In this review, we will be comparing Aria 948 and Aria 936, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria 948 and Focal Aria 936 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Aria 948 and Aria 936 are members of Focal's Aria series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Aria Series History
What size room are the Focal Aria 948 and Focal Aria 936 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Aria 948 and Focal Aria 936 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Aria 948 and Aria 936 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Aria 948 |
Focal Aria 936 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz. On the other hand, the Aria 936 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260Hz and 3,100Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz whereas Aria 936 has a frequency range of 39-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Aria 948 can go slightly deeper then the Aria 936's min frequency of 39Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Aria 948 and Aria 936 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria 948 sensitivity is rated at 92.5 dB and the Aria 936's is at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Aria 936, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Aria 948 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Aria 936 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria 948.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Aria 948 features Binding post type posts and Aria 936 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Aria 948's and Focal Aria 936's external dimensions. Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch) whereas Focal Aria 936 has external dimensions of 1148.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm ( 45-3/16 x 11-9/16 x 14-11/16inch) .
Focal Aria 948 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 78mm wider, 2mm taller and 47mm deeper than Focal Aria 936.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 936 is approximately 1099.6cm2 / 170.4inch2. The Aria 948 requires 42% more surface area than the Aria 936 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the Focal Aria 936 weighs 29.09kg / 64lbs. This makes the Aria 948 20% heavier than the Aria 936.
Here is a comparison of how Aria 948 and Aria 936's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 948?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria 948:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleBase4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)4 Plastic feet4 ScrewsAllen-keyHex-toolUser Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 936?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 936:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleBase4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)4 Plastic feet4 ScrewsAllen-keyHex-toolUser Manual
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Minimum Impedance |
2.8 ohms
vs
2.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1148mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1099cm2 (294x374mm)
vs
1566cm2 (372x421mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5998USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Aria 948 |
Focal Aria 936 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.5 ohms |
2.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37-28k Hz |
39-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
260Hz and 3,100Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
1148.0mm (45.2") |
| Width |
372.0mm (14.6") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
29.09kg (64lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |