To get an unbiased second opinion on these speakers, and to ensure we werent picking something that strayed far outside established engineering norms, I ran frequency response measurements on all of the models that did well in my casual listening tests. Measured bass output was impressive, at 106.3 dB from 40 to 63 Hz, and it stayed strong all the way down to 31.5 Hz, where the system output 84.7 dB. 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). If you really want bass for a B652-based garage sound system, youd better add an inexpensive subwoofer. I think KEF are freaking amazing.
Entry to hifi: Dali, Triangle or KEF? : BudgetAudiophile Our panelists liked it pretty well for instrumental music, but found it tended to de-emphasize the sound of voices. Warm sounding speakers. If you have the means, trying both in your space is worth your while. Triangle Up-sizes The Sophistication.
The mid range, especially, looked extremely flat, varying by only 2 decibels, which is why voices sounded so natural. In our tests, a pair of BR03 speakers put out an impressive 116.7 dB average bass between 40 and 63 Hz, with 90.9 dB at 31.5 Hzslightly more than the Q Acoustics 3020i could manage at the less-demanding frequency of 40 Hz. Lively piano jazz such as Old Castle by Chick Corea and Hiromi is still really fun and engaging. Unfortunately can't demo or return the triangles. 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. I know you gave all of the candidates every opportunity to prove themselves. 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. I have only listened to KEF's so far. 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. 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. 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.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Your Home Audio System - Gear Patrol Your IP: On more mainstream pop recordings in our tests, the 3020i set performed equally impressively, presenting a natural and detailed sound on voices and guitars.
Amplifier + speaker pairing, have I messed up? *At the time of publishing, the price was $330. 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. What stands out in the 3020is performance is the detail and clarity that these speakers bring out in every recording. I haven't used any of the others, but I'm really loving my Dali's and don't regret them one bit. I am currently deciding on what to get out of the 2 listed and the KEF Q150.
Speakers' corner: the best budget bookshelf speakers under $500 - NME Triangle Borea BR03 is Rated 90% on Average by 11 Critics This effect may be a perception created by the modest bass output of the 3020is relatively small 5-inch woofer. 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. 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.) From the front, the B652 speakers are close in size to the 3020i set, but they have a more basic look, with a dull black vinyl covering. So whether youre listening to vocals, instruments, or a bit of everything, the Spektor 2s will sound entertaining. The Klipsch R-51PM was less even, with a bit of excess treble, and its bass response wasnt as deep. 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. A great pair of bookshelf speakers is one of the best investments a music lover can make. 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. Triangle Borea BR03. 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. they have been noted for a later date. The ELAC DBR62 gives you a lot of sound and it is non fatiguing but it is not as laid back as the Polk LSiM while not being as forward as the KEF Q150. I'm looking to invest in my first set-up with the current sales. 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. I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D. Nice review Victor. I used the output at 1 kHz as the reference for 0 dB. Was just curious! 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. 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 3020i also has a slightly bright tonal balance that may leave some listeners craving a fuller sound or yearning to add a subwoofer.
KEF Q150 or Triangle Borea BR02 : r/BudgetAudiophile This impressive level of detail should be just as beneficial with the drum machine and electronic effects on hip-hop tunes, as well as the dozens of interwoven instrumental sounds on orchestral recordings. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28c9117a1c8b83 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. That makes the S1000MKII pair a good choice for hip-hop, pop, and R&B, which tend to have a lot of deep bass. You might also like: Press J to jump to the feed. 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. That said, the styling is definitely old-school, more suited for a wood-paneled study than a contemporary living room. For near field listing the Kef you mentioned.
Triangle Borea BR03 (should be getting more attention) 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. 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 Onkyo A-9110 provides 30 W @ 8 Ohm. And the company said it is often able to repair speaker drivers that are decades oldsomething thats true of the speaker industry in general. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Just found out another possible problem. 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. 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. KEF . Adorama has the BR02s for $269 which could and should sway the vote some. That said, these arent for bassheads or hip-hop fans the equalisation on the BR03s is fairly balanced, which results in a transparent sound that wont colour your music. Many readers are concerned about how the manufacturing, shipping, and normal use of the products we recommend impact the world. The Spektor 2 has the best bass response, is reasonable smooth but not as revealing. The Q Acoustics 3020i set has enough bass for most music styles, but with just a 5-inch woofer, its no low-end powerhouse. And it hurts that the Borea BR03 is on sale for the same price right now but is too big for my desk. I will mostly be using them to listen to classical music and watch films at my computer which is in front of a wall. The Monoprice Monolith Encore B6 might be a good choice for people who want big bass on a budget. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts.
Question - Entry to hifi: Dali, Triangle or KEF? | AVForums We independently review everything we recommend. I demoed the B&W's 607's when I bought my Rega Brio Amp pre lockdown. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. #1. Details; Discussions; . Thanks for the insight. Looking for first speaker set [onkyo9010], Advice needed, mixed usage stereo & home cinema, with bias towards stereo music. Learn more. Voices, in particular, sounded smooth, with no harshness, boominess, or chestiness, no matter the gender or range of the singer. highend666. The lower it falls below the reference, the more subdued the sounds in that frequency range are. Very nice review!!! 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. If for no other reason the KEFs coaxial setup will image better, especially on a desk. 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 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. 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. The BR08 fairs a little better in this regard. PSB Alpha P5 vs Kef Q150 vs Triangle BR03 vs Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 review. Each speakers cabinet is finished in a vinyl wrap that looks far better than the faux wood grain you usually see at this price. I'll most likely go with the kefs since they're slighter cheaper than the triangles. Powered speakers with tone controls should be calibrated to sound good right out of the box, as Edifiers S1000MKII set is. Wharfedales Diamond 220 set had good detail and nice bass but produced a boxy sound, with a narrow soundstage.