In this review, we will be comparing Chora 816 and Theva No2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 816 and Focal Theva No2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Chora 816 | Focal Theva No2 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Slatefiber | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-28k Hz | 53-28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.50kg / 40.7lbs | 16.82kg / 37lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-5/8" x 12" x 15-7/8"
1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm | 36-5/8" x 7-1/2" x 13-7/8"
931.0 x 191.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Chora 816 and Focal Theva No2 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 816 |
Focal Theva No2 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Chora 816 is a 3-way design whereas the Theva No2 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Focal Chora 816Focal Theva No2
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 Chora 816 |
Focal Theva No2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Chora 816 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Theva No2 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280 Hz - 2900 Hz.
Frequency Response
Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Theva No2 has a frequency range of 53-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Chora 816 can go slightly deeper then the Theva No2's min frequency of 53Hz.
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
Chora 816 and Theva No2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 816 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Theva No2's is at 90 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.
Chora 816 and Theva No2 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 816 features Binding post type posts and Theva No2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Theva No2's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Chora 816 has a front firing port whereas Theva No2 has a rear firing ports. Focal Chora 816's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Theva No2 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 Chora 816's and Focal Theva No2's external dimensions. Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm (39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch) whereas Focal Theva No2 has external dimensions of 931.0 x 191.0 x 353.0mm (365/8 x 71/2 x 137/8).
Focal Chora 816 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 114mm wider, 76mm taller and 51mm deeper than Focal Theva No2.
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 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the Focal Theva No2 is approximately 674.2cm2 / 104.5inch2. The Chora 816 requires 83% more surface area than the Theva No2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 816 weighs 18.50kg / 40.7lbs and the Focal Theva No2 weighs 16.82kg / 37lbs. This makes the Chora 816 10% heavier than the Theva No2.
Here is a comparison of how Chora 816 and Theva No2'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 Chora 816?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora 816:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Grille
- User manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1007mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
674cm2
vs
1232cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Chora 816 |
Focal Theva No2 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-28k Hz |
53-28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Slatefiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
280 Hz - 2900 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
931.0mm (36.7") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
404.0mm (15.9") |
353.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
18.50kg (40.7lbs) |
16.82kg (37lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
Black High Gloss,Dark Wood,Light Wood |
| 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 |
Both are Focal, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
Focal Chora 816 digs deeper - 50Hz against 53Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size |
depends |
Focal Theva No2 is easier to place; Focal Chora 816 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($1,798 vs $1,798 a pair). |
A Focal Chora 816
B Focal Theva No2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Focal Chora 816 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Chora 816 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Focal Theva No2 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.