In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Focal. Focal Kanta No.1 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Kanta Center is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.1 and Focal Kanta Center first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.1 | Focal Kanta Center |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 1.1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 2 x 6.5" flax cone with TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) suspension |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-40k Hz | 55-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.05kg / 28.7lbs | 18.00kg / 39.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 24-28" x 9-1/4" x 15-7/16"
609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm | 9-11/16" x 22-1/8" x 15-1/2"
247.0 x 562.0 x 394.0mm |
|---|
Kanta No.1 and Kanta Center 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 No.1 and Focal Kanta Center 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 No.1 |
Focal Kanta Center |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Kanta No.1 and Kanta Center are 2-way speakers.
Focal Kanta No.1Focal Kanta Center
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 Kanta No.1 |
Focal Kanta Center |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Kanta No.1 features a 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.1 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz whereas Kanta Center has a frequency range of 55-44k 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.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Kanta No.1 and Kanta Center have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kanta No.1 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Kanta Center's is at 92 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
Bookshelf 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.
Kanta Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Kanta No.1 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Kanta Center.
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
Kanta No.1 features Binding post type posts and Kanta Center has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta No.1's Binding post terminals
Focal Kanta Center's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Kanta No.1 and Kanta Center 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
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 Kanta No.1's and Focal Kanta Center's external dimensions. 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) whereas 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).
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 No.1 is approximately 898.4cm2 / 139.3inch2 and base area of the Focal Kanta Center is approximately 2214.3cm2 / 343.2inch2. The Kanta No.1 requires 59% less surface area than the Kanta Center which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta No.1:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Port plug
- 4 Slicone pads
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta Center?
Here are the items that come with the Kanta Center:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Slicone pads
- User Manual