In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.2 and Kanta No.3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.2 and Focal Kanta No.3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.2 | Focal Kanta No.3 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 1.1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Flax | 2 x 8" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-40k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-300 watts | 40-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.09kg / 77.2lbs | 46.09kg / 101.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44" x 12-5/8" x 18-3/4"
1118.0 x 321.0 x 477.0mm | 50-3/8" x 15-3/16" x 20-1/2"
1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm |
|---|
Kanta No.2 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.2 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.2 |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Kanta No.2 and Kanta No.3 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Kanta No.2Focal Kanta No.3
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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.2 |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Kanta No.2 features a 1.1" IAL3 Beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260 Hz - 2700 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.2 has a frequency range of 35-40k 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 slightly deeper then the Kanta No.2's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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.2 and Kanta No.3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 No.3 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Kanta No.2 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Kanta No.3.
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.2 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.2's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Kanta No.2 and Kanta No.3 have Front firing ports.
New
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.2's and Focal Kanta No.3's external dimensions. Focal Kanta No.2 has external dimensions of 1118.0 x 321.0 x 477.0mm (44inch x 12-5/8inch x 18-3/4inch) 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 65mm wider, 162mm taller and 44mm deeper than Focal Kanta No.2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Kanta No.2 and Focal Kanta No.3 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.2 and Focal Kanta No.3 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.2 is approximately 1531.2cm2 / 237.3inch2 and base area of the Focal Kanta No.3 is approximately 2011.1cm2 / 311.7inch2. The Kanta No.2 requires 24% less surface area than the Kanta No.3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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.2 weighs 35.09kg / 77.2lbs and the Focal Kanta No.3 weighs 46.09kg / 101.4lbs. This makes the Kanta No.3 31% heavier than the Kanta No.2.
Here is a comparison of how Kanta No.2 and Kanta No.3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta No.2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Large grille
- Small grille
- Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.3?
Here are the items that come with the Kanta No.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Large grille
- Small grille
- Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- User Manual
 Minimum Impedance |
3.1 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
1118mm
vs
1280mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1531cm2
vs
2011cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
10998USD
vs
14998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Kanta No.2 |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
40-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-40k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
260 Hz - 2700 Hz |
250 Hz - 2500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
Front |
Front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1118.0mm (44") |
1280.0mm (50.4") |
| Width |
321.0mm (12.6") |
386.0mm (15.2") |
| Depth |
477.0mm (18.8") |
521.0mm (20.5") |
| Weight |
35.09kg (77.2lbs) |
46.09kg (101.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
| 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 |
Siblings in Focal's Kanta series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (35Hz vs 33Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
B |
Focal Kanta No.3 takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Focal Kanta No.2 is easier to place; Focal Kanta No.3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
B |
Focal Kanta No.3 is cheaper - $10,998 against $14,998, about 27% less. |
A Focal Kanta No.2
B Focal Kanta No.3
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Focal Kanta No.3 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Kanta No.3 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Kanta No.3 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Focal Kanta No.2 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.