The switchers also let me move among the speakers (labeled only by number) without knowing which one I was hearing. Add Mission LX /LX mark 2 range if available in your country. The Edifier S1000MKII is an updated version of the S1000DB set, which was the top pick in our guide to the best wireless powered bookshelf speakers (which weve now rolled into this guide), and in our brand-concealed tests it was every bit as excellent as its predecessor was. Good looks plus good sound sealed the deal and the Triangle Borea BR03 are replacing the KEF Q150 in my 2-channel setup. AVForums.com is owned and operated by M2N Limited, Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The addition of USB and optical digital audio inputs, a subwoofer output to connect a powered subwoofer, and a nice remote control give the system excellent versatility. You must log in or register to reply here. Where I'm based (Belgium), the following deals seem best to me (but please let me know if you know of any others): Music stuff - Roksan Kandy KA1-MKIII, Dynaudio DM2/6, REL Strata III, 16.0mm 6181Y Double Insulated Cable (commonly electrical meter tails). The other is that the speaker-cable connectors are the cheap spring-clip type, which tend to produce a looser connection than good binding posts dobut for inexpensive spring clips, they keep a pretty firm grip on the speaker cable. The Triangle Borea BR03 was loved by reviewers at Wirecutter (NYTimes), a highly trusted source that performs reliable in . The S1000MKII pair comes with a simple remote. Big sound with wide soundstage; Bespoke and unique design; Doesn't come with speaker grilles; The Q150 are the smallest and most affordable speakers in KEF's Q series. Note that we didnt make a budget pick for powered speakers because we didnt like any of the inexpensive ones we tried. Each R-51PM speaker measures 13.3 inches high by 9.1 inches deep by 7 inches wide, so a pair isnt quite as bulky as the Edifier S1000MKII set. I am currently deciding on what to get out of the 2 listed and the KEF Q150. If so, buy both. The Q Acoustics Concept 20 speakers had bright, clear treble but lacked authority in the bass. #1. In our tests, the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 pair offered very good bass response and detail but had a relatively restricted soundstage. The Edifier S1000MKII had excellent measured on-axis frequency response by any standard, but its results were especially good for a speaker in its price range. Music stuff - Roksan Kandy KA1-MKIII, Dynaudio DM2/6, REL Strata III, 16.0mm 6181Y Double Insulated Cable (commonly electrical meter tails). Powered by Xenforo, Hosted by Nimbus Hosting, Original design Critical Media Ltd. The Borea BR03 largely eliminates the unnatural sonic colorationssuch as boomy, thin, or harsh soundthat come from almost all less-expensive speakers, and it produces a fuller, more satisfying sound than most bookshelf speakers do. Its available in a black or walnut finish with a black front panel, or in a white or light oak finish with a white baffle. The Polk Alpha AM5 has a more focused and intimate sound that fans of jazz, classical, and acoustic pop may find appealing, but it distorts more with bass-heavy music. The 3020i also has a slightly bright tonal balance that may leave some listeners craving a fuller sound or yearning to add a subwoofer. If you have a question about a model not discussed here, leave a note in the comments sectionif weve tried that model, well be happy to share our impressions. We havent seen any major introductions in this category since our last update, but there are a few models we havent tested yet, including the Jamo Concert 9 Series C93 and S803, JBL Stage 130, and Heco Aurora 300. Sony A95L QD-OLED, X95L MINI LED And Full BRAVIA Range For 2023 (In-Depth Interview). You might also like: Big (7.09 x 9.21 x 13.43 inches), black and bold, the ELAC Debut B5.2s look indestructible in that 80s sort of way if thats your jam. The video is also on my channel. Credit: Triangle Manufacture Electroacoustique. But we thought the midrange was somewhat de-emphasized, which tended to make voices a little less clear. But I reckon these ones will be all right. Audio enthusiasts might think they should spend more on speakers than the cost of the Triangle Borea BR03 pair, but this is such a satisfying set of passive speakers that Im not sure you really need to spend more. It was kindly sent to me for testing by a member and costs US $499 on Amazon including Prime shipping. But like the S1000MKII, the R-51PM has rear bass ports, which means you cant back the speakers up tight against a wall without affecting the sound quality. This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. SHOP NOW. The UE Wonderboom 3 is the all-around best portable Bluetooth speaker because it sounds good and looks cool, and its the most rugged model weve tested. Theyre fairly