Floorstanding loudspeakers — Focal ARIA EVO X N°3

The Focal Aria Evo X N°3 is the mid-size floorstander of the Aria Evo X range, sitting below the N°4. Focal is a French loudspeaker maker that develops and manufactures its drivers in its own workshops in France. The Aria line is based on the company's patented flax-sandwich cone, which the Evo X generation uses for both the midrange and bass drivers, alongside the TAM inverted-dome tweeter. The N°3 carries three bass drivers, more than the smaller Aria Evo X N°2, which gives it greater bass output for large rooms and home cinema use.

Key specs that matter

This ported three-way design combines three 16.5cm (6.5-inch) flax bass drivers, a TMD-surround flax midrange of the same 16.5cm size and a 25mm TAM tweeter whose inverted alloy dome has an M-section profile. Crossover frequencies are 260Hz and 3.1kHz. Frequency response is 39Hz to 30kHz (+/-3dB), extending to 32Hz at -6dB. Sensitivity is 92dB, nominal impedance 8 ohms and minimum impedance 2.8 ohms, and Focal recommends amplifiers of 40 to 300W. Each speaker is 294mm wide, 1,150mm tall and 371mm deep, and weighs 29kg. Focal specifies rooms of at least 25 m2 and a listening distance of 3 to 4m. The front baffle has a leather-effect finish, and the grille attaches magnetically.

Engineering and use context

In each flax driver a core of woven French linen fibre sits between two glass-fibre skins. The glass gives rigidity, while the light flax core has high internal damping, so the cone keeps pistonic motion yet absorbs its own resonances. The TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) surround on the midrange includes small masses tuned to cancel the surround's resonance in the midrange. The M-shaped fold of the tweeter dome stiffens the diaphragm and extends its range to 30kHz with wide dispersion, and a decompression chamber behind the dome absorbs the rear wave. The bass driver magnets were revised for greater bass output. The cabinet uses 18mm and 24mm controlled-density HDF with non-parallel side walls and bracing in key places to limit standing waves and panel vibration. Focal's Powerflow multi-port system loads the bass through a front port and a floor-facing port, so air velocity in each is lower and compression and turbulence are reduced. An aluminium-alloy stand with built-in height-adjustable spikes supports the floor-firing port.

Pairing

The high sensitivity allows high volume from moderate amplifiers, but the impedance dips far enough that a partner amplifier must handle low loads comfortably. The N°3 suits both stereo systems and the front channels of a large home cinema.

Alternatives

Focal's Aria Evo X N°2 is the smaller floorstander of the series, with fewer bass drivers for medium-sized rooms.