We cover everything from under-$50 budget speakers up to audiophile-oriented models costing as much as $600 per pair. Bookshelf speakers arent just for music, either. technically its discontinued but you can still get your hands on a second hand model.. They eliminate at least one component (the receiver/amplifier) and at least one cable. 16K views 1 year ago. The under-$50 Dayton Audio B652 passive-speaker pair is the ideal complement to an inexpensive mini stereo amplifier or an old receiver youd like to put to good use. It also has no output to connect a subwoofer, if you want more bass. The KEFs are brighter, more analytical, and I favor them for situations when I intend to listen actively. The KEFs will highlight some serious shortcomings in poorly recorded Youtube videos for instance. Audio enthusiasts might think they should spend more on speakers than the cost of the Triangle Borea BR03 pair, but this is such a satisfying set of passive speakers that Im not sure you really need to spend more. Can't go wrong with either in my opinion. These speakers are more forgiving than the KEFs, which may be important since it sounds like you may be using these as computer speakers in addition to music. Frequency range: 51Hz - 22KHz (+/- 3dB) Power handling: 80W Nominal impedance: 8 Minimum impedance: 3.6 Dimensions: 17.6 cm (~7") W, 31cm (~12.2") H, 27.4cm (~10.8") D Weight: 4.87kg (~10.7 lbs.) I am trying to decide between these two, but I can't test them given COVID. Also, wed guess that many people would prefer the S1000MKIIs styling to the plain black box look of the Monoprice and PSB models, but thats a matter of individual taste. While this response is quite similar to what others offer, the BR03 can manage it while delivering a sensitivity of 90dB. KEF Q150: 10% With the above considerations and the available specs of the Triangle Borea BR02 speakers I came to the following: Triangle Borea BR02: @25% => 20-80 W(Recommended) Considering the above, I'm assuming that the Triangle Borea BR02 can be powered within the range of 20-80 W @ 8 Ohms. And last your own taste. I am a fan of the Wharfedale 12.1's. In response to the question about the Triangle BR03, I have reviewed them. Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers https://amzn.to/2ybOCwjPrice: $549 (April, 2020), Overall Rating: Pros: Detail Sound, Clean Midrange and Bass . I think the Triangles are 31.5cm deep (though some sites have them deeper. Thanks for the insight. Rega Planar 2, Rega Brio, Rega Fono Mk3, IFI Zen Blue 2, Marantz CD6006UK, Dali Opticon 1 Mk II. The Pioneer DJ DM-50D-BT is the best-sounding pair of computer speakers weve heard in the $200 price range. We especially loved that the treble had a just-right character; it always had enough detail and sparkle to hold our attention but never veered into sounding bright, thin, or harsh. Very good sound and couple of guys on here also speak well of them. Edit: The Q150 benefits the most of a subwoofer. Planning on throwing the V601s into the mix once we get em down there? The soundstage on both speakers is excellent and the center image was locked in place on both speakers as well. Europe's busiest forums, with independent news and expert reviews, for TVs, Home Cinema, Hi-Fi, Movies, Gaming, Tech and more. Try comparing or getting your ears on other speakers in the same price range as the Q150's like the Triangle Borea BR03, or for your application, the Triangle Borea BR02. Triangle Borea BR03 + Cambridge Audio CXA81 - YouTube #1. With the above criteria in mind, we scanned sites such as Amazon, Audio Advisor, Best Buy, and Crutchfield to see what new models were available, and we reached out to manufacturers we thought might be introducing new models in these categories. Check the Detailed Comparison of Triangle Borea BR02 vs Borea BR03 for more details. The 0.5-inch tweeter is really there only to add a little sparkle to the soundalthough that sparkle might be more accurately described as glare. I'd take a chance on them. The Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 is a pretty nice-sounding little speaker in the midrange and treble, but our panelists thought it didnt produce enough bass for use on its own, without a subwoofer. The best entry-level turntables and record players on a budget, Add to your classic car collection with this LEGO Creator Expert Fiat 500 collectible model, Catch em all with this Pokmon Ultra Ball Replica, Get a free subscription to Disney+ when you