In this review, we will be comparing Kanta Center and Revel C426Be, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Focal and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta Center and Revel C426Be 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 )
Revel C426Be Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter
- 5-1/4" Midrange
- 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer
- 5-1/4" Midrange
- 38-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:33.05kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 313.0" x 38-5/8" x 14-1/16"( 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm )
What size room are the Focal Kanta Center and Revel C426Be 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 |
Revel C426Be |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 Revel C426Be 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kanta Center is a 2-way design whereas the Revel C426Be is a 3-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.
| Driver |
Focal Kanta Center |
Revel C426Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-1/4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 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 Revel C426Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter , a 5-1/4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer .
Frequency Response
Kanta Center has a frequency range of 55-44k Hz whereas Revel C426Be has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Revel C426Be 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 Revel C426Be 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 Revel C426Be's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta Center a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel C426Be, 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 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Kanta Center has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Revel C426Be.
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 Revel C426Be has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta Center's Binding post terminals
Revel C426Be's Binding post terminals
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 Revel C426Be'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 Revel C426Be has external dimensions of 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm ( 12-5/16 x 38-5/8 x 14-1/16inch) .
Focal Kanta Center is 420mm narrower and 66mm shorter than Revel C426Be but it is also 36mm deeper.
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 Revel C426Be is approximately 3515.6cm2 / 544.9inch2. The Kanta Center requires 37% less surface area than the Revel C426Be which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.