Amplifier Pairing for Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers

[Chromatischism]

Sounds like it's worth emailing them at least. BTW, do you recall the shipping charge as well as whether you were charged French taxes (VAT)?

No VAT. Just a foreign transaction fee. I later found out that my Chase credit card would have covered the fee. It was about $17.

 

[rhz]

Either Audiophonics Hypex amp. If I were to spend $500+ on an amp I would never buy one with less that 100W (8ohms for me). Everything said of those amps is true.

And I would say 50W at whatever the speaker is rated. But, yeah, if you can afford it, 100-150W is the smart way to go no matter your speaker.

I neglected to add earlier that I live in an apartment and do not play loud music. Broadly speaking, would you say that these power requirements still hold for my use case? Thanks one more time!

 

[A Surfer]

I neglected to add earlier that I live in an apartment and do not play loud music. Broadly speaking, would you say that these power requirements still hold for my use case? Thanks one more time!

If the extra money isn't an issue it is never a bad idea to have extra power on tap. Even if you don't need it today, you might tomorrow. But yes, if the amplifier at 5o watts still has enough headroom to handle dynamic peaks without clipping that is all you need. Unused power is ultimately unused power. Buying more power than you currently need is like insurance for unforeseen circumstances.

 

[Willem]

Most people grossly underestimate the power needed for dynamic peaks. More power is the one thing that usually distinguishes a good from a bad amplifier in real life.

 

[Rja4000]

I found some measurements for you: https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/i...&catid=77:loudspeaker-measurements&Itemid=153

Just as I suspected, Triangle fibbed about the sensitivity. It is closer to 86 dB. Unfortunately that is par for the course with 2nd tier speaker companies. There is an ugly dip at around 1200Hz, but at least it is narrow so that will help. Shouldn't be too bad.

Thats quite condescendant.
Triangle is a very respectable brand.
Their specs are not too far off (87dB instead of 90dB sensitivity is rather in the good average for bookshelf speaker, 4.2 ohm minimum is confirmed by measurements) and FR is reasonably flat for a 500$ speaker, IMO.

 

[Rja4000]

I've tried three amps with these speakers:

Cambridge Audio AXA35 was just dull.
Emotiva A-100 seemed to have a v-shaped signature that left vocals recessed. There was great detail at the low and high ends.
NAD 316BEE V2 was the opposite of the Emotiva--vocals were emphasized at the expense of detail elsewhere.

I'm pretty new to audio, but I'm guessing on the basis of my experience up to now, I'm looking for something quite neutral.

I'm wondering what other options may make sense for say under $500. I've heard some good things about the Vista Spark 2 (bummer it doesn't have a headphone jack though, 20W, but the Triangles are very efficient, so maybe this would work). I also heard about the Iotavx SA3, but it seems like a pain to order in directly from the UK (read that they were unresponsive to emails and expensive return options from US).

I will be streaming music from a computer through a DAC. If I get a DAC with a volume control (e.g., Topping E30), I guess I could consider a power amp (with no volume knob).

I'd love to learn of recommendations, especially from those who own these Triangle speakers.

Thanks--this forum has been really helpful.

Hi
There are good amps available.
Choose one with good score here, with around 100W under 4 ohm, and that will be all you need.
At least, it will remove the amp from the equation.
(I didn't check the amps you listed, maybe they are good)

Then, if sound is still not to your taste, you'll probably need to act on the room/speaker side: purchase a measurement mic (minidsp umik-1 with calibration file), measure with REW, and then check what's needed. Move the speakers a bit, re measure, check some room correction software - if it improves things dramatically, you may want a hardware correction system...

But the amp will not be the cause (nor the fix).

 

[rhz]

Thanks again for all the responses. Just to be clear, should I expect a noticeable improvement in sound quality with the AUDIOPHONICS MPA-S125NC amp compared to the Emotiva A-100 (50W @ 8ohms, 80W @ 4ohms) given my low volume listening habits? @franspambot , @Willem, @Rja4000 , @Chromatischism

 

[tomtoo]

I've tried three amps with these speakers:

Cambridge Audio AXA35 was just dull.
Emotiva A-100 seemed to have a v-shaped signature that left vocals recessed. There was great detail at the low and high ends.
NAD 316BEE V2 was the opposite of the Emotiva--vocals were emphasized at the expense of detail elsewhere.

I'm pretty new to audio, but I'm guessing on the basis of my experience up to now, I'm looking for something quite neutral.

I'm wondering what other options may make sense for say under $500. I've heard some good things about the Vista Spark 2 (bummer it doesn't have a headphone jack though, 20W, but the Triangles are very efficient, so maybe this would work). I also heard about the Iotavx SA3, but it seems like a pain to order in directly from the UK (read that they were unresponsive to emails and expensive return options from US).

I will be streaming music from a computer through a DAC. If I get a DAC with a volume control (e.g., Topping E30), I guess I could consider a power amp (with no volume knob).

I'd love to learn of recommendations, especially from those who own these Triangle speakers.

Thanks--this forum has been really helpful.

If you show me one amp that has a v-shaped FR i give you a like. Couse i have never seen one and i would be interested. I realy have seen a lot of FR's from amps but never one with a v-shape. At least without tone controlls activated. So for me it would be interesting to find one.

 

[tomtoo]

Wow. I never thought of that. Can this be done generally?

Shure if you are very gentle with the volume knob. And accept that a typical power amp has not the best s/n ratio at .5Watts.

Edit says(disclaimer): Sry, it is not recomendet!!! Couse you can easaly kill your headphone AND your ears!!!!

 

[A Surfer]

Shure if you are very gentle with the volume knob. And accept that a typical power amp has not the best s/n ratio at .5Watts.

