In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Kanta No.1 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Kanta No.3 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.1 and Focal Kanta No.3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
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 )
Focal Kanta No.3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Flax Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 33-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-400watts
- Weight:46.09kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1280.0" x 15-3/16" x 20-1/2"( 1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm )
Kanta No.1 and Kanta No.3 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 No.3 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 No.3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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 No.1 and Focal Kanta No.3 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kanta No.1 is a 2-way design whereas the Kanta No.3 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 No.1 |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-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 No.3 features a 1.1" IAL3 Beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz - 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.1 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz whereas Kanta No.3 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Kanta No.3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Kanta No.1's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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 No.1 and Kanta No.3 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 No.3's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta No.3 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. 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 No.1 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Kanta No.1 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 250 watts less than the Kanta No.3.
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 No.1 features Binding post type posts and Kanta No.3 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta No.1's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Kanta No.1 has a rear firing port whereas Kanta No.3 has a Front firing ports.
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 No.1's and Focal Kanta No.3'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 No.3 has external dimensions of 1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm ( 50-3/8inch x 15-3/16inch x 20-1/2inch ) .
Focal Kanta No.3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 157.4mm wider, 670.4mm taller and 128mm deeper than Focal Kanta No.1.
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 No.3 is approximately 2011.1cm2 / 311.7inch2. The Kanta No.1 requires 55% less surface area than the Kanta No.3 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 loudspeakerGrillePort plug4 Slicone padsUser Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.3?
Here are the items that come with the Kanta No.3:
Floorstanding loudspeakerLarge grilleSmall grilleOutrigger feet4 Spikes4 Protective discsUser Manual
Minimum Impedance 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size