Focal Aria Evo X No. 3 Floorstanding Speaker

A Three-and-a-Half-Way Tower in Focal's Aria Evo X Line

The Focal Aria Evo X N°3 is a floorstanding speaker with a 1-inch Al/Mg "M"-shaped inverted-dome TAM tweeter, a 6.5-inch Flax midrange, and three 6.5-inch Flax woofers. It is sold each, so a stereo pair is two.

The cabinet stands 45.25 inches tall and 11.6 inches wide, and each speaker weighs about 64 pounds. Focal rates sensitivity at 92 dB into a nominal 8 ohms, and recommends 40 to 300 watts of amplifier power.

Crossover points sit at 260 Hz and 3,100 Hz, keeping each of the four drivers working in its own comfort zone. Two forward-firing ports and a third downward-firing port, plus a single pair of binding posts, round out the cabinet.

Where the Third Woofer Earns Its Keep

Three Flax Woofers and a Dedicated Midrange

Three 6.5-inch Flax woofers share a bass load that two drivers would carry alone in a more compact cabinet, feeding a dedicated 6.5-inch Flax midrange that crosses over at 260 Hz and only handles vocals and instruments — effectively a 3.5-way design, since the midrange and woofers split duties separately from the tweeter.

The 1-inch Al/Mg TAM tweeter crosses over at 3,100 Hz. Three total ports, two forward-firing beneath the bass drivers and one on the underside, vent the extra air the three woofers move.

The Numbers, and What They Ask of Your Amplifier

Focal quotes a frequency range of 39 Hz to 30 kHz within 3 dB, extending to 32 Hz at -6 dB. Sensitivity is 92 dB, nominal impedance is 8 ohms, dipping to 2.8 ohms minimum, and Focal recommends 40 to 300 watts of amplifier power.

The cabinet bolts onto a detachable aluminum-alloy plinth, its four spikes needing to be lowered with the supplied tool. A single pair of binding posts accepts banana plugs, spades, or bare wire.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ed Selley, AVForums, scored the Aria Evo X N°3 a perfect 10 out of 10, calling it "a huge amount of handsome, well made and supremely talented speaker for the money."

What Hi-Fi? agreed, rating it 4 out of 5 for sound and 5 out of 5 for build, and writing that it's "a lot of speaker for the money" with "undeniable appeal thanks to its easy-going nature."

What Hi-Fi?'s one reservation: "the Focal's deepest bass notes also lack the tautness and grip we hear higher up the frequency range," a minor trade-off on an otherwise composed speaker.

Who Is This Floorstanding Speaker Best For?

• You want a top-scoring speaker at this price — AVForums rated it a perfect 10 out of 10, calling it "Best in Class"
• You want three woofers' worth of scale without stepping up to the largest Aria Evo X tower — an effectively 3.5-way design that splits midrange and bass duties
• Your amplifier is good rather than enormous — 92 dB sensitivity and a 40 to 300 watt window mean a quality integrated amplifier is all it needs
• You want one speaker per cabinet, priced and shipped that way — the N°3 is sold each, so order two for a stereo pair
• You want cinema-depth bass from the towers alone — the N°3 is rated to 32 Hz at -6 dB, which covers music and most movies comfortably. For the deepest home-theater effects, add one of our subwoofers and let the towers do what they do best

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Bolt the detachable aluminum-alloy plinth onto the cabinet before positioning the speakers, then lower the four spikes with the supplied tool for carpet, or leave them raised on a hard floor. Each cabinet has a single pair of binding posts for banana plugs, spades, or bare wire.

Give the drivers time to settle; Flax cones can take some hours of playback before they loosen up fully.

Two cables, two speakers, and you are listening.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the system around a pair of Aria Evo X N°3:

• Integrated amplifiers — 40 to 300 watts into 8 ohms is the window Focal gives
• Stereo amplifiers — a separate power amp if you want more headroom
• Speaker cables — single-wire runs, since this model has no bi-wire terminal
• Audio racks — house the electronics driving a speaker this talented

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the price for one speaker or a pair?

One. The N°3 is sold each, so order two for a stereo pair, or one to match an existing speaker.

What comes in the box?

The speaker, a detachable aluminum-alloy plinth, spikes and a spike-lowering tool, and a magnetic grille.

What amplifier do I need?

Focal recommends 40 to 300 watts into 8 ohms. At 92 dB sensitivity, a quality integrated amplifier is enough to drive it well.

Can I bi-wire the N°3?

Each cabinet has a single pair of binding posts; Focal does not offer a bi-wire terminal on this model.

What's the difference between the N°3 and the N°4?

The N°4 steps up to two larger 8-inch woofers in place of the N°3's three 6.5-inch woofers, for deeper bass extension and more amplifier headroom, at a higher price.

What finishes are available?

Black High Gloss, Moss Green High Gloss, and Prime Walnut.

See It in Action

SECRETS of Home Theater and High Fidelity reviews the Aria Evo X N°3:

ListenUp shares its impressions of the Aria Evo X N°3:

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