I've have a pair of KEF Q300s for the past 10 years and I absolutely adore them. They are considered passive speakers while Bluetooth devices are active speakers. Have you had a chance to compare those two yet? Triangle Borea BR03. Bookshelf speakers arent just for music, either. The Borea BR03 is larger than our other passive-speaker picks, but its just-right proportions keep it from looking intrusive. *At the time of publishing, the price was $330. Still for jazz I would look at Whardale speakers. I haven't used any of the others, but I'm really loving my Dali's and don't regret them one bit. 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. As for the Triangle BR03's, also fantastic speakers. Performance & security by Cloudflare. . insider9 (And if you really want more bass, you can often add a subwoofer.). As are the trebles: KEFs tweeter is one of the best at this price range. Among the powered speakers we tested, the S1000MKII set is the least expensive of our three clear favorites, the others being the Monoprice MM-5R and PSB Alpha AM5. They are front ported, which makes placement a little easier for me. The R-51PM set is especially suitable for use with a TV not only because of its optical digital input, but also because the manual provides codes for programming remotes from DirecTV and RCA satellite receivers and AT&T, Bright House, and Xfinity cable boxes to control the R-51PMs volume and mute functions. Audiolab 6000a with BW685 s2 missing bass. 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. That said, they are both very different speakers, and which is right for you really comes down to preference. Powered by Xenforo, Hosted by Nimbus Hosting, Original design Critical Media Ltd. For the price, theyre one of the best budget bookshelf speakers out there that they come from a reliable brand is just the cherry on top. The Triangle Borea BR03 is widely considered to be a great Bookshelf Speaker at its $460 budget. The 3030is are also considered unfussy speakers, which really just means theyll work well with most (budget) amplifiers and wherever in the room you place them. But I doubt there are more than a small handful of people on this sub who have actually heard both personally. Copyright 2000-2023 M2N Limited E. & O.E. The availability of four different finishes (white, black, gray, and walnut) makes this speaker easier to match with your room. Recordings sometimes sounded hollow, as if they had been recorded inside a box. I'm looking to invest in my first set-up with the current sales. The other is that the speaker-cable connectors are the cheap spring-clip type, which tend to produce a looser connection than good binding posts dobut for inexpensive spring clips, they keep a pretty firm grip on the speaker cable. The 607s fill my 4x5.5 easily. The size isnt just for presence. The sound stage isn't nearly as interesting, but the representation of sound is a lot smoother and more balanced in that they don't have nearly the bite that KEFs have. Id be interested to hear a comparison between the Triangle Esprit Comte EZ and the Polk Legend L200 as they are more similarly priced to one another and feature the same size drivers. 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. 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. I'd take a chance on them. Thanks! At just 11.875 inches high, 6.5 inches deep, and 7 inches wide, each B652 speaker is compact enough to fit on most bookshelves, and because each speaker weighs only 4.7 pounds, most shelves can support them both easily. 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. For the CTA-2010 results, I averaged the output from 40 to 63 Hz to give you a quick idea of each speaker systems output. 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. But I doubt there are more than a small handful of people on this sub who have actually heard both personally. AVForums.com is owned and operated by M2N Limited, I think KEF are freaking amazing. Both are similar sounding and both are great. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. A great pair of bookshelf speakers is one of the best investments a music lover can make. Excellent review Vic! With most male voices, such as John Legend or James Taylor, the tweeter is barely in the mix because a filter capacitor inside the speaker limits the tweeter to frequencies above about 6 kHz (almost 2 kHz above the highest note on a piano). Your IP: Compared to the KEFs, these speakers shine for me on mellow, melty songs such as Julian Lage - Nocturne or John Scofield - A Go Go. We cover everything from under-$50 budget speakers up to audiophile-oriented models costing as much as $600 per pair. they have been noted for a later date. My Own Devices Audio Channel. In our tests it did a reasonable job with the bass notes in most light rock and pop music. Europe's busiest forums, with independent news and expert reviews, for TVs, Home Cinema, Hi-Fi, Movies, Gaming, Tech and more. 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. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. No worries its an idea of where you "should" be at the end of the day given the quality of the speakers.. You can also often pick these up in good condition used on ebay or similar these days also. 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. Triangle Borea BR03 has a Frequency response range of 46 - 22k Hz at 3dB and Power Range of up to 100 watts. The higher the speaker line rises above the reference line, the more exaggerated those frequencies are. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The BR03 offers binding posts to connect the speaker wire. 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 B652s 6.5-inch woofer covers most of the audio band, from the bass to the mid-treble. I favor these when I want to toss something on in the background and chill out. Edit: The Q150 benefits the most of a subwoofer. If you want a slightly smaller, more affordable upgrade option than the Triangle Borea BR03: The KEF Q150 bookshelf speaker pair was our previous upgrade pick in this guide because it sounds even clearer and more detailed than the Q Acoustics 3020ibut the Triangle Borea BR03 equals the Q150 in performance while offering roughly double the maximum bass output (10 decibels more). The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 and 12.2 got similar reactions from our panelists. You are using an out of date browser. Some powered speakers (including one of our picks) even incorporate a phono preamp so you can plug a turntable straight into them. But we thought the midrange was somewhat de-emphasized, which tended to make voices a little less clear. I have the Dali Oberon 1s going through a Denon 2600h receiver and I've been blown away. This size is especially recommended for dedicated listeners looking for the performance of a floorstander in a compact design. Powered by Xenforo, Hosted by Nimbus Hosting, Original design Critical Media Ltd. Can't go wrong with either in my opinion. Price: All of the speakers weve chosen are priced at $500 or below for a pair. As I discovered when putting together the Bluetooth codec comparison on my personal website, aptX HD does sound better than aptX and the standard SBC Bluetooth codec, although the difference isnt dramatic. The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and a spacious sound, and their design and build quality are better than what you get from most speakers in their price range. So whether youre listening to vocals, instruments, or a bit of everything, the Spektor 2s will sound entertaining. I am a Kef owner of almost 20 years with some Kef Reference Ones. In all likelihood KEF will win this poll because KEF spends way more on marketing than Triangle, and the recent discount is fresh on everyones mind. Rega Planar 2, Rega Brio, Rega Fono Mk3, IFI Zen Blue 2, Marantz CD6006UK, Dali Opticon 1 Mk II. They can be a bit bright for some female vocals, making something like Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz sound a bit harsh at times. 