In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Theva Center is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Theva No1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Theva Center and Focal Theva No1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Theva Center Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 59-28kHz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 210.0" x 20-7/8" x 10"( 210.0 x 531.0 x 254.0mm )
Focal Theva No1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 58-28kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Weight:6.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 391.0" x 8-3/8" x 10-1/4"( 391.0 x 213.0 x 261.0mm )
Theva Center and Theva No1 are members of Focal's Theva series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Theva Series History
What size room are the Focal Theva Center and Focal Theva No1 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 Theva Center |
Focal Theva No1 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Theva Center and Focal Theva No1 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
Both Theva Center and Theva No1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Theva Center |
Focal Theva No1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Theva Center features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100 Hz. On the other hand, the Theva No1 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Theva Center has a frequency range of 59-28kHz whereas Theva No1 has a frequency range of 58-28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 58Hz, the Theva No1 can go slightly deeper then the Theva Center's min frequency of 59Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
Theva Center and Theva No1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theva Center sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Theva No1's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Theva Center a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Theva No1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Theva Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Theva No1 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Theva Center.
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
Both Theva Center and Theva No1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Focal Theva No1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Theva Center's and Focal Theva No1's external dimensions. Focal Theva Center has external dimensions of 210.0 x 531.0 x 254.0mm ( 81/4 x 207/8 x 10) whereas Focal Theva No1 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 213.0 x 261.0mm ( 153/8 x 83/8 x 101/4) .
Focal Theva Center is 181mm shorter and 7mm less deeper than Focal Theva No1 but it is also 318mm wider.
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 Theva Center is approximately 1348.7cm2 / 209.0inch2 and base area of the Focal Theva No1 is approximately 555.9cm2 / 86.2inch2. The Theva Center requires 143% more surface area than the Theva No1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Max Input Power 
Sensitivity 
Number of Woofers 
Height 
Price per pair* 
Minimum Impedance 
Base Surface Area