In this review, we will be comparing Aria Evo X No4 and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria Evo X No4 and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria Evo X No4 | Focal Aria 948 |
|---|
| 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 | 2 x 6.5" Flax | 2 x 8.25" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37-30kHz | 37-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.5 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-350 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.00kg / 77lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16.5"
115 x 37.1 x 42 cm | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"
1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria Evo X No4 and Focal Aria 948 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 No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Aria Evo X No4 and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Aria Evo X No4Focal Aria 948
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 No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
|
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 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Aria Evo X No4 has a frequency range of 37-30kHz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz.
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 No4 and Aria 948 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 93 dB.
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 350 watts RMS, though Aria Evo X No4 is rated 40-350 watts and Aria 948 50-350 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
Aria Evo X No4 features Binding post type posts and Aria 948 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria Evo X No4's Binding post terminals
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 No4's and Focal Aria 948's external dimensions. Focal Aria Evo X No4 has external dimensions of 115 x 37.1 x 42 cm (45-¼ x 14-⅝ x 16-½) whereas 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).
Focal Aria Evo X No4 is 1mm narrower and 1mm less deeper than Focal Aria Evo X No4 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 No4 is approximately 1558.2cm2 / 241.5inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Aria Evo X No4 requires 1% less surface area than the Aria 948 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 No4 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs.
Here is a comparison of how Aria Evo X No4 and Aria 948'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 come with the Aria 948:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1558cm2
vs
1566cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5998USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Focal Aria Evo X No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-350 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.5 ohms |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37-30kHz |
37-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
TMD |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280 Hz - 2600 Hz |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
371.0mm (14.6") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Prime Walnut, Moss Green High Gloss |
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 |
A generation apart: Focal Aria Evo X No4 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (37Hz vs 37Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (93dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,998 vs $6,598 a pair). |
A Focal Aria Evo X No4 B Focal Aria 948
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.
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.