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. The Edifier S1000MKII is an updated version of the S1000DB set, which was the top pick in our guide to the best wireless powered bookshelf speakers (which weve now rolled into this guide), and in our brand-concealed tests it was every bit as excellent as its predecessor was. This effect may be a perception created by the modest bass output of the 3020is relatively small 5-inch woofer. I have the Triangles, paired with a Topping MX3 for my desktop setup. The switchers also let me move among the speakers (labeled only by number) without knowing which one I was hearing. My space accentuates bass a little bit, which helps balance the rear ported KEFs that may otherwise be light on bass for some people's tastes. 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. The amplifier is located in the right speaker, and the two speakers connect with a proprietary cable thats 16 feet longyoure unlikely to need anything longer. It also had much deeper bass response than the other two models. The Triangle Borea BR02 sounded much like the BR03 but had less bass and sounded a little brighter and more trebly. The KEF Q150, however, while also a good product at this price point, doesn't stack up against its competitors quite as well. I use the older Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D THX PCIE Sound Card SB1350. The Triangle has similar levels of resolution but roughed up frequency response, which is overall less coherent and a "sparkly". 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. We also think few would complain about the BR03s design and shape. At 13.3 inches high, 11.5 inches deep, and 7.9 inches wide for each speaker, the S1000MKII pair is a little large, but the system is beautifully made, with real wood sides. The Triangle Borea BR03 is a two way standmount speaker and the larger of two models in the Borea range of speakers that makes up the second rung in the Triangle model line-up. While there were no major introductions of new bookshelf speakers at CES 2023, we have found a few current models that we hope to get in for testing. The proportions of the Triangle are entirely satisfying. Good luck. The Line/Phono switch sets the red and white RCA jacks to the right to work with a turntable output or a standard line audio source. 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. Some metal parts of the speakers may be recyclable; the company does not have a recycling partner in the US, but in France it works with a recycler called Eco-System. The Dayton Audio B452 is a smaller version of the B652. I think either the Rega or the MF would be ok for the triangle.. for sure you would most certainly hear the difference between them and the Pioneer.. even on those ageing missions of yours!. I'm auditioning both the BR03s and Q150s right now through an Emotiva TA-100 for a desktop nearfield setup. They dont take up as much visual or physical space as larger tower speakers doand they dont put out as much bass, either. Press J to jump to the feed. I have rears for surround sound. Sony A95L QD-OLED, X95L MINI LED And Full BRAVIA Range For 2023 (In-Depth Interview). In my 3rd system they come close to my much higher priced . Its fairly common to see audio enthusiasts using refurbished 50-year-old speakers with modern amplifiers and sources. But its more than twice as costlyand the performance improvements dont merit that big of a price increase. Kef Q150, especially when they were on sale half price for $300 couple weeks back. To our ears, it didnt sound quite as good as the Edifier S1000MKII pair, but our eyes appreciated the R-51PMs more compact form and contemporary look. The Kanto YU4 offers a cool design, a phono input, and a reasonable price, but only one of our panelists really liked its sound. Youll also want to ensure your speakers can handle the power output (measured in watts) of your amp. A better comparison may be the Polk L200 vs the KEF R series bookshelf speaker (3-way design). To meet every readers needs, we tested traditional passive speakers as well as active (powered) speakers. The No. 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. A larger version, the Kanto YU6, won over two of our listeners, but the others werent impressed. 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. 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. We independently review everything we recommend. Archived post. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In our measurements, the 3020i pair had roughly 8 to 9 decibels less bass output than what larger speakers like the Triangle Borea BR03 and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 sets could produce, so fans of bass-heavy music might prefer one of those options. The Dayton Audio MK402X looks a little nicer than the B652, but its mid range sounded a little rough, and it didnt have much bass. The Onkyo A-9110 provides 30 W @ 8 Ohm. 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. Next up are the ELAC Debut Reference DBR62 speakers, which arrived the day after the LSiM703. I demoed the B&W's 607's when I bought my Rega Brio Amp pre lockdown. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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 B652s grille attaches to the speaker via plastic pegs. 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. If so, buy both. 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. Planning on throwing the V601s into the mix once we get em down there? 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. Monoprices Monolith K-BAS speakers use a bass-port design that allows for extended response. Front ports can make chuffing noises more audible, but the noises are so low with the BR03 that this isnt a concern for us. Triangle Audio said it is not using recycled materials in packaging or production. what amp would you recommend? Both these speakers are on sale in my area for around the same price. Note that all of these speakers have tone controls that will let you tailor the sound to your liking and that can reduce the sonic differences among them, if youre willing to do a little tweaking. ELAC tweaked everything, from the enclosure size to the tweeter to the speaker drivers, and the result is a robust bookshelf speaker that reproduces balanced, if a little too mature, audio. 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.