In this review, we will be comparing Chora Center and Aria CC 900, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora Center and Focal Aria CC 900 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Chora Center | Focal Aria CC 900 |
|---|
| 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" Slatefiber | 2 x 6.5" flax/fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 59-28k Hz | 57-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.91kg / 19.6lbs | 10.45kg / 23lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-5/16" x 20-7/8" x 10-11/16"
212.0 x 531.0 x 272.0mm | 7-15/16" x 20-15/16" x 11-3/16"
202.0 x 532.0 x 285.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Chora Center and Focal Aria CC 900 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 Chora Center |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Chora Center and Aria CC 900 are 2-way speakers.
Focal Chora CenterFocal Aria CC 900
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 Chora Center |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Chora Center features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Chora Center has a frequency range of 59-28k Hz whereas Aria CC 900 has a frequency range of 57-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 57Hz, the Aria CC 900 can go slightly deeper then the Chora Center's min frequency of 59Hz.
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
Chora Center and Aria CC 900 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
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.
Chora Center and Aria CC 900 have the same power range of 40-200 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
Chora Center features Binding post type posts and Aria CC 900 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Chora Center'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 Chora Center's and Focal Aria CC 900's external dimensions. Focal Chora Center has external dimensions of 212.0 x 531.0 x 272.0mm (8-5/16 x 20-7/8 x 10-11/16inch) whereas 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).
Focal Chora Center is 1mm narrower and 13mm less deeper than Focal Aria CC 900 but it is also 10mm taller.
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 Chora Center is approximately 1444.3cm2 / 223.9inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria CC 900 is approximately 1516.2cm2 / 235.0inch2. The Chora Center requires 5% less surface area than the Aria CC 900 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 Chora Center weighs 8.91kg / 19.6lbs and the Focal Aria CC 900 weighs 10.45kg / 23lbs. This makes the Aria CC 900 17% heavier than the Chora Center.
Here is a comparison of how Chora Center and Aria CC 900's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Chora Center?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora Center:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles
- Rubber foot
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber pads
- User manual
What's in the Box of Focal Aria CC 900?
Here are the items that come with the Aria CC 900:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- User Manual
 Base Surface Area |
1444cm2
vs
1516cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
789USD
vs
1099USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.3 ohms
vs
3.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
57 Hz
vs
59 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
202mm
vs
212mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Focal Chora Center |
Focal Aria CC 900 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
4.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
59-28k Hz |
57-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
flax/fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
212.0mm (8.3") |
202.0mm (8") |
| Width |
531.0mm (20.9") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Depth |
272.0mm (10.7") |
285.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
8.91kg (19.6lbs) |
10.45kg (23lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Oak |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Focal Chora Center 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 (59Hz vs 57Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | A | Focal Chora Center is cheaper - $789 against $1,099, about 28% less. |
A Focal Chora Center B Focal Aria CC 900
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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $310 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.