In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No2 and Vestia No3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No2 and Focal Vestia No3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No2 | Focal Vestia No3 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-30k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91.5 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | 40-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.00kg / 48.4lbs | 26.50kg / 58.3lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 44-1/8" x 10-1/8" x 14-3/4" 1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm |
|---|
Vestia No2 and Vestia No3 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 No2 and Focal Vestia No3 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 Vestia No3 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Vestia No2 and Vestia No3 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No2Focal Vestia No3
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 Vestia No3 |
|
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
|
3 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 Vestia No3 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
Vestia No2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz whereas Vestia No3 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Vestia No3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 Vestia No3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia No2 sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the Vestia No3's is 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 No3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Vestia No2 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Vestia 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Vestia No2 and Vestia No3 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Vestia No3'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 Vestia No3 has external dimensions of 1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm (44-1/8-inch x 10-1/8-inch x 14-3/4-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 No2 is approximately 959.8cm2 / 148.8inch2 and base area of the Focal Vestia No3 is approximately 967.5cm2 / 150.0inch2. The Vestia No2 requires 1% less surface area than the Vestia No3 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 Vestia No3 weighs 26.50kg / 58.3lbs. This makes the Vestia No3 20% heavier than the Vestia No2.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No2 and Vestia No3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Minimum Impedance |
3.0 ohms
vs
2.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
Height |
1013mm
vs
1121mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
967cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
2798USD
vs
3598USD
|
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 |
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Vestia No2 |
Focal Vestia No3 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-250 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91.5 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
2.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-30k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Slatefiber |
| 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 |
280Hz and 3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1013.0mm (39.9") |
1121.0mm (44.1") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
258.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Weight |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
26.50kg (58.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Focal's Vestia series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
| Bass |
B |
Focal Vestia No3 digs deeper - 42Hz against 47Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price |
A |
Focal Vestia No2 is cheaper - $2,798 against $3,598, about 22% less. |
A Focal Vestia No2
B Focal Vestia No3
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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Vestia No3 measures better, Focal Vestia No2 costs about 22% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 47Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal Vestia No2 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Vestia No3 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.