As I said earlier, this was not a slam-dunk but I do appreciate the differences between the speakers enough to decide to keep them. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Even when we played Lil Babys ultra-bass-intensive Woah at a loud volume, the BR03 didnt distort, and it produced only a barely perceptible amount of chuffing from its front ports. The Marantz PM6006 would be an excellent choice have heard that amp with the B&W 607s. Combined with a minimum impedance of 4.1ohms, these specifications make the speaker quite easy to drive. The B652 set isnt handsome, but its surprisingly good for the price, making it perfect for workrooms, kids rooms, and other places where expensive speakers dont make sense. They are front ported, which makes placement a little easier for me. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The 3020i is also beautifully designed, with high-quality speaker-cable binding posts, nicely rounded corners that resist chipping, a magnetically attached grille, and four finish options. 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. In my current tests and in the original panel tests we conducted for the previous wireless powered speaker guide, we gave the R-15PM speakers positive feedback for their sound quality, but everyone concluded that voices sounded a bit bright and trebly, which suggests this set could use a little more bass (although some audiophiles may disagree). But before you take the plunge, theres a bit of research youll need to do as bookshelf speakers arent at all like your average soundbar or Bluetooth device. The Dayton Audio B652-AIR is basically the B652 with an air-motion transformer (AMT) tweeter. In the BR03, particularly in the black finish, this could also legitimately be seen to be a little dull. Some of the company's more expensive ranges have ticked . The Triangle has similar levels of resolution but roughed up frequency response, which is overall less coherent and a "sparkly". The Monoprice Monolith Encore B6 might be a good choice for people who want big bass on a budget. 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. However, the Q150 is 3 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than the BR03, and it often goes on sale for about half off the list price, in which case its a fantastic buy. 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. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. They may be best option. We suggest keeping the tone controls centered because this speaker sounds its best right out of the box. Triangle Up-sizes The Sophistication. This guide combines two previous guides and thus covers two product categories: passive bookshelf speakers, which you must pair with a stereo receiver, stereo amplifier, or AV receiver, and powered bookshelf speakers, which have built-in amplifiers and inputs for analog audio sources and may incorporate a Bluetooth receiver, digital audio inputs, and/or a phono input to connect a record player. In our tests, the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 pair offered very good bass response and detail but had a relatively restricted soundstage. Digital assistants and smart speakers are all well and good, but sometimes you just want to output your audio the old-fashioned way: through quality speakers. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Still that well all depend on amplifier, source room. I've listened to both in my home, and I think it's going to come down to personal preference between these two, rather than one being definitively better than the other. Here are the criteria we considered when deciding which models to test: A pair of speakers can cost anywhere from two to seven figures. Voices sounded natural, with perhaps a slightly exaggerated treble, and the bass, while a bit too punchy on occasion, was loud, full, and clear. enjoyed reading your thoughts on the different speakers. The speakers are also nicely designed for the price, with custom binding posts, magnetically attached grilles, a decor-friendly 10.875-inch height, and nicely rounded corners that resist chipping. I will mostly be using them to listen to classical music and watch films at my computer which is in front of a wall. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I would try both at home, then see which speakers you prefer. Good looks plus good sound sealed the deal and the Triangle Borea BR03 are replacing the KEF Q150 in my 2-channel setup. 1 Home Entertainment Tech Resource. In our tests it did a reasonable job with the bass notes in most light rock and pop music. In all likelihood KEF will win this poll because KEF spends way more on marketing than Triangle, and the recent discount is fresh on everyone's mind. What Do You Get When You Spend More for Speakers. To use aptX HD, you need an Android device that supports it or a PC with an aptX HD Bluetooth dongle. Passive speakers dont require power to function as theyre driven by a separate amplifier; active speakers have an amplifier housed within their enclosures and thus require power. KEF Q150 has a higher list price and is on sale, so I'm wondering if it's supposed to sound better and is a better deal. Bookshelf speakers arent just for music, either. 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. Very nice review!!! First and foremost, the 3020i performs beautifully, offering a clear, spacious sound on vocals and instruments thats at least as good as anything weve heard in its price range. The BR03 offers binding posts to connect the speaker wire. highend666. 