Triangle Bookshelf Speaker - Borea BR03 (black)

Product Information

The first thing that's abundantly clear is that these speakers have power and scale in spades. Granted, I don't have the largest of living rooms, but they fill it without second thought - and with plenty of volume to spare. I'd imagine even those with much more space would still be easily catered for. Streaming comes by way of Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX HD Low Latency (which includes aptX, aptX HD) and AAC for iOS users. This system also offers optical and coaxial digital inputs for hardwiring your other components, with a 3.5mm auxiliary input and full-sized stereo RCA analogue ins. The latter can be set to line level or used as a moving magnet phono stage for a turntable. A mono RCA subwoofer output also lets you bolt on a subwoofer for more bass extension. The BR03 BT is controlled via the bundled remote, although there is a volume control on the rear of the main speaker, should you need it. The remote worked well, even if not pointed directly at the speaker, and from it, you can control volume, input selection and tone. The source selected is denoted by a bright LED on the master speaker's baffle with blue signifying Bluetooth, green for RCA, purple optical and white for coax. If you're using the 3.5mm mini stereo input, you must cycle through until you get the yellow light. You can dim or turn the light off via the remote by holding down the mute button for three seconds. Bluetooth pairing was simple, and the connection proved free from dropouts ever since it was formed. The inch-long rubber feet leave plenty of space for the speaker unit to operate and there are controls on the rear to tweak the output of its 200W RMS class D amplifier with crossover and volume dials. There’s also a phase switch, as well as ports for LFE and stereo RCA inputs. At the front, set into the chic grey front baffle, you will find the partially horn-loaded 25mm silk dome EFS (Efficient Flow System) tweeter. What at first appears to be a natty guard for the delicate driver is in fact a phase plug designed to make high frequencies less directional, thus improving off-axis performance. Taking care of the mid and bass registers is the natural cellulose paper cone developed for the Esprit Ez. Central to the 165mm driver is a bullet that is said to not only prevent air leaks but also use 100% of the cone's surface to cover a more extensive frequency range.

Triangle was keen to point out that people shouldn't pay too much attention to tech specs, but that doesn’t mean they’re shabby. The manufacturer quotes a frequency response of 46Hz to 22kHz (+/- 3dB), 100W power handling and an 8 ohm nominal impedance. Still, the company says that a hi-fi loudspeaker is all about balance, musicality, speed and tonal precision. I was also told that the Esprit EZ range takes Triangle's trademark open sound further than the Borea, also that they, “reproduce the sound identity of transparency, air and detail more finely.” We shall see… Triangle quotes frequency response at 46Hz-22kHz and the BR03 is extremely easy to drive. Connection is via a single pair of relatively sturdy binding posts and, thanks in part to those front-firing ports, it seems fairly unfussy about placement. At times, the Borea BR03 can feel a bit ‘normal’ for a Triangle; a brand with a long history of studied quirkiness, but it’s hard to argue with the level of performance that it offers. Partnered with any degree of care, this is a speaker that should delight in a wide selection of systems. ES

Scores

Connected to a Rega io (HFC 464) and iFi Zen DAC, the Borea BR03 is able to reflect the talents of the electronics while showing some positive attributes of its own. It is easy to drive to room-filling levels without any strain, lending it an effortlessness with Sarah Jarosz’s gorgeous World On The Ground, which helps the presentation considerably. Let me start this section by noting two things that are (I think anyway) relevant to this appraisal. The first is that I have been a big fan of many Triangle speakers over the years. The Titus standmount has been made in several versions in that time and all of them have been a delight. The old Color range was brilliant and the Magellan Concerto is a masterpiece. When I say I think some Triangle speakers are a bit weird, I say that as someone who is a fan of the weirdness. lycanthrope said:Does anyone have a view on their use of untreated paper for the woofer cone, particularly the longevity? I looked up the warranty and it specifically excludes issues related to humidity . . . only 2 years cover too.Water is not the friend of paper cones. Treated ones are more resistant, and the edges of cones on PA systems are doped to extend their lives. Doping is also done round the edge of a cone to act as damping as well, which has stops "cry" when you get extraneous vibrations from sustained higher pitched notes. Untreated paper gives a less coloured sound and as it is less dense than treated paper gives better response (less lossy). So yes - I'd avoid putting the boreas in you bathroom, and placement in a kitchen is probably something to think twice about. But they're not going to breakdown unless they get properly damp or wet - which means their response will probably be the least of your considerations. It’s not often we stumble across a pair of speakers at this price that sound as sophisticated as the Triangle Borea BR03s.

The BR03 BT gets the same soft dome tweeter as the passive version, complete with the latter's distinctive waveguide and 165mm treated cellulose mid/bass driver. The system comprises one powered unit with a 2x 60W Class D amplifier inside and all the connectivity options, plus one passive loudspeaker. The two boxes are connected by a 3-metre 'high purity OFC copper' cable using the same type of speaker binding posts as the passive variant. The cabinets measure 206x360x314mm (WxHxD), and the pair tips the scales at 14.2kg.

Specification and design 

New Triangle speakers don’t appear that often, the company being in the habit of replacing ranges when it has a reason to rather than routinely scheduling updates. The Borea range sits above its entry-tier Plaisir with two standmounts, three floorstanders and a centre. The BR03 is the larger of the two standmounts. As with Deadpool, we get a terrifically precise feeling of objects moving fast across the space. In this case it’s the Japanese Zero fighter planes zooming by on their machine gun runs. Within this slight forwardness, the tonality of the BR03 is generally very good. Voices and instruments largely sound as they should. I would, on the proviso that it wasn’t here to be compared side by side, give the final nod to the Mission QX-2 for this but this is more a reflection that the QX-2 is sublimely good in this regard. The Triangle is still very capable but there have been moments with strings in particular where the merest hint of an ‘edge’ has made itself felt. As one would expect, the look and feel of the BRC1 centre is consistent with its neighbours. It’s a modest-sized box featuring the same twin port design. It has two 13cm mid/bass drivers and the same 25mm tweeter with its diffuser aimed at improving the dispersion of the high-frequency sounds.