In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Kanta Center is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Kanta No.1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta Center and Focal Kanta No.1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Kanta Center Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" flax cone with TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) suspension Woofer
- 55-44k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:18.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 247.0" x 22-1/8" x 15-1/2"( 247.0 x 562.0 x 394.0mm )
Focal Kanta No.1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Flax Woofer
- 46-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:13.05kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 609.6" x 9-1/4" x 15-7/16"( 609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm )
Kanta Center and Kanta No.1 are members of Focal's Kanta series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Kanta Series History
What size room are the Focal Kanta Center and Focal Kanta No.1 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 Kanta Center |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Kanta Center and Focal Kanta No.1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Kanta Center and Kanta No.1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Kanta Center |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Kanta Center features a 1.1" IAL3 Beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" flax cone with TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) suspension Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the Kanta No.1 features a 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz.
Frequency Response
Kanta Center has a frequency range of 55-44k Hz whereas Kanta No.1 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Kanta No.1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Kanta Center's min frequency of 55Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Kanta Center and Kanta No.1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kanta Center sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Kanta No.1's is at 88 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta Center a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Kanta No.1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Kanta Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Kanta No.1 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Kanta Center.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Kanta Center features Binding post type posts and Kanta No.1 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta Center's Binding post terminals
Focal Kanta No.1's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Kanta Center and Kanta No.1 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Kanta Center's and Focal Kanta No.1's external dimensions. Focal Kanta Center has external dimensions of 247.0 x 562.0 x 394.0mm ( 9-11/16inch x 22-1/8inch x 15-1/2inch ) whereas Focal Kanta No.1 has external dimensions of 609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm ( 24-28inch x 9-1/4inch x 15-7/16inch ) .
Focal Kanta No.1 is 333.4mm narrower and 1mm less deeper than Focal Kanta Center but it is also 362.6mm 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 Kanta Center is approximately 2214.3cm2 / 343.2inch2 and base area of the Focal Kanta No.1 is approximately 898.4cm2 / 139.3inch2. The Kanta Center requires 146% more surface area than the Kanta No.1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta Center?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta Center:
Center-channel loudspeaker2 Grilles4 Slicone padsUser Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.1?
Here are the items that come with the Kanta No.1:
Bookshelf loudspeakerGrillePort plug4 Slicone padsUser Manual
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
High Frequency Response 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Minimum Impedance 
Base Surface Area