Полочная акустика — Focal VESTIA N°1

The Vestia N°1 is the standmount member of Focal's Vestia family, which the French company presented at CES in January 2023 alongside the N°2, N°3 and N°4 floorstanders and a Center model. It was the first Focal home loudspeaker to use the M-shaped TAM tweeter, and Focal builds its Slatefiber bass driver in France. Launch pricing was USD 1,198 or GBP 799 per pair. It is intended for rooms no larger than 30 m2.

Key specs that matter

This bass-reflex two-way pairs a 16.5 cm (6.5 in) Slatefiber midbass unit with a 25 mm (1 in) inverted dome TAM tweeter, divided at 2,800 Hz. Frequency response is 56 Hz to 30 kHz within 3 dB, and the -6 dB point falls at 48 Hz. Sensitivity measures 89.5 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m. The load is 8 ohm nominal and 4.5 ohm at its lowest, with 25 to 120 W given as the suitable amplifier range. A single speaker is 21.9 cm wide, 26 cm deep and 38.7 cm high and weighs 7 kg net with its grille fitted, and a packed pair comes to 17.5 kg in a 58 x 38 x 48 cm carton.

Engineering and use context

Made of an aluminium-magnesium alloy, the inverted dome of the TAM unit is shaped like the letter M and mounted in a urethane waveguide that improves horizontal directivity. Focal adds that the TAM design has a decompression chamber behind the dome and spreads its output over a wide angle. Slatefiber, the cone material of the midbass driver, combines recycled carbon fibres with thermoplastic polymer layers. Behind them is an ultra-rigid MDF enclosure intended to control resonance. The reflex port faces forward and has an aerodynamic shape aimed at lower distortion. A leather-like wrap covers the front baffle, the top and the back, in black or white, while the side panels come in wood grain or gloss. The standard combinations are Light Wood with white leather effect, Dark Wood with black leather effect and Black High Gloss with black leather effect. The terminals accept banana plugs and spade connectors, the grille attaches with magnets, and four spikes and four bumper counter-points are supplied.

Pairing

The reasonable sensitivity and benign minimum impedance put the Vestia N°1 within reach of moderately powered integrated amplifiers and AV receivers. Focal offers an optional 55 cm stand angled for Time Alignment, and the Center and the three tower models extend a stereo pair toward a surround system within the same line.

Alternatives

Focal's Theva N°1 is a slimmer bookshelf with a rear vent and the older TNF tweeter, rated to 100 W.