sign up for Amazon Music Unlimited, This Star Wars smart projector is the droid you are looking for, Take to the skies with the DJI Mavic Mini drone for just $399, Kickstart the party with this Sony wireless speaker, now 20 per cent off. Review - Triangle Borea BR03 | What Hi-Fi? Forum Bottlehead Reduction + Integration Upgrade, Cambridge Audio CXA60 integrated amplifier, Fluance RT82 turntable w/ Nagaoka MP-110 cart, Bottlehead Reduction + Integration upgrade phono preamp, Audioquest Golden Gate interconnect cables, Audioquest Red River interconnects cables (phono pre to RF1), APC H10 line conditioner / surge protector. Excellent Review Victor! Otherwise, the S1000MKII set just does its job well without many noticeable sonic flaws, something that we cant say about most powered speakers in its price range. The B652 has two real downsides. The Q acoustic concept 20s and Elac debuts (can't seem to get the other speakers mentioned) seem to be about double the price of the other options I proposed so I'm not sure whether that's worth it in my market. However, the inclusion of a subwoofer output does allow you to add your own subwoofer, and the R-51PMs remote control includes subwoofer output-level controls, so you can fine-tune the bass level without adjusting your subwoofers controls. Nina SimoneMy Baby Just Care for Me BOREA BR03 ,BOREA BR03 The S1000MKII lacks some features found on competing models, such as the Klipsch R-51PM. Many readers are concerned about how the manufacturing, shipping, and normal use of the products we recommend impact the world. Triangle Borea BR03 (300 euro) KEF Q150 (360 euro) They would be used for nearfield listening now (desk usage), but hoping to use them in a medium-sized room at some point in the future. Every part of the audio spectrum, from deep bass to mid range to treble, sounded natural, and we noticed no sonic flaws that distracted from the music. You are using an out of date browser. He regularly gigs on double bass (and occasionally ukulele) with Los Angelesarea jazz groups. Our panelists found it plays deeper than anything else weve tried in the under-$200 price rangealthough its nearly 16 inches high, and its treble response sounds a little soft, so high-frequency instruments like cymbals and bells sound a bit muted. I demoed the B&W's 607's when I bought my Rega Brio Amp a before lockdown. Combined with a minimum impedance of 4.1ohms, these specifications make the speaker quite easy to drive. Its obvious that a great deal of thought went into the 3020is industrial designsomething we wouldnt say about most bookshelf speaker pairs priced under $500, which are usually plain-looking black boxes. and most of the amps that have been recommended are stereo, good amps non the less, but not really what I'm looking for. Their sound stage is more coherent and interesting to my ear. This set produces a generally full and natural sound, though we think it could use a little more bassbut there is a subwoofer output, so adding a sub is easy. Each speakers cabinet is finished in a vinyl wrap that looks far better than the faux wood grain you usually see at this price. The B5.2s are the second version of the line, but this isnt an incremental upgrade. High-end powered speaker systems can offer technical advantagessuch as separate amplifiers and digital signal processing for each speaker driver to precisely tune the soundbut in the price ranges were covering here, neither type of speaker can claim a clear sonic advantage. JavaScript is disabled. Click to reveal So depending on how much room you have, they might be a better choice. We suggest keeping the tone controls centered because this speaker sounds its best right out of the box. Instrument separation and detail are impressive, and we like how the low-end bass instruments and baritones is clear and belies a speaker this size (11.92 x 7.08 x 10.94 inches). I was expecting a fuller sound from the ELAC DBR62 since it has the 6.5 woofer compared to the 5.25 woofer on the KEF Q150 but it just didnt work out that way, at least, not in a significant way to my ears. This means that voices and instruments sound natural, and the speakers dont add much coloration of their own. The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Your Home Audio System - Gear Patrol B&W's generally need a fair amount of space to breathe or they become boomy being rear ported. Their dull black vinyl covering and plain design wont suit high-style living spaces (unless