In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No2 and Aria 926, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No2 and Focal Aria 926 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No2 | Focal Aria 926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 2 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-30k Hz | 45-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91.5 dB | 91.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | 40-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.00kg / 48.4lbs | 25.00kg / 55lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-7/8" x 10-1/8" x 14-5/8"
1013.0 x 258.0 x 372.0mm | 40-7/8" x 11-9/16" x 14-11/16"
1039.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Vestia No2 and Focal Aria 926 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 No2 |
Focal Aria 926 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Vestia No2 and Aria 926 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No2Focal Aria 926
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 Vestia No2 |
Focal Aria 926 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Vestia No2 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Aria 926 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 290Hz and 2,400Hz.
Frequency Response
Vestia No2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz whereas Aria 926 has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Aria 926 can go slightly deeper then the Vestia No2's min frequency of 47Hz.
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
Vestia No2 and Aria 926 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 92 dB.
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.
Vestia No2 and Aria 926 have the same power range of 40-250 watts.
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.
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 Vestia No2's and Focal Aria 926's external dimensions. Focal Vestia No2 has external dimensions of 1013.0 x 258.0 x 372.0mm (39-7/8-inch x 10-1/8-inch x 14-5/8-inch) whereas Focal Aria 926 has external dimensions of 1039.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm (40-7/8 x 11-9/16 x 14-11/16inch).
Focal Aria 926 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 36mm wider, 26mm taller and 2mm deeper than Focal Vestia No2.
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 No2 is approximately 959.8cm2 / 148.8inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 926 is approximately 1099.6cm2 / 170.4inch2. The Vestia No2 requires 13% less surface area than the Aria 926 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 Vestia No2 weighs 22.00kg / 48.4lbs and the Focal Aria 926 weighs 25.00kg / 55lbs. This makes the Aria 926 14% heavier than the Vestia No2.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No2 and Aria 926'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 Focal Aria 926?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 926:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
 Minimum Impedance |
3.0 ohms
vs
2.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1013mm
vs
1039mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
1099cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2798USD
vs
4798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Vestia No2 |
Focal Aria 926 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
40-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91.5 dB |
91.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
2.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-30k Hz |
45-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 2800Hz |
290Hz and 2,400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1013.0mm (39.9") |
1039.0mm (40.9") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Weight |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
25.00kg (55lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Aria 926 costs roughly 1.7x what Focal Vestia No2 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 |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (47Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price |
A |
Focal Vestia No2 is cheaper - $2,798 against $4,798, about 42% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Vestia No2
B Focal Aria 926
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,000 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.