In this review, we will be comparing Aria Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria Evo X No3 and Focal Aria Evo X No4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria Evo X No3 | Focal Aria Evo X No4 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Flax | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-30kHz | 37-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-300 watts | 40-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 29.00kg / 63.8lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/4" x 11-5/8" x 14-5/8"
1150.0 x 295.0 x 371.0mm | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16.5"
115 x 37.1 x 42 cm |
|---|
Aria Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4 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 No3 and Focal Aria Evo X No4 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 No3 |
Focal Aria Evo X No4 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Aria Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Aria Evo X No3Focal Aria Evo X No4
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 Evo X No3 |
Focal Aria Evo X No4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria Evo X No3 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260 Hz - 3100 Hz. On the other hand, the Aria Evo X No4 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280 Hz - 2600 Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria Evo X No3 has a frequency range of 39-30kHz whereas Aria Evo X No4 has a frequency range of 37-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Aria Evo X No4 can go slightly deeper then the Aria Evo X No3's min frequency of 39Hz.
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 Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria Evo X No3 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Aria Evo X No4's is at 92.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria Evo X No4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Aria Evo X No3, 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 Evo X No4 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Aria Evo X No3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria Evo X No4.
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
Aria Evo X No3 features Binding post type posts and Aria Evo X No4 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria Evo X No3's Binding post terminals
Focal Aria Evo X No4's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Aria Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 No3's and Focal Aria Evo X No4's external dimensions. Focal Aria Evo X No3 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 295.0 x 371.0mm (45-¼ x 11-5/8 x 14-⅝) whereas Focal Aria Evo X No4 has external dimensions of 115 x 37.1 x 42 cm (45-¼ x 14-⅝ x 16-½).
Focal Aria Evo X No3 is 76mm narrower and 49mm less deeper than Focal Aria Evo X No3 but they have the same height of 1150.0mm.
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 No3 is approximately 1094.5cm2 / 169.6inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria Evo X No4 is approximately 1558.2cm2 / 241.5inch2. The Aria Evo X No3 requires 30% less surface area than the Aria Evo X No4 which gives it a small advantage 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 Evo X No3 weighs 29.00kg / 63.8lbs and the Focal Aria Evo X No4 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Aria Evo X No4 21% heavier than the Aria Evo X No3.
Here is a comparison of how Aria Evo X No3 and Aria Evo X No4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
1094cm2
vs
1558cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5198USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 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 |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Aria Evo X No3 |
Focal Aria Evo X No4 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
40-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.8 ohms |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-30kHz |
37-30kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
TMD |
TMD |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
260 Hz - 3100 Hz |
280 Hz - 2600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
295.0mm (11.6") |
371.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
371.0mm (14.6") |
420.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
29.00kg (63.8lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Prime Walnut, Moss Green High Gloss |
Black High Gloss, Prime Walnut, Moss Green High Gloss |
| 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 |
Siblings in Focal's Aria Evo X series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (39Hz vs 37Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | Focal Aria Evo X No3 is easier to place; Focal Aria Evo X No4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Focal Aria Evo X No3 is cheaper - $5,198 against $5,998, about 13% less. |
A Focal Aria Evo X No3 B Focal Aria Evo X No4
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. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Aria Evo X No4 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Focal Aria Evo X No3 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.