In this review, we will be comparing Theva No3 and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Theva No3 and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Theva No3 | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-28kHz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39" x 8-3/8" x 15-1/4"
991.0 x 213.0 x 388.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Theva No3 is a 3-way design whereas the Concord 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.
Focal Theva No3KLH Concord
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 |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Theva No3 has a frequency range of 48-28kHz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord 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 and Concord have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Theva No3 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Concord's is at 94 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Theva No3, 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.
Theva No3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Concord has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Theva No3.
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
Theva No3 features 5-Way post type posts and Concord has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
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 KLH Concord'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 KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is 1mm narrower and 8mm less deeper than Focal Theva No3 but it is also 35mm taller.
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.
Near-identical footprints. KLH Concord is 35mm 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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Theva No3 requires 3% more surface area than the Concord 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 Theva No3 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 2% heavier than the Theva No3.
Here is a comparison of how Theva No3 and Concord'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 KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
991mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
826cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Theva No3 |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Focal |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-28kHz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 Hz - 2700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
991.0mm (39") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss,Dark Wood,Light Wood |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Theva No3 costs roughly 2.4x what KLH Concord 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 Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $2,398, about 58% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Theva No3 B KLH Concord
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 Concord is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Focal Theva No3 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Concord is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.