Loudspeakers

Focal has a long history of making high-sensitivity floorstanding loudspeakers, some of which break the 90dB barrier to enter the rarefied atmosphere occupied by only the most sensitive direct-radiator designs. The Kanta N^o2 claims to be part of that elite, with a specified sensitivity of 91dB, but that’s not a figure verified by our measurements. Our pink noise figure is 89.3dB, or 89.1dB for a ‘music spectrum’ signal (both 300Hz-20kHz), so 89dB seems a more realistic figure. As we often see with Focal, this is in significant part achieved through low impedance. Focal’s nominal figure of 8ohm sits uneasily with its specified minimum of 3.1ohm, and we actually measured slightly lower – 2.9ohm at 108Hz. Together with a large low frequency impedance phase angle, the low modulus contrives to reduce the minimum EPDR (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to an extremely challenging 1.1ohm at 86Hz, so the Kanta N^o2 demands an amplifier capable of delivering high current.

Forward frequency responses for the review pair, measured at 1m on the tweeter axis indicate a mild presence band dip and the treble ripples we’ve come to expect from recent new Focal models [see Graph 1]. Response errors are modest at ±3.1dB and ±3.5dB respectively; pair matching over the same 300Hz-20kHz frequency range is good at ±0.9dB and but for a narrow-band disparity between 4kHz and 5kHz would be ±0.7dB. Diffraction-corrected nearfield measurement shows bass extension to be 41Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz). The cumulative spectral decay waterfall [Graph 2] confirms that the treble response ripples are associated with a series of resonances, possibly modes associated with the flax/glass fibre mid driver. KH

Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83Vrms – Mean/IEC/Music): 89.2dB / 89.3dB / 89.1dB
Impedance modulus min/max (20Hz–20kHz): 2.9ohm @ 108Hz / 50.8ohm @ 26Hz
Impedance phase min/max (20Hz–20kHz): –74° @ 64Hz / 49° @ 21Hz
Pair matching/Response Error (300Hz–20kHz): ±0.9dB / ±3.1dB / ±3.5dB
LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz): 41Hz / >40kHz / >40kHz
THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m): 0.1% / 0.2% / 0.1%
Dimensions (HWD): 1118x321x477mm
Price: £6999