In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.3 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.3 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.3 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Flax | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-400 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 46.09kg / 101.4lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/8" x 15-3/16" x 20-1/2"
1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Kanta No.3 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
Focal Kanta No.3KLH Kendall
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.3 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.3 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Kanta No.3's min frequency of 33Hz.
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.3 and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kanta No.3 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Kanta No.3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Kanta No.3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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.3's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. 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) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
Focal Kanta No.3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 174mm wider, 259mm taller and 141mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Kanta No.3 and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.3 and KLH Kendall 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.3 is approximately 2011.1cm2 / 311.7inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Kanta No.3 requires 150% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage 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.3 weighs 46.09kg / 101.4lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Kanta No.3 108% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Kanta No.3 and Kendall'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.3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta No.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Large grille
- Small grille
- Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- User Manual
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1280mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
2011cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
10998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Focal |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-400 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz - 2500 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
Front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1280.0mm (50.4") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
386.0mm (15.2") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
521.0mm (20.5") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
46.09kg (101.4lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Kanta No.3 costs roughly 7.3x what KLH Kendall 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 | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 33Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Kanta No.3 takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Focal Kanta No.3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Focal Kanta No.3 sits in a wider range (4 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $10,998, about 86% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Kanta No.3 B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 33Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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, KLH Kendall 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.