Three sides of Triangle Borea

France’s Triangle has expanded its popular Borea speaker series with two new ‘Connect’ models, the BR02 Connect and BR03 Connect — though these are not to be confused with the BR02 BT and BR03 BT that launched in 2022, nor the passive Borea BR02 and BR03.

Confusion might be possible, since the BTs and Connects are very similar. Both offer Borea BR02 and Borea BR03 variants which are the same size (the BR03 is 36cm high), same weight (14.2kg), same impedance (8 ohms, 4.2 minimum), and same 165mm natural cellulose paper mid-bass woofer in the BR03. The internal power also remains the same, with 2 × 50W Class-D in the BR02, 2 × 60W Class-D in the BR03.

So what’s different? We had thought the ‘Connect’ might mean networking had been introduced, but no: the only wireless connection remains Bluetooth, with the same Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD Low Latency protocol, which Triangle describes as “Lossless, with sampling rate of 24 bits / 48kHz”. (This is not true; aptX HD is most definitely lossy, and as revealed by Fraunhofer in our big interview this issue, the Low Latency is achieved simply by cutting the length of the buffer in the sync device, here the speakers, reducing latency but increasing the chances of drop-outs.)

The upgrade here involves a new pair of tweeters, and a better set of input connections. The tweeter has changed from a 25mm EFS fabric-dome tweeter on the BT models to a silk-dome tweeter in the new Connects. And the new inputs are indeed potentially game-changing. There remain two analogue inputs, but where the ‘BT’ versions have a minijack socket for line level and a single analogue phono pair switchable between line level and phono level, the new model adds a third input dedicated to line level on RCA sockets. There’s still one optical digital input and one coaxial, and the lossy Bluetooth aptX HD remains on board.

But the big bonus comes from the two new digital inputs — HDMI ARC, allowing connection to a TV or possibly monitor, and USB-B, which allows direct connection to a computer for real high-res lossless music.

That gives the Borea Connects a new life flanking TV speakers or desktop monitors — two very useful scenarios for the minimalist hi-fi solution of active speakers.

There are also new colours available, with an oak in addition to the light oak option, and a new blue finish to come, in addition to Black, Cream, and Green. Pricing is $1250 for the BR02 Connect (the BR02 BT is $1000) and $1400 for the BR03 Connect (compared with $1250 for the BR02 BT).