In this review, we will be comparing Kendall and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall | Focal Aria 948 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 2 x 8.25" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-23k Hz | 37-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 92.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"
1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm |
|---|
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 Kendall and Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
KLH KendallFocal 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 |
KLH Kendall |
Focal Aria 948 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer. 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
Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria 948's min frequency of 37Hz.
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
Kendall and Aria 948 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kendall sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Aria 948's is at 92.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Aria 948, 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 948 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Aria 948.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 948 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall'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 KLH Kendall's and Focal Aria 948's external dimensions. KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) 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 Aria 948 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 160mm wider, 129mm taller and 41mm deeper than KLH Kendall.
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 KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Kendall requires 49% 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 KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs and the Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Aria 948 58% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall 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 KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
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
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
93 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1150mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1566cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
KLH Kendall |
Focal Aria 948 |
| Brand |
KLH |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-23k Hz |
37-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Focal Aria 948 costs roughly 4.4x what KLH Kendall 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 | A | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 37Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 93dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Focal Aria 948 takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Focal Aria 948 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Focal Aria 948 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $6,598, about 77% less; arguably a different class. |
A KLH Kendall 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?
KLH Kendall has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 37Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Aria 948 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall 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.