After the release of Kanta N°2 in October 2017, the French acoustics brand has launched three new ‘Premium Hi-Fi’ models: Kanta N°1, Kanta N°3 and Kanta Center to round-out the range.
The intention all along with the family was to eventually have a compete range of products to choose from in order to deliver two-channel and home cinema adaptability, now that journey is complete.
Kanta N°2 has done well since launch receiving decent reviews, so Focal is hoping to build on that here using the same technologies such as the company’s Flax cone, an IAL 3 Beryllium tweeter that combines the IAL (Infinite Acoustic Loading) and IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) tweeters and a TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension and an NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) motor.
The family also builds on the idea of a strong design aesthetic with smooth curved lines and bold colours.
Range breakdown
Kanta N°1 is the Premium solution for rooms under 269 square ft² (25m2). Focal says this model is particularly suited to a bookcase setting. When positioned in an enclosed space such as this, or near to a wall, a piece of foam can be slid into the port, which will have the effect of optimising the bass. It can also be installed on a stand.
Kanta N°2 (launched in October 2017) best displays its potential in rooms measuring 269 to 431 ft² (25 to 40m2). Kanta N°3 has been created to be the the gold standard of this line. Generating power and bass that are structured, but generous, this will be the perfect choice for larger rooms of up to 861 square ft² (80m2), says the maker.
Focal claims that the technological innovations in these speaker drivers make it possible to recreate neutrality in the midrange with higher definition. The latest generation IAL tweeter is also in place to reproduce loads of detail with precision.
Kanta Center matches with the rest of the range and is designed to deliver vocal range with neutrality, at both low and very high volumes. Focal argues that whatever the film’s background noise, film fans will be surprised by the sound clarity and speech intelligibility, both of which are far superior to the norm.
For a home cinema configuration, the Focal Sub 1000 F subwoofer, also featuring a flax cone, is the ideal addition to deliver a totally Focal solution. The sub was created to deliver extended infrasound frequency response, high SPL capacity and stable tonal balance, even at very high volume.
Installers can also call on the Focal 300ICW4 in-ceiling loudspeakers when creating Dolby Atmos, DTS X or Auro-3D as all Focal speakers are voiced so they can work together.
The three new models are available in the same eight finishes as Kanta N°2. The rear housing comes in a black high gloss finish or with a walnut veneer. Customers can then choose from four different colours to match each of these two finishes.
So for black high gloss housing, the front panel can come in high gloss Carrara White, Gauloise Blue, Solar Yellow and Black Lacquer. With the wood veneer housing, the four matt finishes for the front panel are Ivory, Warm Taupe, Gauloise Blue and Dark Grey.
High tech
Focal does love to talk about the technologies that it develops in house and this release is no different. Included on all the products is the Tuned Mass Damper which attempts to increase the damping properties of the suspension without increasing the mass of the speaker which may alter definition. The answer comes from a technology used in earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and which is also used for the suspension on racing cars.
After three years of research and the development of simulation software which makes it possible to visualise complex interactions, Focal says its engineers created an incredibly stable magnetic circuit for the Kanta line.
The solution, NIC technology, lies in a Faraday ring whose dimensions, materials and positioning were optimised to make the magnetic field no longer affected by the position of the voice coil, by the amperage or the frequency of the current passing through it.
The Flax cones featured on this range are made of high-quality flax fibres core enclosed by two thin layers of glass fibre. They satisfy the key criteria of a high-performance diaphragm: high internal damping, high velocity of sound and high flexural rigidity.
Focal says all these criteria cannot be met by a mono-material cone, which is why it developed its sandwich technology, originally for the top end Utopia and K2 Power ranges.
