“Small” french Hi-Fi manufacturer wants his piece of cake in the budget speakers sales. What did they deliver? Let’s see!
Design and build quality
In terms of design, the Boreas speaker, being a French product, exhibits a positively unique aesthetics. However, there is one aspect of the Boreas that I personally find unfavorable: its higher than usual height of 38 cm. I prefer speakers with standard proportions because they look better (and often sound too) in a desktop setup.
That being said, the Borea 3 stands out with its wonderful appearance, and I highly recommend opting for the light oak color choice with white front that matches the white membrane and pleasing contrast with those wood accents. The silver ornaments on the speaker give off a convincing impression, and it’s worth noting the lack of visible screws and grill holes, which adds to its overall appeal. Additionally, the speaker surrounds are made of a softer, rubbery type plastic.
While the veneer may be artificial, it looks very convicing. Whether observed up close or from a distance, the quality of the Boreas is truly exceptional. Furthermore, the terminals located on the back of the speakers deserve special recognition, as they can easily be considered best-in-class.
Sound quality
From the first track, the Borea 3 delivered an astonishingly expansive soundstage, the best I’ve ever experienced from a speaker of this size. This impressive quality was further enhanced by the brilliant and natural midrange reproduction. The vocals come through with precision, occupying a significant space and possessing a solid body. In mentioned terms, the Borea 3 truly outshines any competitor I have encountered thus far. In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to say that in this regard, these speakers could even rival speakers 3x their price. There were moments when I felt they surpassed my Quadrals, not to mention they could easily rival the Wharfedale Evo 4.1 or even the Sonus Faber Lumina 2.
The linearity of the midrange is substantiated by measurements conducted in my listening room. As always, I used my Quadral Platinum+ Two speakers as a reference point.
While the Quadrals exhibit a dip in the 1.8-3kHz range, the Triangles are smooth in that area.
Interestingly, and perhaps for the first time, it seems that the bass produced by the Borea 3 is at least partially stronger than that of my Quadrals. However, I must admit that this wasn’t always perceptible, possibly due to the Quadrals’ superior layering and slightly more pronounced bass below 50 Hz? Additionally, it’s important to consider the limitations of my measurements (in listening room).
… though, another factor that may contribute to this perception of lower tones is the overall frequency balance of the Borea 3.
If you once again look at the graph, notice what happens in the 5KHz> area.
To be frank, there is quite a lot happening in this range. Describing the treble as bright would be an understatement. While the level of detail is fairly decent, it unfortunately falls far short of compensating for the sharpness and excessive sibilance present… and this is so contrasting with their otherwise outstanding qualities. The higher frequencies simply sound cheap, chaotic, and out of place.
On the other hand, in most budget speakers I’ve tested, such flaws are somewhat expected. For instance, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 speakers tend to exhibit sharpness, the Mission QX2s lack clarity, and the Q Acoustics 3030i speakers have a below-average soundstage. It’s that typically, the positive and negative aspects of a speaker are more evenly balanced, and the weak spots don’t feel as disconnected from the overall presentation as the treble does in the case of the Triangles.
Soundstage, which is undeniably huge both in terms of height and width. In fact, it sometimes gives the impression of a floor-standing speaker. However, there is a slight lack of depth, particularly at lower volumes. This deficiency is likely attributable to the treble once again, as its thinness tends to overshadow the overall body of the sound.
Conclusion
In conclusion, evaluating the Triangle Borea 3 speakers posed a significant challenge for me. However, they undeniably excel in two areas: the midrange and the overall scale of sound they produce. These speakers might be a great choice, particularly for rooms with challenging acoustics or as an alternative to floorstanding speakers in smaller spaces.
That said, when it comes to low-volume and near-field listening, they may not be your best bet, which is somewhat disappointing from my perspective. These speakers possess immense potential, but unfortunately, it is somewhat overshadowed by their sharp and cheap highs, which disrupt the overall tonality. In the end, the final rating of a speaker is determined by this, and it is with a sense of regret that I give the Triangle Borea 3 speakers 4 stars.