you want to add an ironic touch), but theyll probably sound better than all but the best one-piece wireless speakers. But I doubt there are more than a small handful of people on this sub who have actually heard both personally. For starters, it doesnt include a phono input to connect a turntable, so youd need to pair these speakers with an external phono preamp or a turntable that has one built in. The Pro-Ject Speaker Box 5 sometimes drops into the price range for this guide, so we decided to test it. I liked the look of the black fascia with the Walnut cabinets but the bare metal grill over the tweeter really stood out to me and I felt it would have looked better had it been a flat black or a gloss black instead. The Marantz PM6006 would be an excellent choice have heard that amp with the B&W 607s. The Fluance Ai61 had a recessed mid range, which in our tests took the body out of singers voices and made them sound a little like they had their hands cupped around their mouths. Its performance is bound to please practically any listener, and we like the sophisticated, minimalist design, which should suit almost any space. Cookie Notice And while they are a relatively diminutive pair 6.7 x 9.4 x 11.5 inches they offer a wide soundstage and expressive equalisation. These $549 Triangle Borea BR03 and $599 KEF Q150s are just the kind of speakers that I enjoy listening to and evaluating. KEF Q150 or Triangle Borea BR02 : r/BudgetAudiophile unless the is a way to get PC audio to the amp without using 3.5 MM jack? The BR03 is well worth its higher price. The 3020i cabinet is ported to help improve bass output, but because the port is rear-facing instead of front-facing, the speakers will sound boomy if you push them against a walland the fact that theyre rather deep, at 10.5 inches, makes it more likely youll need to push them back against the wall. Triangle Borea BR03BT-LOB All-in-One Bluetooth Speaker and Subwoofer (Pair) LIGHT OAK BLUE Canada Triangle Borea BR03BT-LOB All-in-One Bluetooth Speaker and Subwoofer (Pair) LIGHT OAK BLUE - Wireless Bluetooth Bookshelf Speaker - Borea Active BR03 BT The BR03 BT speakers create a powerful all-in-one Hi-Fi system with multiple features. I have the Dali Oberon 1s going through a Denon 2600h receiver and I've been blown away. Just want to know which would sound better for a desktop setup. This system does have a defeatable dynamic bass control that boosts the bass at low volumes, but in our experience it didnt seem to help, especially considering we did most of our testing at moderately loud levels. You could adapt any powered stereo speaker system for use with such turntables through the addition of an outboard phono preamp, but thats more money to spend, plus an extra set of cables to connect and an extra power supply to plug in. Triangle Borea BR03Amazon product link: https://amzn.to/3onVXk4KEF Q150Amazon product link: https://amzn.to/3F8Zt7CIn case you didn't know, I'm a compact bookshelf/standmount speaker aficionado. *At the time of publishing, the price was $330. Cool, figured it may have been a move up to a pricier speaker. The Micca COVO-S is a cute little concentric (tweeter-inside-woofer) speaker set. What Do You Get When You Spend More for Speakers. The former is a big plus. This size is especially recommended for dedicated listeners looking for the performance of a floorstander in a compact design. Triangle Borea BR03. It has a phono input and a convenient front volume/input-selector knob, which the S1000MKII lacks. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I was so impressed with the BR03 that I had to check out . The 3020i set sounds more detailed and spacious, but the B6.2 pair plays louder and puts out more bassan average of 7.7 decibels more between 40 and 63 Hzso it might be the better choice for fans of bass-heavy music. Its a well-tuned system that delivers fuller, more natural sound than almost all of its competitors, and it has more refined (if old-fashioned) looks and sturdier construction than most of them. A general standard of what represents a well-designed speaker is one whose output stays within 3 decibels through most of the audio range when measured on-axis, directly in front of the tweeter. Vanatoos Transparent Zero speakers sport an unusual trapezoidal design with passive radiators to reinforce the bass. I used the output at 1 kHz as the reference for 0 dB. Powered by Xenforo, Hosted by Nimbus Hosting, Original design Critical Media Ltd. I like the design of the Triangle Borea BR02 the best, but it seems that it along with the Dali are sold with higher premiums in the United States. The Polk Alpha AM5 has a more focused and intimate sound that fans of jazz, classical, and acoustic pop may find appealing, but it distorts more with bass-heavy music. TRIANGLE BOREA BRO3 vs KEF Q150 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC Recordings sometimes sounded hollow, as if they had been recorded inside a box. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I also measured the speakers at angles of 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees horizontally, as well as 15 degrees vertically, to make sure their sound didnt change radically when I heard them from an angle. Still that well all depend on amplifier, source room. I've have a pair of KEF Q300s for the past 10 years and I absolutely adore them. 202.153.111.46 Although many inexpensive turntables have a phono preamp or Bluetooth support built in and thus dont need to be connected to powered speakers with a dedicated phono input, higher-quality turntables and older turntables do need a phono inputso its inclusion on the R-51PM makes for a clean, easy setup. Our most recent round of testing, completed in January 2022, included nine new passive models and two new powered models. Most lower priced triangle speaker are bright like some Dali and B&W can be, so careful system matching is important Once had a pair of Triangle LN01, they where to bright for my taste, bass okay but sounded like a slightly uneven frequency response Okay, demo for sure before you buy. . Because this guide combines two previous guidescovering passive bookshelf speakers and powered speakerswe had to consider many speaker types and the needs of many different types of listeners. The B652 is a sealed-box design with no bass ports, so you can place the speakers against a wall without making the bass sound too boomy. Bookshelf speakers are great for the music lover who wants better performance than anyone can get from the vast majority of one-piece, wireless tabletop speakers that dominate the scene right now. Both these speakers are on sale in my area for around the same price. Everything on this list sounds great, so youll be happy whether youre a classical enthusiast, a metalhead or anything in between. We didnt include charts of these results here, but we do mention them in the discussions above for each model. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In the BR03, particularly in the black finish, this could also legitimately be seen to be a little dull. The DALI Oberon 1 is more or less competitive with the Triangle Audio Borea BR03 in price and sound quality, but not in the deep bass department, where it tends to sound weaker than the larger Borea BR03. enjoyed reading your thoughts on the different speakers. KEF Q150. They would be used for nearfield listening now (desk usage), but hoping to use them in a medium-sized room at some point in the future.I mainly listen to classical and jazz. However, passive speakers arent as accessible: there are factors such as impedance, wattage and sensitivity to factor in when matching speakers with an amp. The Triangle Borea BR02 sounded much like the BR03 but had less bass and sounded a little brighter and more trebly. The Q Acoustics 3020i is our favorite pair of passive bookshelf speakers to mate with your favorite stereo receiver, while the excellent Edifier S1000MKII pair is a more complete option with built-in amplifiers and Bluetooth. Privacy Policy. The mid range looked quite flat, but there was a big peak at 3.6 kHza frequency often reached by the upper harmonics of female vocals, but not so often by male vocals. Pair this set with an inexpensive amplifier, and it will give you better sound than most top-of-the-line wireless speakers produce, for a much lower price. Considering how negligible the price premium is for the B652, we recommend the larger model if you have space for it. They are notable in part because Triangle is not the most prolific of brands when it comes to new speakers. If you want smaller active speakers for an office or bedroom where you may not need or want loud volumes and deep bass: Even though the Audioengine HD3 powered speakers measure only 7 inches high, they put out a surprisingly full sound that our listeners liked in previous panel tests. Very good sound and couple of guys on here also speak well of them. A linha Triangle