Edit says(disclaimer): Sry, it is not recomendet!!! Couse you can easaly kill your headphone AND your ears!!!!

Signal to noise ratios while important are typically over-emphasized in the sense that most amplifiers that are basically competent have a signal to noise ratio that ensures the noise is inaudible in real listening sessions. We aren't able to hear this noise when listening to music unless it is quite a flawed design. Certainly with solid state amps. I wish I could find the paper now but a few years back I remember reading a very decent piece of work on signal to noise in amplifiers and the authors demonstrated that I think it was as low as something like 70dB was adequate to reach audible transparency. Understandably a community such as this is very measurement focused, which is great, but we do need to remember, the ultimate measurement that matters is what we can actually hear.

 

[tomtoo]

Signal to noise ratios while important are typically over-emphasized in the sense that most amplifiers that are basically competent have a signal to noise ratio that ensures the noise is inaudible in real listening sessions. We aren't able to hear this noise when listening to music unless it is quite a flawed design. Certainly with solid state amps. I wish I could find the paper now but a few years back I remember reading a very decent piece of work on signal to noise in amplifiers and the authors demonstrated that I think it was as low as something like 70dB was adequate to reach audible transparency. Understandably a community such as this is very measurement focused, which is great, but we do need to remember, the ultimate measurement that matters is what we can actually hear.

What ever you say. I would still not recomend to use a heaphone on a poweramp speaker output.

Edit says: Yes you can use a knive as a screw driver. But i wouldnt recomend it!

 

[A Surfer]

What ever you say. I would still not recomend to use a heaphone on a poweramp speaker output.

Edit says: Yes you can use a knive as a screw driver. But i wouldnt recomend it!

Have you ever done so? Well I have, and I have used very good headphones and listened with fantastic recordings at fairly loud playback volume. All I heard was the music.

I am sure that with a very sensitive, closed back design at moderate playback levels and during quiet passages in music noise might be perceivable, but that depends on the listener and the noise levels might be so modest that in effect they are irrelevant.

 

[tomtoo]

Have you ever done so? Well I have, and I have used very good headphones and listened with fantastic recordings at fairly loud playback volume. All I heard was the music.

You dont get me. As a grown up you can do what you like to do. I still wont recomend using headphones on a poweramp speakeroutput. Like i wont recomend a knive as a screwdriver. Get me now?

 

[A Surfer]

You dont get me. As a grown up you can do what you like to do. I still wont recomend using headphones on a poweramp speakeroutput. Like i wont recomend a knive as a screwdriver. Get me now?

Yes, but I reject your premise as it is being presented as fact when much that actually matters seems to be being glossed over.

 

[A Surfer]

Again, show me the evidence that the noise levels from any competently designed speaker amp will be so audible with headphones that it will be incapable of playing music in an audibly transparent manner. I am not saying noise in those situations doesn't exist, I am simply saying it is not likely to be at a level to be easily perceived over the actual musical signal.

And my apology if it seems I am attacking you. I am not trying to do so and if it is coming across that way I am actually sorry. I believe in being respectful to each other anywhere so just because we are interacting over the Internet does not change the need to be respectful and kind to one another.

 

[tomtoo]

Again, show me the evidence that the noise levels from any competently designed speaker amp will be so audible with headphones that it will be incapable of playing music in an audibly transparent manner. I am not saying noise in those situations doesn't exist, I am simply saying it is not likely to be at a level to be easily perceived over the actual musical signal.

And my apology if it seems I am attacking you. I am not trying to do so and if it is coming across that way I am actually sorry. I believe in being respectful to each other anywhere so just because we are interacting over the Internet does not change the need to be respectful and kind to one another.

I not feel attaked. I told that the S/N ratio of a typical poweramp at 0.5w is maybe not the best. That means not that it is not usabel. But hell i wont recomend that people wire there headphones to there 1.5kw powerampoutputs. You get me now?

 

[A Surfer]

I not feel attaked. I told that the S/N ratio of a typical poweramp at 0.5w is maybe not the best. That means not that it is not usabel. But hell i wont recomend that people wire there headphones to there 1.5kw powerampoutputs. You get me now?

I am getting you now, so your real concern is that the power is dangerous. For sure you could blow a headphone, but again, I have been doing this for at least 5 years now using the M3 which produces plenty of power 180 watts and I have yet to even have a scary moment. I simply developed the habit of always being aware where the volume was set before hitting play. In truth I have always done this even with speakers preferring to always turn the volume quite low and raise it up to the desired listening level. This scrutiny has allowed me to never have an accident since the mid 1980s when I began using decent stereos with power.

 

[tomtoo]

I am getting you now, so your real concern is that the power is dangerous. For sure you could blow a headphone, but again, I have been doing this for at least 5 years now using the M3 which produces plenty of power 180 watts and I have yet to even have a scary moment. I simply developed the habit of always being aware where the volume was set before hitting play. In truth I have always done this even with speakers preferring to always turn the volume quite low and raise it up to the desired listening level. This scrutiny has allowed me to never have an accident since the mid 1980s when I began using decent stereos with power.

Thats perfectly ok for me, i still wouldnt recomend. Like i wouldnt recomend driving a bike without brakes. Even it's pervectly possibel.

 

[tomtoo]

Thats perfectly ok for me, i still wouldnt recomend. Like i wouldnt recomend driving a bike without brakes. Even it's pervectly possibel.

Edit says: There are thinks you can do, but as a responsibal person you cant recomend.

 

[A Surfer]

I do consider myself responsible and I can absolutely recommend that somebody does use a speaker tap cable to drive headphones as long as the amp is of adequate quality and performing within specification. I can't guarantee that a user will not make a mistake, but the person who sells you a car can't guarantee that you won't speed and kill yourself either. Risk is up to the user to accept and mitigate.