In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Focal. Focal Aria Evo X Center is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Aria Evo X No1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria Evo X C and Focal Aria Evo X No1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria Evo X C | Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Flax | 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-30kHz | 55-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.50kg / 23.1lbs | 8.50kg / 18.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-7/8" x 21" x 10"
20 x 53.3 x 24.5 cm | 15-3/8" x 8-7/8" x 11"
391.0 x 225.0 x 280.0mm |
|---|
Aria Evo X Center and Aria Evo X No1 are members of Focal's Aria Evo X series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Aria Evo X Series
History
What size room are the Focal Aria Evo X C and Focal Aria Evo X No1 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 Evo X C |
Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 Evo X Center and Aria Evo X No1 are 2-way speakers.
Focal Aria Evo X CFocal Aria Evo X No1
TweeterWoofer
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 Evo X C |
Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria Evo X Center features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 Hz. On the other hand, the Aria Evo X No1 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria Evo X Center has a frequency range of 57-30kHz whereas Aria Evo X No1 has a frequency range of 55-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Aria Evo X No1 can go slightly deeper then the Aria Evo X Center's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 Evo X Center and Aria Evo X No1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria Evo X Center sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Aria Evo X No1's is at 89.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria Evo X C a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Aria Evo X No1, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though Aria Evo X Center is rated 40-120 watts and Aria Evo X No1 25-120 watts.
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
Both Aria Evo X Center and Aria Evo X No1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Focal Aria Evo X C's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Aria Evo X Center has a rear firing port whereas Aria Evo X No1 has a front firing ports. Focal Aria Evo X No1's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Aria Evo X C with its rear-firing 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 Evo X C's and Focal Aria Evo X No1's external dimensions. Focal Aria Evo X C has external dimensions of 20 x 53.3 x 24.5 cm (7-7/8 x 21 x 9-5/8) whereas Focal Aria Evo X No1 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 225.0 x 280.0mm (15-3/8 x 8-⅞ x 11).
Focal Aria Evo X C is 191mm shorter and 35mm less deeper than Focal Aria Evo X No1 but it is also 308mm 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 Evo X C is approximately 1305.9cm2 / 202.4inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria Evo X No1 is approximately 630.0cm2 / 97.7inch2. The Aria Evo X Center requires 107% more surface area than the Aria Evo X No1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.