Borea oferece um desempenho vocal excelente e mdios ntidos, combinando com graves fortes e controlados. The Audioengine HD6 set is a larger version of the HD3 pair (which we describe in Other bookshelf speakers we like), but only one panelist in our previous testing liked the sound. Style and build quality: If you dont want to throw off your homes feng shui, youll want to ensure your speakers complement the rest of the room theyre in, rather than overpowering it. For reference, the lowest note of a standard bass guitar or double bass is E1 at 41.2 Hz, so 40 Hz is deep enough for most rock and jazz recordings. I mainly listen to classical and jazz. For more information, please see our For now I will be driving both sets by the tiny Loxjie A30 but I aim to build a more robust system around those kef speakers in my living room. Measured bass output from a pair of 3020i speakers was 107.6 dB. The Borea BR03 is larger than our other passive-speaker picks, but its just-right proportions keep it from looking intrusive. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The room I am trying to fill is 12.5x9 FT so its an odd shape bedroom and I don't think I can return something that isn't faulty in the UK. The addition of USB and optical digital audio inputs, a subwoofer output to connect a powered subwoofer, and a nice remote control give the system excellent versatility. And not forgetting the Q Acoustics Concept 20 if they are available in Belgium. Read More. That is my guess anyway. The Dayton Audio B452 is a smaller version of the B652. Archived post. TVs are made for great pictures, so we recommend the best ways to get great sound too. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. If so, buy both. Forward may not be the right way to describe the Q150 speakers but I think, in comparison to the other two speakers so far, one could see it that way. The Q Acoustics Concept 20 speakers had bright, clear treble but lacked authority in the bass. Big sound with wide soundstage; Bespoke and unique design; Doesn't come with speaker grilles; The Q150 are the smallest and most affordable speakers in KEF's Q series. I haven't used any of the others, but I'm really loving my Dali's and don't regret them one bit. We found that the more high-frequency sounds the music contained, the harsher the B652 sounded. KEF amazon.com. I use the older Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D THX PCIE Sound Card SB1350. The Dayton Audio B652-AIR is basically the B652 with an air-motion transformer (AMT) tweeter. I couldn't decide so I bought dali oberons (they are smaller) for my work desk and I got kef q150 for my living room. Press J to jump to the feed. Looking to mount your speakers on a stand? Theyre pared-down versions of the brands immensely popular LS50s, the speakers that propelled KEF to audiophile stardom but at a fraction of the price. As lovely as all this sounds. Learn more. Sure, you could spend upwards of a thousand bucks or pounds and get mind-blowing sound, but these options below offer incredible output in an affordable package. While nothing was loose or falling apart, there was a very obvious seam on the Walnut vinyl wrap located on the bottom of the speaker. What Triangle has done with the Borea range is ensure that it is very definitely less marmite than some previous offerings from the company. Given you have an AV receiver with dubious power ratings into 6ohm i think the triangles will not be the best idea for it My 607's are on a shelf "alcove" with the wall around 10cm behind and sound great. Measured bass output of the total system was 105.4 dB from 40 to 63 Hz, just 0.9 decibel below the result from the Edified S1000MKII, but at 31.5 Hz the Klipsch sets output was 7 decibels lower, a difference youd notice when playing hip-hop and recent R&B recordings. Looking for first speaker set [onkyo9010], Advice needed, mixed usage stereo & home cinema, with bias towards stereo music. Copyright 2000-2023 M2N Limited E. & O.E. insider9 We used a wide variety of music for testing, including Tracy Chapmans Fast Car (found by audio testing experts at Harman International to be the all-around best overall choice for speaker listening tests), Lil Babys Woah, Ccile McLorin Salvants version of Wives and Lovers, and the live version of James Taylors Shower the People digitally dubbed from the Live at the Beacon Theatre DVD. Most audio reviewers quickly notice what they dont like about a speaker, but even after hours of listening to the BR03, I cant think of a significant complaint. As research shows, reliable, unbiased comparison tests of audio products can occur only if the identities of the products are concealed from the listener and if the volume levels are matched. 