Напольная акустика — Focal KANTA N°2

The Kanta N°2 is a vented three-way Focal column and the model that opened the Kanta range when it was launched in October 2017 as a single product. The line was placed below Sopra, in the position previously occupied by Electra, and it was priced at USD 9,999 a pair for American buyers and GBP 7,000 for British ones.

Key specs that matter

The drivers comprise a 27 mm IAL3 inverted dome tweeter of pure beryllium, two 16.5 cm flax woofers and a flax midrange of the same diameter, all three on NIC motors, the midrange also carrying a TMD surround. Crossovers sit at 260 Hz and 2,700 Hz. Frequency response is 35 Hz to 40 kHz within 3 dB, reaching 29 Hz at -6 dB. Sensitivity is 91 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, impedance is 8 ohm nominal with a 3.1 ohm minimum, and Focal recommends 40 to 300 W of amplification. The cabinet is 1,118 mm tall with a footprint of 321 by 477 mm, and weight with grille is 35 kg.

Engineering and use context

The front baffle is moulded from High Density Polymer, a material Focal describes as 70% denser than MDF, 15% stiffer and offering 25% more damping. It is formed as one piece, and the rear shell is a single moulded wooden part. Bass is vented through a PowerFlow double port arrangement, with openings on both front and rear faces. The flax cones place natural flax fibre between thin layers of glass fibre to combine low weight with stiffness, and the TMD surround controls the midrange edge resonance. Each NIC motor keeps its flux steady regardless of coil travel, reducing distortion. The IAL3 tweeter absorbs the rear wave behind the beryllium dome, which lowers its resonance and allows the crossover down at 2.7 kHz. A Zamac base with adjustable spikes supports the cabinet, magnetic grilles are supplied and there is a single pair of multi-way binding posts. Eight colour combinations were offered at launch - Carrara White, Gauloise Blue, Black Lacquer or Solar Yellow in high gloss over a black body, and four matt shades including Ivory, Gauloise Blue and Dark Grey over a walnut body.

Pairing

With its high sensitivity the Kanta N°2 can be driven to ordinary volumes by a modest amplifier, although the low minimum impedance favours solid-state designs with a stable current supply into low loads. Single binding posts rule out bi-wiring, so one run of cable per side is required.

Alternatives

The Focal Kanta N°3 is a bigger Kanta tower, with two 21 cm flax bass drivers and 46 kg per cabinet.