In this review, we will be comparing Chora 826-D and Chora 816, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 826-D and Focal Chora 816 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Chora 826-D | Focal Chora 816 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 6.5" Slatefiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-28k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.20kg / 48.8lbs | 18.50kg / 40.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-7/16" x 12" x 16-1/2"
1053.0 x 305.0 x 420.0mm | 39-5/8" x 12" x 15-7/8"
1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm |
|---|
Chora 826-D and Chora 816 are members of Focal's Chora series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Chora Series
History
What size room are the Focal Chora 826-D and Focal Chora 816 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 826-D |
Focal Chora 816 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Chora 826-D and Chora 816 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Chora 826-DFocal Chora 816
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 826-D |
Focal Chora 816 |
|
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
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Chora 826-D 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 270Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Chora 826-D has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz whereas Chora 816 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the Chora 826-D can go slightly deeper then the Chora 816's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 826-D and Chora 816 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 826-D sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Chora 816's is at 89.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 826-D a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Chora 816, 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.
Chora 826-D can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Chora 816 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Chora 826-D.
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 826-D features Binding post type posts and Chora 816 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Chora 826-D's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Chora 826-D and Chora 816 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 Chora 826-D's and Focal Chora 816's external dimensions. Focal Chora 826-D has external dimensions of 1053.0 x 305.0 x 420.0mm (41-7/16 x 12 x 16-1/2inch) whereas Focal Chora 816 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 305.0 x 404.0mm (39-5/8 x 12 x 15-7/8inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Chora 826-D and Focal Chora 816 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Chora 826-D and Focal Chora 816 Size and External Dimensions
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 826-D is approximately 1281.0cm2 / 198.6inch2 and base area of the Focal Chora 816 is approximately 1232.2cm2 / 191.0inch2. The Chora 826-D requires 4% more surface area than the Chora 816 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 826-D weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs and the Focal Chora 816 weighs 18.50kg / 40.7lbs. This makes the Chora 826-D 20% heavier than the Chora 816.
Here is a comparison of how Chora 826-D and Chora 816'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 826-D?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora 826-D:
- Dolby-Atmos enabled floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- 2 Grilles
- User manual
What's in the Box of Focal Chora 816?
Here are the items that come with the Chora 816:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Grille
- User manual
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in 1 x 5-1/8
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
2.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1053mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1232cm2
vs
1281cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1798USD
vs
2998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Chora 826-D |
Focal Chora 816 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-28k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| 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 |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1053.0mm (41.5") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
18.50kg (40.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
MDF/Vinyl-wrap |
| Available Colors |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
Black, 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 |
Siblings in Focal's Chora 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 (48Hz vs 50Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
Focal Chora 826-D takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
A |
Focal Chora 826-D: Atmos drivers. |
| Price |
B |
Focal Chora 816 is cheaper - $1,798 against $2,998, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Chora 826-D
B Focal Chora 816
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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Chora 826-D measures better, Focal Chora 816 costs about 40% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Chora 826-D the better fit for a very large room, and Focal Chora 816 for a mid-size room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,200 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.