Focal Theva No 3 Review

• FOLLOW THE SPEEDY’S EXAMPLE
• MEASUREMENT LAB
• Specs
• Verdict

The French loudspeaker manufacturer Focal is known above all for particularly elaborate, perfectly handcrafted transducers with exotic materials. Just think of the beryllium dome of the Utopia series. However, many of the treasures from Saint-Étienne are so costly due to this effort that most readers can only participate in the exclusive pleasure when studying this or other magazines. Such circumstances also exist with mechanical wristwatches.

Obviously, the clever minds in the marketing of the Swiss watchmaker Omega saw great potential beyond those who can—or want to—afford a watch for several thousand dollars for their Speedmaster Professional, elevated to an icon among chronographs by celebrating the moon landing over decades: After all, with most of the countless derivatives of the moon watch that have emerged over the years, you don’t even get an automatic movement.

Through the surprising coup with the lifestyle brand Swatch, the trendsetters from Switzerland were able to kill two birds with one stone. With the Omega x Swatch, the icon from the sixties not only achieved a massive price drop. The Speedy also made the leap directly from the old-fashioned hand-wound movement to quartz.

The technological leap with the new Theva series from Focal was not quite as big. And the new entry-level series from the French also remained passive and thus without modern DSP technology. However, the comparatively low price of the Omega-Swatch is also not due solely to the technology installed in it. Of course, especially with a floor-standing speaker about one meter high, savings can also be made on the cabinet.

• 7Review earns Amazon affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases.

FOLLOW THE SPEEDY’S EXAMPLE

Where Swatch relies on a mix of ceramic and bioplastic in the reincarnation of the Speedmaster, Focal was obviously able to save costs through comparatively simple shaping and plain foil veneer. After all, the 20-kilogram floor-standing speaker Theva N°3 remains as the top model of the series at just under $1000 per pair. That may still be quite a lot of money for someone who is currently digesting their last utility bill or even saving for a new heater. But for Focal standards, it’s almost a gift. After all, one must not forget that the French don’t want to fob off HiFi beginners with cheap compromises. It is quite obvious that they were keen to nurture the next generation with this 3-way box, who may one day also purchase a large Focal.

To achieve this, the designers rely on proven and, at the same time, exceptionally high-quality ingredients in this class. And those who know Focal recipes with locally sourced ingredients know that in this tradition-conscious house they would no more do without the legendary inverted dome than omit the Chardonnay component in a champagne. However, the 2.5 cm dome of the TNF tweeter is not made of beryllium as in the upper class. But it is also manufactured in France, and with an aluminum-magnesium alloy, Focal found a stiff yet lightweight material.

For low distortions, the designers use, as in the Utopia series, a PU foam suspension made of Poron. Three 16.5 cm cone drivers with multi-layered Slatefiber membranes made from recycled carbon fibers support the TNF inverted dome below 2.8 kHz. The uppermost of the 6.5-inch drivers is supported below 270 Hz by the two others, whose membranes are designed for high internal damping.

That Focal paid attention to time alignment in the design was evident in the listening test. The N°3 not only shone with its brand-typical homogeneity, which fully follows the example of the naturally tuned large series. It was downright astonishing with a razor-sharp focus, quite unique in this class, and a stable and spacious, especially high, imaging. But the feeling of spatial depth was also contributed by the high transparency and enormous fine resolution. Thus, one could enjoy spatial elements and the decay of tones in live recordings. The deep, rich, and clean bass provided the necessary drive for the great performance.

MEASUREMENT LAB

3-way floor-standing speaker with rear bass reflex port; crossover frequencies 270/2700 Hz. Frequency response: tonally balanced, slight emphasis at 120 Hz, slight resonance-induced boost in the highest highs. Relatively quiet deep bass (lower cutoff frequency -3/-6 dB: 48/41 Hz). Very wide and homogeneous radiation pattern, especially horizontal (blue, 30 degrees sideways). Slight boost of the mids 10 degrees above the center axis (green). Excellent transient response, no delayed decay in the entire audible range. Frequency response and distortion in the room: Broadband distortion-free up to 90 dB_SPL, slightly increased above, especially around 2 kHz, above-average low-distortion bass. High maximum level of 105 dB_SPL. Relatively high efficiency of 85 dB (2 V/1m) – 30 W/4 Ω is sufficient for 100 dB_SPL. When exploring the maximum level, the Focal demands up to 125 W from the amplifier (based on 2.9 Ω minimum impedance at 120 Hz). Audio Score 5.9 out of 10

Specs

• Website: focal.com
• Price: 2,000 Euros (~$2,180 USD)
• Warranty: 2 years
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 21.2 x 98.9 x 38.8 cm
• Weight: 20 kg
• Finish: Foil
• Colors: Black, dark wood, light
• Design Principle: 3-way bass reflex
• Room Adaptation: No
• Special Features: Aluminum-magnesium inverted dome tweeter

Verdict

This mix of neutrality and playfulness is really enjoyable. Although the largest floor-standing speakers of the new entry-level series with their foil veneers hardly differ from other inexpensive boxes. But certain ambitions can be recognized in the drivers, which provided evidence for the flawless listening experience. With dynamics and, for its class, deep, precise bass, the N°3 ensures widespread promotion for newcomers.

Audiogram (Review Summary):

• Pros:

  • Naturally tuned with clean bass reproduction, very punchy

• Cons:

  • Only available with foil veneer

Evaluation:

• Neutrality (2x weight): 90 → 9/10
• Detail Accuracy (2x weight): 90 → 9/10
• Localization (Sound Positioning): 90 → 9/10
• Spatiality: 95 → 9.5/10
• Microdynamics: 90 → 9/10
• Maximum Volume: 90 → 9/10
• Bass Quality: 80 → 8/10
• Bass Depth: 70 → 7/10
• Build Quality: Very good → 9/10

Final Score:

• Sound Rating: 88 points → 8.8/10
• Price/Performance: Outstanding

When you purchase through links on our site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

$1,199.00

in stock

View

Audio Advice

$1,549.00 $1,899.95

in stock

View

Walmart.com