In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.1 and M126Be, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.1 and Revel M126Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.1 | Revel M126Be |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 6.5" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-40k Hz | 54-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 50-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.05kg / 28.7lbs | 10.00kg / 22lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 24-28" x 9-1/4" x 15-7/16"
609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm | 15-1/4" x 8-5/16" x 10-5/16"
388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Kanta No.1 and Revel M126Be 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 |
Revel M126Be |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Kanta No.1 and M126Be are 2-way speakers.
Focal Kanta No.1Revel M126Be
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 |
Revel M126Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 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 M126Be features a 1" beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.1 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz whereas M126Be has a frequency range of 54-44k 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 M126Be's min frequency of 54Hz.
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 M126Be 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 M126Be's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta No.1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel M126Be, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Kanta No.1 is rated 25-150 watts and M126Be 50-150 watts.
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 M126Be 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
Both Kanta No.1 and M126Be 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 Revel M126Be'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 Revel M126Be has external dimensions of 388.0 x 212.0 x 262.0mm (15-1/4 x 8-5/16 x 10-5/16inch).
Focal Kanta No.1 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16.6mm wider, 221.6mm taller and 131mm deeper than Revel M126Be.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Kanta No.1 and Revel M126Be in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.1 and Revel M126Be 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 Kanta No.1 is approximately 898.4cm2 / 139.3inch2 and base area of the Revel M126Be is approximately 555.4cm2 / 86.1inch2. The Kanta No.1 requires 62% more surface area than the M126Be which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.1 and Revel M126Be on a Media Console
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 Kanta No.1 weighs 13.05kg / 28.7lbs and the Revel M126Be weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the Kanta No.1 31% heavier than the M126Be.
Here is a comparison of how Kanta No.1 and M126Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
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 Revel M126Be?
Here are the items that come with the M126Be:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
54 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
40k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
388mm
vs
609mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
555cm2
vs
898cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4400USD
vs
7998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
Revel PerformaBe M126Be |
| Brand |
Focal |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
50-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-40k Hz |
54-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
609.6mm (24") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Width |
228.6mm (9") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
| Weight |
13.05kg (28.7lbs) |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
Walnut,Black,White,Silver |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
22-26" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Kanta No.1 costs roughly 1.8x what Revel M126Be does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Focal Kanta No.1 digs deeper - 46Hz against 54Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Kanta No.1 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Revel M126Be is easier to place; Focal Kanta No.1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Revel M126Be is cheaper - $4,400 against $7,998, about 45% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Kanta No.1 B Revel M126Be
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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 Kanta No.1 measures better, Revel M126Be costs about about 82% more% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 54Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Revel M126Be much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Kanta No.1 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel M126Be is the easier speaker to get right.
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.