Short answer: the Triangle Borea BR03. It ranks #80 of 100 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $381.77; the B&W 805S ranks #81 and costs $2500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Triangle Borea BR03: Bass output is genuinely decent for the price - measured extension reaches F3 57Hz/F10 42Hz, which the reviewer had no real complaints about. The tradeoff: A noticeable mid-range suckout, most pronounced in the upper mid-range/lower treble.
What the B&W 805S offers: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Watch for: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed.
Buy the Triangle Borea BR03. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&W 805S and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 100 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Triangle Borea BR03 | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $381.77 | $2500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #80 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #81 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5" natural cellulose midwoofer, 1" (25mm) EFS silk dome tweeter | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| High-Pass Filter | 3600Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 14.96"H x 8.11"W x 12.36"D | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Weight | 13.22 lbs each | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (manufacturer spec), 4.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB (measured at 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Recommended Power | 100W | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, dual front ports | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- JBL XPL-90 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Klipsch RP-600M vs B&W 805S
- KEF Q350 vs B&W 805S
The Two Speakers In Full
Triangle Borea BR03: $381.77 Amazon
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.
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) |
| Dimensions | 14.96"H x 8.11"W x 12.36"D |
| Drivers | 6.5" natural cellulose midwoofer, 1" (25mm) EFS silk dome tweeter |
| High-Pass Filter | 3600Hz |
| 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) |
| Weight | 13.22 lbs each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, dual front ports |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- 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+
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs Yamaha NS-10
B&W 805S: $2500 Discontinued
Pros: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Horizontal beamwidth stays reasonably smooth through -6dB. Build quality has enough of a “quality feel” that the reviewer said it kept the speaker from the lowest possible rating.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction. A high 4kHz crossover point appears to leave the tweeter’s small sub-enclosure resonating audibly during playback. Discontinued, superseded by the 805 Diamond/805 D4 series. Discontinued.
Full B&W 805S review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons