In this review, we will be comparing R7 and Aria 936, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R7 and Focal Aria 936 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R7 | Focal Aria 936 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum | 3 x 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-28k Hz | 39-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.40kg / 69.1lbs | 29.09kg / 64lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-13/16" x 8" x 15-5/16"
1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm | 45-3/16" x 11-9/16" x 14-11/16"
1148.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R7 and Focal Aria 936 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* |
KEF R7 |
Focal Aria 936 |
| 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.
Drivers
Both R7 and Aria 936 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R7Focal Aria 936
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R7 |
Focal Aria 936 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
R7 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Aria 936 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260Hz and 3,100Hz.
Frequency Response
R7 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz whereas Aria 936 has a frequency range of 39-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the Aria 936 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R7's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
R7 and Aria 936 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R7 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Aria 936's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 936 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R7, 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.
Aria 936 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R7 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria 936.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
R7 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 936 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF R7's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 KEF R7's and Focal Aria 936's external dimensions. KEF R7 has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 200.0 x 389.0mm (43-13/16 x 8 x 15-5/16inch) whereas Focal Aria 936 has external dimensions of 1148.0 x 294.0 x 374.0mm (45-3/16 x 11-9/16 x 14-11/16inch).
KEF R7 is 94mm narrower and 35mm shorter than Focal Aria 936 but it is also 15mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R7 and Focal Aria 936 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R7 and Focal Aria 936 Size and External Dimensions
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 KEF R7 is approximately 778.0cm2 / 120.6inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 936 is approximately 1099.6cm2 / 170.4inch2. The R7 requires 29% less surface area than the Aria 936 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 KEF R7 weighs 31.40kg / 69.1lbs and the Focal Aria 936 weighs 29.09kg / 64lbs. This makes the R7 8% heavier than the Aria 936.
Here is a comparison of how R7 and Aria 936'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 KEF R7?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R7:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- Wrench
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 936?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 936:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
 Minimum Impedance |
3.2 ohms
vs
2.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1113mm
vs
1148mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
778cm2
vs
1099cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4500USD
vs
5998USD
|
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 |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
KEF R7 |
Focal Aria 936 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
2.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-28k Hz |
39-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
260Hz and 3,100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1113.0mm (43.8") |
1148.0mm (45.2") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Depth |
389.0mm (15.3") |
374.0mm (14.7") |
| Weight |
31.40kg (69.1lbs) |
29.09kg (64lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KEF R7 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 936 digs deeper - 39Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Focal Aria 936 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | KEF R7 is easier to place; Focal Aria 936 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | KEF R7: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | KEF R7 is cheaper - $4,500 against $5,998, about 25% less. |
A KEF R7 B Focal Aria 936
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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Aria 936 measures better, KEF R7 costs about about 33% more% 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 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF R7 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Aria 936 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KEF R7 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.