 52% less; arguably a different class. |
A Triangle Solstice 3 B Triangle Borea BR04
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 BR04 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Triangle Solstice 3 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Triangle Solstice 3 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Triangle Borea BR04 for a mid-size room and a large room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $700 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.