tall, black boxes that arent attractive, and even though the bass was present in our tests, it wasnt tight or detailed. what amp would you recommend? This guide combines two previous guides and thus covers two product categories: passive bookshelf speakers, which you must pair with a stereo receiver, stereo amplifier, or AV receiver, and powered bookshelf speakers, which have built-in amplifiers and inputs for analog audio sources and may incorporate a Bluetooth receiver, digital audio inputs, and/or a phono input to connect a record player. So depending on how much room you have, they might be a better choice. Sure, you could spend upwards of a thousand bucks or pounds and get mind-blowing sound, but these options below offer incredible output in an affordable package. The Dali's are in their way. I'd take a chance on them. Very good sound and couple of guys on here also speak well of them. Most lower priced triangle speaker are bright like some Dali and B&W can be, so careful system matching is important Once had a pair of Triangle LN01, they where to bright for my taste, bass okay but sounded like a slightly uneven frequency response Okay, demo for sure before you buy. A good set of passive bookshelf speakers is an investment that will last longer than most other audio gear you can buy today and will never become obsolete. I used two different switchers to move between systems: an Audio by Van Alstine AVA ABX (with two Outlaw Audio Model 2200 amplifiers) for the passive speakers and a switcher I built myself to test the active speakers. I would try both at home, then see which speakers you prefer. This pair did have a clear sound with a decent amount of bass in our tests, so if youre looking for something priced between our top pick and our budget pick, its worth a listen. I asked him to pick out the speakers playing but he couldn't, they created such a good sound stage. Note that all of these speakers have tone controls that will let you tailor the sound to your liking and that can reduce the sonic differences among them, if youre willing to do a little tweaking. I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D. Nice review Victor. company number 03997482, registered in England and Wales. Bookshelf speakers are great for the music lover who wants better performance than anyone can get from the vast majority of one-piece, wireless tabletop speakers that dominate the scene right now. If youre looking to build a compact, affordable stereo system, we like the Fosi Audio BT20A mini stereo amplifier for its combination of power and features. Haven't tried the Kefs, but have no qualm recommending the BR02s. My Own Devices Audio Channel. Its performance is bound to please practically any listener, and we like the sophisticated, minimalist design, which should suit almost any space. If you want a smaller speaker than the B6.2, and if you listen to lighter music or prefer to use a subwoofer, this set is a good choice. They thought the speakers sounded generally good, but somewhat soft and mellow in comparison with our top picks and most of the other similar models we tested. Our panelists found it plays deeper than anything else weve tried in the under-$200 price rangealthough its nearly 16 inches high, and its treble response sounds a little soft, so high-frequency instruments like cymbals and bells sound a bit muted. I haven't used any of the others, but I'm really loving my Dali's and don't regret them one bit. The speakers are also nicely designed for the price, with custom binding posts, magnetically attached grilles, a decor-friendly 10.875-inch height, and nicely rounded corners that resist chipping. Its a tonal balance that audiophiles tend to love because it makes music seem a little more exciting and captivating. For more information, please see our 1 Home Entertainment Tech Resource. At just 11.875 inches high, 6.5 inches deep, and 7 inches wide, each B652 speaker is compact enough to fit on most bookshelves, and because each speaker weighs only 4.7 pounds, most shelves can support them both easily. 202.153.111.46 Speakers with boosted treble can sound more exciting than the BR03, but to us they dont sound as natural. I liked the look of the black fascia with the Walnut cabinets but the bare metal grill over the tweeter really stood out to me and I felt it would have looked better had it been a flat black or a gloss black instead. Combined with a minimum impedance of 4.1ohms, these specifications make the speaker quite easy to drive. they have been noted for a later date. But since you listen to jazz, maybe you well find the kef a bit analytic. Theyre well-tuned speakers, but our panelists preferred the similarly sized and priced Audioengine HD3 set (which we describe in Other bookshelf speakers we like). With the above criteria in mind, we scanned sites such as Amazon, Audio Advisor, Best Buy, and Crutchfield to see what