To Diego Estan,
Congratulations for your excellent and detailed review of the Triangle Borea BR08 loudspeakers. I intend to buy a pair and am soliciting your help regarding a matching amp choice. My current amplification is an old Jadis JPL preamp and JA80 power amp. Do they fit?
Please suggest other amp models. Thanks in advance for your kind assistance.
Regards,
Didier
Madagascar
Normally, I would answer this question with a reference to our National Research Council (NRC) speaker measurements, which we produce in their anechoic chamber in Ottawa, Canada. Unfortunately, just before we were ready to measure the BR08, the pandemic hit, and the NRC has not yet returned to normal operations. Both BR08s are still with me, and we are planning on measuring them once the NRC opens up.
All I have to go with now is Triangle’s specs (92dB sensitivity, and 8-ohm nominal and 3-ohm minimum impedance), and my own experience driving the BR08s with an integrated amp of modest power, the NAD C 316BEE in my small-to-medium-sized room. The NAD is rated to deliver 40Wpc into 8 or 4 ohms. If I had access to our measurements, I could tell you at what frequency (or range of frequencies) the BR08 dips down to 3 ohms. I can tell you with confidence, however, that the small NAD had no trouble driving the BR08s to ear-splitting levels in my room, and that included thunderous bass. I would say that most solid-state amps, rated at 40 or 50Wpc and up and capable of driving a 4-ohm load, would work great with the BR08s in a small- or medium-sized room. The possibilities for amps are endless.
With respect to your JA80 tubed power amp, according to the Jadis website, the amp’s output transformer “allows an adaptation of impedance from 1 to 16 ohms.” In addition, your amp is rated at up to 90Wpc, likely into 8 or 4 ohms. I’d say that if you like your amp, you should be absolutely fine using it with the BR08s. If the BR08s are more sensitive than the speakers you have right now, you may find you notice a higher noise floor with the BR08s, but this really depends on how quiet your Jadis combo is, of which I have no experience with.
Enjoy the BR08s -- they are great speakers and represent tremendous value. . . . Diego Estan
