In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No4 and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No4 and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No4 | Focal Aria 948 |
|---|
| 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 | 2 x 8" Slatefiber | 2 x 8.25" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-30k Hz | 37-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-350 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.50kg / 69.3lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-3/8" x 12" x 16-7/8"
1128.0 x 305.0 x 429.0mm | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"
1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Vestia No4 and Focal Aria 948 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 No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| 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 No4 and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No4Focal Aria 948
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 No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
|
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 8-inch
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
Vestia No4 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz.
Frequency Response
Vestia No4 has a frequency range of 40-30k Hz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Aria 948 can go slightly deeper then the Vestia No4's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 No4 and Aria 948 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia No4 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Aria 948's is at 92.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Vestia No4, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 350 watts RMS, though Vestia No4 is rated 40-350 watts and Aria 948 50-350 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 No4's and Focal Aria 948's external dimensions. Focal Vestia No4 has external dimensions of 1128.0 x 305.0 x 429.0mm (44-3/8-inch x 12-inch x 16-7/8-inch) whereas Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm (45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch).
Focal Vestia No4 is 67mm narrower and 22mm shorter than Focal Aria 948 but it is also 8mm deeper.
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 No4 is approximately 1308.5cm2 / 202.8inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Vestia No4 requires 16% less surface area than the Aria 948 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 No4 weighs 31.50kg / 69.3lbs and the Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Aria 948 11% heavier than the Vestia No4.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No4 and Aria 948'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 948?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 948:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
 Minimum Impedance |
2.6 ohms
vs
2.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1128mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1308cm2
vs
1566cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4398USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Vestia No4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-350 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.6 ohms |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-30k Hz |
37-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8.25" |
| 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 |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1128.0mm (44.4") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
429.0mm (16.9") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
31.50kg (69.3lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| 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 |
A generation apart: Focal Vestia No4 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Focal Aria 948 digs deeper - 37Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (92dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 350W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Focal Vestia No4 is cheaper - $4,398 against $6,598, about 33% less. |
A Focal Vestia No4 B Focal Aria 948
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?
Focal Aria 948 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Focal Vestia No4 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Focal Aria 948 appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,200 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.