1 Home Entertainment Tech Resource. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The Triangle Borea BR03 pair is a great buy for serious music lovers who want the enveloping, captivating sound of real audiophile-grade speakers but dont want to spend thousands of dollars or sacrifice a lot of floor space on tower speakers. At 15 inches high, 8.125 inches wide, and 12.5 inches deep, its the tallest of our picks, but its just-right proportions make it seem less visually intrusive. You must log in or register to reply here. I began measuring speaker performance in 1997 and have worked as a consultant on speaker tuning and measurement for some of the worlds biggest tech companies. They also seem to represent incredible emotion in male vocals, such as Aaron Neville's cover of Ain't No Sunshine or Mo Ghile Mear - Choral Scholars of University of Dublin. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Triangle Borea BR08 Floorstanding Speaker Review: These Luxurious Star Wars 4-6 are the best movies. We all hear different. We concluded that Fluances Ai41 speakers sounded decent but could use a little more bass; their sound wasnt full enough for us. Your IP: Haven't tried the Kefs, but have no qualm recommending the BR02s. In the case of powered speakers, we asked whether the products firmware can be updated by the owner; updatable firmware also extends a products life because it can allow bugs to be fixed or new features to be added. While they may be a tad too large (7.9 x 12.8 x 13 inches) to mount on your wall, theyre advertised as being perfect for bookshelves, and they put their larger cabinet size to use with increased internal volume for clearer sound. They are both 399, do just a question of which is superior and would fill room better. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. AVForums.com is owned and operated by M2N Limited, The pair I like better depends on my mood and what I'm listening to. Warm sounding speakers. Warmer to my ears, and more musical. Sony A95L QD-OLED, X95L MINI LED And Full BRAVIA Range For 2023 (In-Depth Interview). The S1000MKII is the first powered speaker system weve tried that supports the aptX HD Bluetooth codec, a newer version of the aptX codec that runs at a higher data rate. The B652s 6.5-inch woofer covers most of the audio band, from the bass to the mid-treble. Nothing comes close. The HD3 offers a rich array of features, including aptX HD Bluetooth, a USB digital input, and a front headphone output. A good set of passive bookshelf speakers is an investment that will last longer than most other audio gear you can buy today and will never become obsolete. Likewise, the newer HD4a slightly larger version of the HD3 with a bigger wooferhad a muted treble that made it sound less lively than the HD3. I can't demo them in store now obviously, so looking for some input. Take it with a grain of salt. Thanks all for the suggestions. The No. Was just curious! Its a neat concept, but the speakers sound is rather thin and crude. Is there any of these that should be a clear favourite? It lets the speakers project huge sound with great separation between instruments and tracks. Unfortunately, in our tests this pair had almost no bass and distorted easily. For movie and TV watching, a pair of good bookshelf speakers can deliver much better dynamics and vocal clarity than the speakers built into any TV, and many of our recommendations have a matching center speaker designed more specifically for dialogue reproduction. Thanks! Sony A95L QD-OLED, X95L MINI LED And Full BRAVIA Range For 2023 (In-Depth Interview). The UE Wonderboom 3 is the all-around best portable Bluetooth speaker because it sounds good and looks cool, and its the most rugged model weve tested. So even though this speaker set seems intended for audiophiles, who tend to prefer acoustic music, its also a great choice for hip-hop, R&B, and electronic music. These speakers were not very picky on placement and they did not require much power to get good sound levels. Triangle Borea BR03 + Cambridge Audio CXA81 3,882 views Nov 20, 2021 29 Dislike Share Matti M 33 subscribers My setup playing Lorde - Royals Amp: Cambridge Audio CXA81 Streamer: Cambridge Audio.