Short answer: the Audio First Cadentia 3 if sound quality matters most, the Triangle Borea BR03 if price matters most. The Audio First Cadentia 3 ranks #8 of 130 bookshelf speakers at $7199. The Triangle Borea BR03 ranks #109 at $399, $6800 cheaper.
What the Audio First Cadentia 3 offers: Near-textbook measurements - excellent on-axis linearity, listening window, and directivity, with only minor deviations. Extremely low distortion and compression, holding steady even at 102dB with barely any loss. Very wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees) gives a big, enveloping soundstage with strong image specificity outside the speaker boundaries. Strong bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 43Hz, F10 26Hz) with a punchy, guttural mid-bass. Watch for: A mild scoop through the upper midrange/lower treble slightly softens the attack of snares, hand claps, and sibilants - fixable with a single-band EQ (2.5kHz, +1dB, Q~1). High-frequency dispersion narrows quickly above about 4kHz, so off-axis listeners lose some air and detail. Very high asking price for a bookshelf-class speaker, and the complete (finished) version has a long lead time; the loaner kit version ships as an unfinished cabinet you assemble and finish yourself.
What the Triangle Borea BR03 offers: Bass output is genuinely decent for the price - measured extension reaches F3 57Hz/F10 42Hz, which the reviewer had no real complaints about. Dual front-firing ports and a well-stuffed, well-braced cabinet. Solid build quality overall. Watch for: A noticeable mid-range suckout, most pronounced in the upper mid-range/lower treble, that the reviewer attributes to cabinet resonances and driver breakup rather than a deliberate voicing choice - it makes vocals and instruments sound recessed and thin rather than warm. Sibilance in the 4-8kHz region shows up on every track the reviewer tried. Measured minimum impedance dips to about 4.2 ohms (with an even lower EPDR), despite the speaker and its own rear panel being labeled 8 ohms - worth knowing if you’re planning to drive these with a receiver/AVR that assumes an 8-ohm nominal load. The reviewer is upfront that this speaker has a devoted following among other reviewers, but says he specifically doesn’t hear what they hear and wants people who own it to trust their own ears rather than assume something’s wrong with their hearing if they don’t love it either.
Buy the Audio First Cadentia 3 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Triangle Borea BR03 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Skip the Triangle Borea BR03 if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 130 bookshelf speakers.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio First Cadentia 3 | Triangle Borea BR03 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7199 per pair | $399.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #8 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #109 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 42Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 23.2" x 11.8" x 17" (590 x 300 x 433 mm) | 14.96"H x 8.11"W x 12.36"D |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (manufacturer spec), 4.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 87.5dB (measured at 2.83V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1.1" tweeter, 4.5" midrange, 9" woofer | 6.5" natural cellulose midwoofer, 1" (25mm) EFS silk dome tweeter |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) each | 13.2 lbs (6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | 3-way, bass reflex | ported, dual front ports |
| Country | United Kingdom (Cambridge) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.38 | 3.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.74 | 5.47 |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 3600Hz |
| Recommended Power | - | 100W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Perlisten S4b vs Audio First Cadentia 3
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs GR-Research NX-Studio
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- AsciLab C6B vs Audio First Cadentia 3
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Audio First Cadentia 3: $7199 per pair Audio First Designs eBay
Pros: Near-textbook measurements - excellent on-axis linearity, listening window, and directivity, with only minor deviations. Extremely low distortion and compression, holding steady even at 102dB with barely any loss. Very wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees) gives a big, enveloping soundstage with strong image specificity outside the speaker boundaries. Strong bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 43Hz, F10 26Hz) with a punchy, guttural mid-bass. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.4dB.
Cons: A mild scoop through the upper midrange/lower treble slightly softens the attack of snares, hand claps, and sibilants - fixable with a single-band EQ (2.5kHz, +1dB, Q~1). High-frequency dispersion narrows quickly above about 4kHz, so off-axis listeners lose some air and detail. Very high asking price for a bookshelf-class speaker, and the complete (finished) version has a long lead time; the loaner kit version ships as an unfinished cabinet you assemble and finish yourself.
Full Audio First Cadentia 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country | United Kingdom (Cambridge) |
| Dimensions | 23.2" x 11.8" x 17" (590 x 300 x 433 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.1" tweeter, 4.5" midrange, 9" woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.74 |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | 3-way, bass reflex |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs AsciLab C6B
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs March Audio Sointuva
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF R3 Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF Q Concerto Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs Wharfedale Aura 2
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs Perlisten S4b
- See all 45 comparisons
Triangle Borea BR03: $399.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass output is genuinely decent for the price - measured extension reaches F3 57Hz/F10 42Hz, which the reviewer had no real complaints about. Dual front-firing ports and a well-stuffed, well-braced cabinet. Solid build quality overall. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 87.5dB.
Cons: A noticeable mid-range suckout, most pronounced in the upper mid-range/lower treble, that the reviewer attributes to cabinet resonances and driver breakup rather than a deliberate voicing choice - it makes vocals and instruments sound recessed and thin rather than warm. Sibilance in the 4-8kHz region shows up on every track the reviewer tried. Measured minimum impedance dips to about 4.2 ohms (with an even lower EPDR), despite the speaker and its own rear panel being labeled 8 ohms - worth knowing if you’re planning to drive these with a receiver/AVR that assumes an 8-ohm nominal load. The reviewer is upfront that this speaker has a devoted following among other reviewers, but says he specifically doesn’t hear what they hear and wants people who own it to trust their own ears rather than assume something’s wrong with their hearing if they don’t love it either.
Full Triangle Borea BR03 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 3600Hz |
| Dimensions | 14.96"H x 8.11"W x 12.36"D |
| Drivers | 6.5" natural cellulose midwoofer, 1" (25mm) EFS silk dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (manufacturer spec), 4.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 100W |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured at 2.83V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.47 |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs (6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, dual front ports |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs B&W 805S
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
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- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs KEF Q350
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
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