new models were available, and we reached out to manufacturers we thought might be introducing new models in these categories. Voices, in particular, sounded smooth, with no harshness, boominess, or chestiness, no matter the gender or range of the singer. The Dayton Audio B652 had a fairly even response except for a large peak and dip in the middle of the treble range, where the tweeter started to operate. The enclosure uses point-to-point bracing to focus the stereo output, and is available in a series of colours (were quite partial to the walnut version) to ensure it fits with your homes interior design. Theyre pared-down versions of the brands immensely popular LS50s, the speakers that propelled KEF to audiophile stardom but at a fraction of the price. Compared to the KEFs, these speakers shine for me on mellow, melty songs such as Julian Lage - Nocturne or John Scofield - A Go Go. The latter should be a plus, ideally, because most electronics contain many recyclable materials. Recordings sometimes sounded hollow, as if they had been recorded inside a box. I began measuring speaker performance in 1997 and have worked as a consultant on speaker tuning and measurement for some of the worlds biggest tech companies. I also measured the speakers at angles of 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees horizontally, as well as 15 degrees vertically, to make sure their sound didnt change radically when I heard them from an angle. Through the years, weve tested many more speakers than what we list here, but weve deleted many older and discontinued models. Still for jazz I would look at Whardale speakers. TRIANGLE BOREA BRO3 vs KEF Q150 - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC Was just curious! The bass is a little bit more impactful than the KEFs, but not hugely so in my space. The Q Acoustics 3020i is our favorite pair of passive bookshelf speakers to mate with your favorite stereo receiver, while the excellent Edifier S1000MKII pair is a more complete option with built-in amplifiers and Bluetooth. Otherwise, the S1000MKII set just does its job well without many noticeable sonic flaws, something that we cant say about most powered speakers in its price range. However, the Q150 is 3 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than the BR03, and it often goes on sale for about half off the list price, in which case its a fantastic buy. The Monoprice MM-5R offers deeper and more powerful bass than either the PSB or the Edifier sets, and it includes a USB digital input and a mono subwoofer output. Klipsch also offers a smaller model with the same inputs and features, the R-41PM; we havent listened to it, but considering that the larger R-51PM could use a bit more bass, we expect wed feel the need for more low end to an even greater extent with the smaller model. Each speakers cabinet is finished in a vinyl wrap that looks far better than the faux wood grain you usually see at this price. Triangle Borea BR03 (300 euro) KEF Q150 (360 euro) They would be used for nearfield listening now (desk usage), but hoping to use them in a medium-sized room at some point in the future. The frequency response measurements for the 3020i looked very good, with a variance of only about 2.6 decibels through most of the audio range. It also has no output to connect a subwoofer, if you want more bass. The ELAC DBR62 gives you a lot of sound and it is non fatiguing but it is not as laid back as the Polk LSiM while not being as forward as the KEF Q150. Also, wed guess that many people would prefer the S1000MKIIs styling to the plain black box look of the Monoprice and PSB models, but thats a matter of individual taste. The B5.2s are the second version of the line, but this isnt an incremental upgrade. Compared with passive speakers, powered models are a more plug-and-play, all-in-one option. These $549 Triangle Borea BR03 and $599 KEF Q150s are just the kind of speakers that I enjoy listening to and evaluating. However, passive speakers arent as accessible: there are factors such as impedance, wattage and sensitivity to factor in when matching speakers with an amp. In that time, Ive written reviews of at least 1,000 speaker systems ranging in price from $5 to more than $500,000, and Ive published more brand-concealed, multiple-listener speaker evaluations than any other audio journalist in the world. I have rears for surround sound. I can't demo them in store now obviously, so looking . Most audio reviewers quickly notice what they dont like about a speaker, but even after hours of listening to the BR03, I cant think of a significant complaint. Some metal parts of the speakers may be recyclable; the company does not have a recycling partner in the US, but in France it works with a recycler called Eco-System. The BR03 is well worth its higher price. I then listened to each system casually for a couple of days, getting a rough idea of its pros and cons and looking for any difficulties a listener might experience during setup and everyday use. The Q150s are renowned for their soundstage. I then conducted several rounds of brand-concealed tests with a listening panel, comparing speakers within categories such as small and large or affordable and expensive, and sometimes also compared speakers across price categories to get an idea of what improvements you might hear by spending more. The B652s 6.5-inch woofer covers most of the audio band, from the bass to the mid-treble. In vocal reproduction, this pair ranked among the most natural-sounding of all the speakers we tested, and each 3020i speaker produces a solid amount of bass for its sizethough fans of bass-heavy music may want more. I couldn't decide so I bought dali oberons (they are smaller) for my work desk and I got kef q150 for my living room. The room I am trying to fill is 12.5x9 FT so its an odd shape bedroom and I don't think I can return something that isn't faulty in the UK. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Good luck. What Do You Get When You Spend More for Speakers. For reference, the lowest note of a standard bass guitar or double bass is E1 at 41.2 Hz, so 40 Hz is deep enough for most rock and jazz recordings. . Planning on throwing the V601s into the mix once we get em down there? I imagine with the sockets, etc you are going to overhang by 6-7 cm). Looking to mount your speakers on a stand? And the company said it is often able to repair speaker drivers that are decades oldsomething thats true of the speaker industry in general. (And if you really want more bass, you can often add a subwoofer.). The No. (Whats a phono preamp? Is there any of these that should be a clear favourite? The 3030is are also considered unfussy speakers, which really just means theyll work well with most (budget) amplifiers and wherever in the room you place them. In my 3rd system they come close to my much higher priced . The under-$50 Dayton Audio B652 passive-speaker pair is the ideal complement to an inexpensive mini stereo amplifier or an old receiver youd like to put to good use. For more details, read our blog post about Bluetooth codecs. So whether youre listening to vocals, instruments, or a bit of everything, the Spektor 2s will sound entertaining. As lovely as all this sounds. My space accentuates bass a little bit, which helps balance the rear ported KEFs that may otherwise be light on bass for some people's tastes. Their sound stage is more coherent and interesting to my ear. Triangle Borea BR03BT-LOB All-in-One Bluetooth Speaker and Subwoofer (Pair) LIGHT OAK BLUE Canada Triangle Borea BR03BT-LOB All-in-One Bluetooth Speaker and Subwoofer (Pair) LIGHT OAK BLUE - Wireless Bluetooth Bookshelf Speaker - Borea Active BR03 BT The BR03 BT speakers create a powerful all-in-one Hi-Fi system with multiple features. Triangle Borea BR03 Speakers https://amzn.to/2ybOCwjPrice: $549 (April, 2020), Overall Rating: Pros: Detail Sound, Clean Midrange and Bass . The 607s fill my 4x5.5 easily. Take it with a grain of salt. The KEFs are brighter, more analytical, and I favor them for situations when I intend to listen actively. We focus on education, discussion, and sharing of entry and mid level separate & multi component audio systems. For 299 they are a steal. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Frequency range: 51Hz - 22KHz (+/- 3dB) Power handling: 80W Nominal impedance: 8 Minimum impedance: 3.6 Dimensions: 17.6 cm (~7") W, 31cm (~12.2") H, 27.4cm (~10.8") D Weight: 4.87kg (~10.7 lbs.) Thanks all for the suggestions. Certain sounds like hi-hats and snares are a little softer and arguably more pleasant. This website uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. Matching with an amplifier: Theres too much in this to go through here, but in general, youll want to avoid connecting speakers with a lower impedance (measured in ohms) to an amp with a higher minimum impedance. This website uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. I'm looking to invest in my first set-up with the current sales. They also all have aptX HD Bluetooth. You could adapt any powered stereo speaker system for use with such turntables through the addition of an outboard phono preamp, but thats more money to spend, plus an extra set of cables to connect and an extra power supply to plug in. The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and a spacious sound, and their design and build quality are better than what you get from most speakers in their price range. I demoed the B&W's 607's when I bought my Rega Brio Amp a before lockdown. For now I will be driving both sets by the tiny Loxjie A30 but I aim to build a more robust system around those kef speakers in my living room. They are front ported, which makes placement a little easier for me. Although many inexpensive turntables have a