In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Aria CC 900 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Aria 906 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria CC 900 and Focal Aria 906 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Aria CC 900 and Aria 906 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 CC 900 and Focal Aria 906 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 CC 900 and Focal Aria 906 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 CC 900 and Aria 906 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
Focal Aria 906 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria CC 900 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" flax/fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Aria 906 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium Inverted Hard Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria CC 900 has a frequency range of 57-28k Hz whereas Aria 906 has a frequency range of 55-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Aria 906 can go slightly deeper then the Aria CC 900's min frequency of 57Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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 CC 900 and Aria 906 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria CC 900 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Aria 906's is at 89.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria CC 900 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Aria 906, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 CC 900 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Aria 906 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Aria CC 900.
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 CC 900 features Binding post type posts and Aria 906 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria 906's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Aria CC 900 and Aria 906 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 CC 900's and Focal Aria 906's external dimensions. Focal Aria CC 900 has external dimensions of 202.0 x 532.0 x 285.0mm ( 7-15/16 x 20-15/16 x 11-3/16inch) whereas Focal Aria 906 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 228.0 x 288.0mm ( 15-3/8 x 8-15/16 x 11-5/16inch) .
Focal Aria CC 900 is 189mm shorter and 3mm less deeper than Focal Aria 906 but it is also 304mm wider.
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 CC 900 is approximately 1516.2cm2 / 235.0inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 906 is approximately 656.6cm2 / 101.8inch2. The Aria CC 900 requires 131% more surface area than the Aria 906 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Focal Aria CC 900?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria CC 900:
Center-channel loudspeaker Grille 4 Rubber feet User Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 906?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 906:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Cloth grilles User manual