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. Brent Butterworth explains what improvements you might get when you spend more. The back panel has two stereo analog inputs plus optical and coaxial digital inputs, as well as bass and treble controls and a volume control that doubles as an input-selector button. KEF Q150 Compare: 2-way : 86 dB: 8 ohms: 51-28k Hz: Polk ES20 Compare: 2-way : 86 dB: 8 ohms: 41-40k Hz: Frequently Asked Questions about Triangle Borea BR02. Weve employed various listening panelists over the history of this guide, most recently including Wirecutter updates writer Nena Farrell, Wirecutter senior staff writer and headphone expert Lauren Dragan, and John Higgins (Laurens spouse), a professional musician and composer who has also written for Wirecutter and Home Theater. Hip-hop, R&B, and modern pop recordings often extend to lower frequencies, so if youre a fan of those genres (and you wont use a subwoofer), pay special attention to our CTA-2010 results at 31.5 Hz. The Pioneer DJ DM-50D-BT is the best-sounding pair of computer speakers weve heard in the $200 price range. I have to say I am a little upset that you got so many responses to your question on my post when I got nothing on mine. JavaScript is disabled. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Maybe give the 607s a go and return them if you think they are not up to par. Miccas MB42X speakers are compact, but their small woofer couldnt put out much bass, and the treble had a harsh, metallic sound. Thanks all for the suggestions. Looking to mount your speakers on a stand? I intend to use whatever I pick for a long time, so I may in the future use it in the living room of a small apartment in New York, if this should in any way affect my decision making. Good looks plus good sound sealed the deal and the Triangle Borea BR03 are replacing the KEF Q150 in my 2-channel setup. The binding posts are short, which makes it somewhat challenging to fit in bare speaker wire larger than 14 gauge. 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. Q Acoustics, Edifier, and Klipsch were unable to provide answers to our questions. 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. A magnetically attached grille is included to protect the speaker drivers. The Monoprice MM-5R offers deeper and more powerful bass than either the PSB or the Edifier sets, and it includes a USB digital input and a mono subwoofer output. Thanks! But like the S1000MKII, the R-51PM has rear bass ports, which means you cant back the speakers up tight against a wall without affecting the sound quality. 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. A better comparison may be the Polk L200 vs the KEF R series bookshelf speaker (3-way design). Triangle Borea BR03 are a popular option in the middle of the speakers price range. I then moved on to more formal testing, in which I concealed all the speakers behind a sheet of thin, black fabric in my acoustically treated listening room. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Triangle Borea BR03 is piquing my interest as well based on all of the glowing reviews but you can't find a pair to buy right now. they have been noted for a later date. 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. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. It also looks nicer than most powered speakers do, although its styling is decidedly old-school. SHOP NOW. Although our product recommendations are based completely on the criteria outlined in How we picked and How we tested, we offer the following information to supplement the decision of any reader who considers environmental impact as a deciding factor in their purchases. Just found out another possible problem. Subscribe. Although the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 pair offered good bass response and a large soundstage, the treble was more muted than that of other speakers, which made recordings sound dull. I can't demo them in store now obviously, so looking for some input. The speakers come with foam plugs for those ports if you do place them next to the wall, but that will reduce the bass output. I regularly attend audio-measurement clinics and conferences, and Im a member of the Audio Engineering Society, which publishes most of the leading research on audio. The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets weve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. I've been thoroughly enjoying them for music and pc gaming. I then listened to each system casually for a couple of days, getting a rough idea of its pros and cons and looking for any difficulties a listener might experience during setup and everyday use. Our panelists thought the Cambridge Audio SX-50 had a rather dull-sounding upper midrange, which made voices sound less clear. Mar 25, 2021. With most female voices and higher-pitched instruments, such as cymbals and acoustic guitars, the tweeter is more active, and the sound can become harsh and fatiguing if you play it loud. We focus on education, discussion, and sharing of entry and mid level separate & multi component audio systems. I agree completely. However, passive speakers arent as accessible: there are factors such as impedance, wattage and sensitivity to factor in when matching speakers with an amp. In the decade since its introduction, the Dayton Audio B652 has become synonymous with good super-cheap speaker. Despite its cost-slashed construction and parts, the B652 set manages to sound better than most under-$100-per-pair speakers, with surprisingly clear sonics on male voices (though female singers can sound a bit harsh). However, if you know from the start that you want to build a multichannel home theater system, check out our guide to the best surround-sound speakers for most people, where we review complete systems that include a center speaker, surround speakers, and a subwoofer. 