In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Vestia Center is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Vestia No1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia Center and Focal Vestia No1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Vestia Center Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 58-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 91.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 216.0" x 21-1/8" x 10-1/4"( 216.0 x 537.0 x 261.0mm )
Focal Vestia No1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 56-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 89.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Weight:7.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 388.0" x 8-5/8" x 10-1/4"( 388.0 x 220.0 x 261.0mm )
Vestia Center and Vestia No1 are members of Focal's Vestia series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Vestia Series History
What size room are the Focal Vestia Center and Focal Vestia 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 Vestia Center |
Focal Vestia No1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Vestia Center and Focal Vestia 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 Vestia Center and Vestia No1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Focal Vestia Center |
Focal Vestia No1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Vestia Center features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Vestia No1 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Vestia Center has a frequency range of 58-30k Hz whereas Vestia No1 has a frequency range of 56-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 56Hz, the Vestia No1 can go slightly deeper then the Vestia Center's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
Vestia Center and Vestia No1 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia Center sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the Vestia No1's is at 89.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Vestia Center a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Vestia 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.
Vestia Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Vestia No1 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Vestia 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vestia Center has a rear firing port whereas Vestia No1 has a front firing ports. Focal Vestia No1's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Vestia Center with its rear-firing port.
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 Vestia Center's and Focal Vestia No1's external dimensions. Focal Vestia Center has external dimensions of 216.0 x 537.0 x 261.0mm ( 8-1/2-inch x 21-1/8-inch x 10-1/4-inch) whereas Focal Vestia No1 has external dimensions of 388.0 x 220.0 x 261.0mm ( 15-1/4-inch x 8-5/8-inch x 10-1/4-inch) .
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 Vestia Center is approximately 1401.6cm2 / 217.2inch2 and base area of the Focal Vestia No1 is approximately 574.2cm2 / 89.0inch2. The Vestia Center requires 144% more surface area than the Vestia 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 
Port Position 
Base Surface Area