In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No3 and Vestia No3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No3 and Focal Vestia No3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No3 | Focal Vestia No3 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-300 watts | 40-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.50kg / 58.3lbs | 26.50kg / 58.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/8" x 10-1/8" x 14-3/4"
1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm | 44-1/8" x 10-1/8" x 14-3/4"
1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm |
|---|
Vestia No3 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 No3 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 No3 |
Focal Vestia No3 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
Drivers
Both Vestia No3 and Vestia No3 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No3Focal 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 No3 |
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
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
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. 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 No3 and Vestia No3 has exactly the same frequency range of 42-30k Hz.
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 No3 and Vestia No3 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 No3 and Vestia No3 have the same power range of 40-300 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Vestia No3 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 No3's and Focal Vestia No3's external dimensions. 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) 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).
In this case, we can see that Focal Vestia No3 and Focal Vestia No3 have the exact same height, width and thickness.
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 No3 is approximately 967.5cm2 / 150.0inch2 and base area of the Focal Vestia No3 is approximately 967.5cm2 / 150.0inch2.
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 No3 weighs 26.50kg / 58.3lbs and the Focal Vestia No3 weighs 26.50kg / 58.3lbs.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No3 and Vestia No3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
| General |
Focal Vestia No3 |
Focal Vestia No3 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
2.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
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 3100Hz |
280Hz and 3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1121.0mm (44.1") |
1121.0mm (44.1") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
258.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Weight |
26.50kg (58.3lbs) |
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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 42Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 92dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($3,598 vs $3,598 a pair). |
A Focal Vestia No3 B Focal Vestia No3
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.
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.