In this review, we will be comparing Theva No3 and Opticon 8 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Theva No3 and DALI Opticon 8 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Theva No3 | DALI Opticon 8 II |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 2 x 8" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-28kHz | 38-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | 40-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 37.10kg / 81.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39" x 8-3/8" x 15-1/4"
991.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm | 45-1/4" x 9-1/2" x 18-1/16"
1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Theva No3 and DALI Opticon 8 II 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 No3 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 Theva No3 and Opticon 8 MK2 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Theva No3DALI Opticon 8 II
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 Theva No3 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Theva No3 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 Hz - 2700 Hz. On the other hand, the Opticon 8 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
Theva No3 has a frequency range of 48-28kHz whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Opticon 8 MK2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Theva No3's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Theva No3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 8 MK2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Opticon 8 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Theva No3 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Opticon 8 MK2's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Theva No3 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 8 II, 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.
Opticon 8 MK2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Theva No3 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Opticon 8 MK2.
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
Opticon 8 MK2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Theva No3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon 8 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Theva No3 and Opticon 8 MK2 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.
DALI Opticon 8 II Port
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 Theva No3's and DALI Opticon 8 II's external dimensions. Focal Theva No3 has external dimensions of 991.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm (39 x 83/8 x 151/4) whereas DALI Opticon 8 II has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm (45-1/4 x 9-1/2 x 18-1/16inch).
DALI Opticon 8 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 32mm wider, 159mm taller and 71mm deeper than Focal Theva No3.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
DALI Opticon 8 II needs about 36% more floor or shelf area. DALI Opticon 8 II is 71mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Opticon 8 II is 159mm taller.
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 No3 is approximately 826.4cm2 / 128.1inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 8 II is approximately 1124.6cm2 / 174.3inch2. The Theva No3 requires 27% less surface area than the Opticon 8 MK2 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 Theva No3 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the DALI Opticon 8 II weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Opticon 8 MK2 86% heavier than the Theva No3.
Here is a comparison of how Theva No3 and Opticon 8 MK2'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 DALI Opticon 8 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 8 MK2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes (with lock nuts)
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Screws
- Hex-key
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
991mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
826cm2
vs
1124cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2398USD
vs
4200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Focal Theva No3 |
DALI Opticon 8 MK2 |
| Brand |
Focal |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-28kHz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 Hz - 2700 Hz |
380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
991.0mm (39") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss,Dark Wood,Light Wood |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - DALI Opticon 8 II costs roughly 1.8x what Focal Theva No3 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 | DALI Opticon 8 II digs deeper - 38Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Theva No3 is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Focal Theva No3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Focal Theva No3 is easier to place; DALI Opticon 8 II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | DALI Opticon 8 II: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Focal Theva No3 is cheaper - $2,398 against $4,200, about 43% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Theva No3 B DALI Opticon 8 II
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal Theva No3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, DALI Opticon 8 II has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Focal Theva No3 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.