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. But I doubt there are more than a small handful of people on this sub who have actually heard both personally. Klipsch also offers a smaller model with the same inputs and features, the R-41PM; we havent listened to it, but considering that the larger R-51PM could use a bit more bass, we expect wed feel the need for more low end to an even greater extent with the smaller model. 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. 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. This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. 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. The BR08 fairs a little better in this regard. Im mentioned in the most popular text on speaker design, Loudspeaker Design Cookbook, and I have written for Voice Coil, the leading trade magazine for the speaker industry. Our panelists liked it pretty well for instrumental music, but found it tended to de-emphasize the sound of voices. Triangle promises it will maintain an inventory of parts for at least 10 years after a product is produced. Despite the use of a relatively large, 6.5-inch woofer, the B652s compact enclosure limited its bass output to an average of 102.2 dB for two speakers from 40 to 63 Hznoticeably below that of any of our other picksalthough this set had fairly decent output of 89.2 dB all the way down to 31.5 Hz. When we auditioned the Edifier AirPulse A100 for our previous round of tests, it sounded a little better than the Edifier S1000DB (the predecessor of our new powered pick, the S1000MKII), with somewhat clearer treble. I think they are a little out of my price range at the moment. The right speaker houses the amplifier and inputs, including optical and coaxial digital inputs and two stereo analog inputs. The charts below show the on-axis (directly in front) frequency response of our picks. And last your own taste. Warmer to my ears, and more musical. The BR03 is well worth its higher price. 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. This size is especially recommended for dedicated listeners looking for the performance of a floorstander in a compact design. Haven't tried the Kefs, but have no qualm recommending the BR02s. SDA SRS 2.3TL's/SDA SRS 3.1TL's/SDA CRS+4.1TL's and some other stuff. 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. company number 03997482, registered in England and Wales. I am currently deciding on what to get out of the 2 listed and the KEF Q150. We havent seen any major introductions in this category since our last update, but there are a few models we havent tested yet, including the Jamo Concert 9 Series C93 and S803, JBL Stage 130, and Heco Aurora 300. (And if you really want more bass, you can often add a subwoofer.). This pair did have a clear sound with a decent amount of bass in our tests, so if youre looking for something priced between our top pick and our budget pick, its worth a listen. The Borea BR03 largely eliminates the unnatural sonic colorationssuch as boomy, thin, or harsh soundthat come from almost all less-expensive speakers, and it produces a fuller, more satisfying sound than most bookshelf speakers do. 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. Except for the James Taylor tune, which was a 256 kbps MP3, I streamed all the tracks losslessly via the Qobuz streaming service so that I could be sure any flaws we heard werent due to a Bluetooth codec. As the name suggests, these speakers are sized to fit on a shelf or to be mounted in a stand. See What to look forward to for details. Finally, for what it's worth, the Q150s are much smaller than the Triangles. I'm curious, between the Triangle and L200, which would you keep? Rega Planar 2, Rega Brio, Rega Fono Mk3, IFI Zen Blue 2, Marantz CD6006UK, Dali Opticon 1 Mk II. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. It has a phono input and a convenient front volume/input-selector knob, which the S1000MKII lacks. The B652 uses spring-clip connectors, not binding posts, to hold the speaker wire. I have no previous experience in audio, so I would greatly appreciate any advice that I receive. 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. Very good sound and couple of guys on here also speak well of them. KEF . 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. The new model appears almost identical but has a nicer remote and adds support for the aptX HD Bluetooth codec, which can deliver somewhat better sound from PCs and Android devices. I really wanted the Dali's but couldn't pass up the Triangle sale going on right now. 2023 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company. I am trying to decide between these two, but I can't test them given COVID. I wont be running them extremely loud to fill a large room, it would only be for my desk/ bedroom which I would say small/ medium size.