In this review, we will be comparing Aria 948 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria 948 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria 948 | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.25" Flax | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37-28k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-350 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.00kg / 77lbs | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"
1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria 948 and Polk R700 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Focal Aria 948 |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both Aria 948 and R700 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Aria 948Polk R700
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Aria 948 |
Polk R700 |
|
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
|
2 x 8-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 R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Aria 948 can go slightly deeper then the R700's min frequency of 38Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Aria 948 and R700 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 R700's is at 88 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Aria 948 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas R700 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria 948.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 948 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk R700 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 Polk R700'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 Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Polk R700 is 51.3mm narrower and 6.2mm shorter than Focal Aria 948 but it is also 7.3mm deeper.
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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The Aria 948 requires 14% more surface area than the R700 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs. This makes the R700 3% heavier than the Aria 948.
Here is a comparison of how Aria 948 and R700'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 loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
2.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1143mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1373cm2
vs
1566cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Aria 948 |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.5 ohms |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37-28k Hz |
38-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
1143.8mm (45") |
| Width |
372.0mm (14.6") |
320.7mm (12.6") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
428.3mm (16.9") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Aria 948 costs roughly 3x what Polk R700 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (37Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Aria 948 is more sensitive (93dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Polk R700: bi-amping. Polk R700 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk R700 is cheaper - $2,198 against $6,598, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Aria 948 B Polk R700
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Aria 948 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal Aria 948 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.