phono preamp or Bluetooth support built in and thus dont need to be connected to powered speakers with a dedicated phono input, higher-quality turntables and older turntables do need a phono inputso its inclusion on the R-51PM makes for a clean, easy setup. The Marantz PM6006 would be an excellent choice have heard that amp with the B&W 607s. Not surprisingly, the ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2 set sounded very similar to the larger B6.2 pair (listed in Other bookshelf speakers we like), just with less bass. It includes bass and treble controls for you to fine-tune the sound to your liking, as well as a remote, a variety of input options, and built-in Bluetooth. For the price, theyre one of the best budget bookshelf speakers out there that they come from a reliable brand is just the cherry on top. Triangle Up-sizes The Sophistication. The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets weve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. Too bad their sales aren'tbut the Q150s are excellent, and thats' a solid price for a pair. . enjoyed reading your thoughts on the different speakers. To our ears, it didnt sound quite as good as the Edifier S1000MKII pair, but our eyes appreciated the R-51PMs more compact form and contemporary look. Would really like to audition the Oberon 5s in the future. technically its discontinued but you can still get your hands on a second hand model.. B&W's generally need a fair amount of space to breathe or they become boomy being rear ported. At a minimum frequency of 46 Hz, Borea BR03 will provide an average bass depth so depending on your use case, you may consider supplementing your system with a subwoofer. With its tone controls centered, the Edifier R1700BTs pair sounded too trebly and thin, and voices sounded coarse and crude. O seu design e componentes so inspirados nos desenvolvimentos tecnolgicos de mais de 40 anos da Triangle Hi-fi e beneficiam das inovaes acsticas desenvolvidas na aclamada srie Triangle Esprit Ez. The system cant pump out low bass, but it doesnt sound thin, eitherand adding a subwoofer is easy, thanks to an analog audio output whose level you control with the HD3s volume knob. They are notable in part because Triangle is not the most prolific of brands when it comes to new speakers. On more mainstream pop recordings in our tests, the 3020i set performed equally impressively, presenting a natural and detailed sound on voices and guitars. The B652 uses spring-clip connectors, not binding posts, to hold the speaker wire. The R-51PM has an unusually versatile set of connection options, including a phono input and an optical digital audio input. If you want smaller active speakers for an office or bedroom where you may not need or want loud volumes and deep bass: Even though the Audioengine HD3 powered speakers measure only 7 inches high, they put out a surprisingly full sound that our listeners liked in previous panel tests. Triangle Borea BR03 are a popular option in the middle of the speakers price range. What is the External Dimensions of Triangle Borea BR02 Were inquiring now about getting these in for a listen. The No. The best entry-level turntables and record players on a budget, Add to your classic car collection with this LEGO Creator Expert Fiat 500 collectible model, Catch em all with this Pokmon Ultra Ball Replica, Get a free subscription to Disney+ when you sign up for Amazon Music Unlimited, This Star Wars smart projector is the droid you are looking for, Take to the skies with the DJI Mavic Mini drone for just $399, Kickstart the party with this Sony wireless speaker, now 20 per cent off. The S1000MKII lacks some features found on competing models, such as the Klipsch R-51PM. The new model appears almost identical but has a nicer remote and adds support for the aptX HD Bluetooth codec, which can deliver somewhat better sound from PCs and Android devices. If for no other reason the KEFs coaxial setup will image better, especially on a desk. While there were no major introductions of new bookshelf speakers at CES 2023, we have found a few current models that we hope to get in for testing. The BR03 offers binding posts to connect the speaker wire. We also recognize that the following may not paint a complete picture of a products supply chain and life-cycle impact. If youre looking for powered speakers that cost less and sound good, check out our best computer speakers guide. We concluded that Fluances Ai41 speakers sounded decent but could use a little more bass; their sound wasnt full enough for us. Just want to know which would sound better for a desktop setup. Use this Slickdeals link to access the $279 sale prices for the BR02 at Adorama as it has links to the different finish options, https://slickdeals.net/f/14642636-triangle-borea-br02-bookshelf-speakers-279-or-brc1-center-speaker-199-free-s-h. DM range out the window, gotchya. A