In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Sopra No.2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Sopra No.1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Sopra No.2 and Focal Sopra No.1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Sopra No.2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 7" W sandwich Woofer
- 34-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-300watts
- Weight:55.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 46-7/8" x 14-1/8" x 21-1/4" ( 1190.0 x 358.0 x 540.0mm )
Focal Sopra No.1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" W sandwich Woofer
- 45-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:16.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 16-3/4" x 11" x 15-9/16" ( 425.0 x 279.0 x 396.0mm )
Sopra No.2 and Sopra No.1 are members of Focal's Sopra series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Sopra Series
History
What size room are the Focal Sopra No.2 and Focal Sopra No.1 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 Sopra No.2 |
Focal Sopra No.1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 Sopra No.2 and Focal Sopra No.1 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 Sopra No.2 is a 3-way design whereas the Sopra No.1 is a 2-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 Sopra No.2 |
Focal Sopra No.1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Sopra No.2 features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 7" W sandwich Woofer . On the other hand, the Sopra No.1 features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" W sandwich Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sopra No.2 has a frequency range of 34-40k Hz whereas Sopra No.1 has a frequency range of 45-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Sopra No.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sopra No.1's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Sopra No.2 and Sopra No.1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sopra No.2 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Sopra No.1's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Sopra No.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Sopra No.1, 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. 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.
Sopra No.2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sopra No.1 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Sopra No.2.
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
Sopra No.2 features Binding post type posts and Sopra No.1 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Sopra No.2's and Focal Sopra No.1's external dimensions. Focal Sopra No.2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 358.0 x 540.0mm ( 46-7/8 x 14-1/8 x 21-1/4inch) whereas Focal Sopra No.1 has external dimensions of 425.0 x 279.0 x 396.0mm ( 16-3/4 x 11 x 15-9/16inch) .
Focal Sopra No.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 79mm wider, 765mm taller and 144mm deeper than Focal Sopra 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 Sopra No.2 is approximately 1933.2cm2 / 299.6inch2 and base area of the Focal Sopra No.1 is approximately 1104.8cm2 / 171.2inch2. The Sopra No.2 requires 75% more surface area than the Sopra No.1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.