magnetically attached grille is included to protect the speaker drivers. Unfortunately, in our tests this pair had almost no bass and distorted easily. From the very first notes, the BR03 impresses with its energy, delivery of deep notes and power handling. Triangle Borea BR03 A step up in sound quality The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we've heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass. But thank you for the suggestions. The pair I like better depends on my mood and what I'm listening to. You can pair passive bookshelf speakers with a Bluetooth-equipped stereo receiver (such as the Sony STR-DH190) or with a streaming amplifier (such as the Sonos Amp) to get the latest music-streaming technologies, and if you decide to upgrade your system as new technologies arise, the passive speakers will still work fine. In our tests, its treble sounded muted compared with that of the B652; both models had a dip in their treble response around the frequency where the tweeter started working, but with the B652-AIR, the dip was much deeper. The Dayton Audio MK402X looks a little nicer than the B652, but its mid range sounded a little rough, and it didnt have much bass. Curious to hear them in person. In all likelihood KEF will win this poll because KEF spends way more on marketing than Triangle, and the recent discount is fresh on everyone's mind. Can't go wrong with either in my opinion. A better comparison may be the Polk L200 vs the KEF R series bookshelf speaker (3-way design). The build quality on the DBR62 was the most disappointing of the group. They can be a bit bright for some female vocals, making something like Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz sound a bit harsh at times. Frequency response measurements for the BR03 were excellent, with a variation of about 2.5 decibels through most of the audio range and an even balance of bass to mid range to treble. The Polk Audio Monitor 40 Series II doesnt sound as natural as the less-expensive Monitor XT20; high-frequency sounds like cymbals and tape hiss are accentuated, and the bass sounds boomy. I hope to be able to articulate that well someday! The 3020i set sounds more detailed and spacious, but the B6.2 pair plays louder and puts out more bassan average of 7.7 decibels more between 40 and 63 Hzso it might be the better choice for fans of bass-heavy music. 11 AlchemistBleach 2 yr. ago Thanks for the insight. To help narrow it down, weve put together our list of the best budget bookshelf speakers under $500 you can find right now. Nina SimoneMy Baby Just Care for Me BOREA BR03 ,BOREA BR03 Finishes: Light oak, black, walnut, white List Price: $599 Canadian/pair, $449 US/pr. For bookshelf speakers, we asked the manufacturers whether their packaging or products use recycled materials, and whether the packaging and products are recyclable. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The KEFs really shine on songs that are heavily layered, for example Emancipator - Rattlesnakes or The Books - Tokyo. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required as is 20 years of participation in forums (not all true). Particularly for jazz and classical. I intend to use whatever I pick for a long time, so I may in the future use it in the living room of a small apartment in New York, if this should in any way affect my decision making. The Onkyo A-9110 provides 30 W @ 8 Ohm. Adorama has the BR02s for $269 which could and should sway the vote some. I've have a pair of KEF Q300s for the past 10 years and I absolutely adore them. The Pioneer DJ DM-50D-BT is the best-sounding pair of computer speakers weve heard in the $200 price range. Both are similar sounding and both are great. Best were the 607's and the Dali Menuets but they're 850 and I couldn't justify +2x of the 607's. I think the Triangles are 31.5cm deep (though some sites have them deeper. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Youll also want to ensure your speakers can handle the power output (measured in watts) of your amp. And so if you can't demo both, then pick based upon other factors. First and foremost, the 3020i performs beautifully, offering a clear, spacious sound on vocals and instruments thats at least as good as anything weve heard in its price range. The Audioengine HD6 set is a larger version of the HD3 pair (which we describe in Other bookshelf speakers we like), but only one panelist in our previous testing liked the sound. Stylish design and great sound make the Polk Signature Elite ES15, ES10, and ES30 combo our pick for the best surround-sound system. These speakers also had a less attractive finish and were harder to drive than some other models. I have the Triangles, paired with a Topping MX3 for my desktop setup. As I said earlier, this was not a slam-dunk but I do appreciate the differences between the speakers enough to decide to keep them.