Focal has announced the launch of the Theva speaker range, which replaces the Choral line-up of speakers. Here’s everything you need to know about the new range of hi-fi and home cinema speakers.
Focal describes the Theva as a versatile new speaker range, boasting new colourways and a more slimline cabinet than the Choral models. Made up of six loudspeaker models, they range from a compact bookshelf speaker, to upfiring Dolby Atmos modules and floorstanding speakers, indicating there’s a speaker to suit whichever direction you’re going in for a home cinema or hi-fi set-up.
The speaker drivers feature Focal’s Slatefiber technology, which features an exclusive cone described as being able to reproduce “a dynamic, rich and balanced sound”. The TNF tweeter claims to deliver a mellow, clear treble frequency. The loudspeakers also feature tilted stands for “optimum time alignment” to create a precise soundstage.
Focal is providing (most of) the speaker models in black, dark wood and light wood finishes, and customers also get the choice of dark or light wood effects for the side panels for a more distinctive look. The Theva Surround, however, only comes in black.
Metallic, screen-printed rings have been used to frame the drivers, while the rear vent has been positioned so as to not interfere with the look of the front panel.
Availability for the loudspeaker range is April 2023. We’ve added the suggested manufacturer prices for each entry.
Theva N°1
The Theva N°1 is the compact bookshelf loudspeaker featuring an aluminium/magnesium TNF tweeter and a Slatefiber bass/midrange speaker driver. With this set-up it aims deliver soft, clear treble and balanced midrange performance, and “powerful bass”. The rear speaker port is intended to make the loudspeaker more compact, and its size ensures it can fit into smaller areas. The speaker also supports use with the optional Theva stand.
- Type: Bass-reflex 2-way bookshelf loudspeaker
- Suggested pricing: £659 / $998 / €718
- Drivers: 16.5cm Slatefiber Midrange/Bass, 25mm Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter
- Sensitivity: 89dB
- Bandwidth: 58Hz – 28kHz
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 25 – 100W
- Finishes: Black high gloss, Dark wood, Light wood
Theva N°2
We jump from a compact bookshelf speaker to three-way floorstanding model. The driver set-up sees a TNF tweeter joined by two Slatefiber midrange cones and two Slatefiber bass cones. Performance is intended to be similar to the rest of the range in covering frequency range with impactful bass, soft and clear treble and midrange clarity. The integrated stand is tilted for better time alignment performance.
- Type: Bass-reflex 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker
- Suggested pricing: £1299 / $1798 / €1498
- Drivers: 2 x 5″ (13cm) Slatefiber bass 5″ (13cm) Slatefiber midrange 1″ (25mm) Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter
- Sensitivity: 90dB
- Bandwidth: 53Hz – 28kHz
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 40 – 200W
- Finishes: Black high gloss, Dark wood, Light wood
Theva N°3
Moving onto the third speaker in the range and this is regarded as the flagship model.
The goal here is to produce a high quality sound experience with a performance that’s “dynamic, precise and powerful”. Like the Theva N°2, the stand is tilted to improve the time alignment and provide an optimal soundstage.
The main difference between Theva N°3 and the N°2 is the size of the midrange and woofer drivers, so with this speaker it’ll likely produce a bigger sound, but also need more power to drive it.
- Type: Bass-reflex 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker
- Suggested pricing: £1499 / $2398 / €1698
- Drivers: 2 x 16.5cm Slatefiber bass, 16.5cm Slatefiber midrange, 25mm Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter
- Sensitivity: 91dB
- Bandwidth: 48Hz – 28kHz
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 40 – 250W
- Finishes: Black high gloss, Dark wood, Light wood
Theva N°3-D
The N°3-D is the reference home cinema speaker within the Theva line-up. You get the same driver set-up as above for the treble/midrange/woofer, and you get a five-inch full range speaker driver that fires sound upwards into a room for Dolby Atmos height effects. This is the speaker to get if you’re leaning towards a home cinema set-up.
- Type: Bass-reflex 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker / 1-way closed
- Suggested pricing: £1799 / $2998 / €1998
- Drivers: 2 x 16.5cm Slatefiber bass, 16.5cm Slatefiber midrange, 25mm) Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter; 13cm full-range speaker driver
- Sensitivity: 91dB
- Bandwidth: 48Hz – 28kHz / (Atmos; 100Hz – 20kHz)
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 40 – 250W
- Finishes: Black high gloss, Dark wood, Light wood
Theva Center
As the name implies, the Theva Center is used as the centre speaker within a Theva-specific home cinema package. It features an aluminium/magnesium TNF tweeter and two Bass/Midrange Slatefiber drivers to provide soft, precise reproduction of the high frequencies, as well as a balanced midrange performance and powerful bass.
The goal of the Theva Center is to enhance the clarity of dialogue in a film (perfect if you find some modern films rather difficult to tune into). It’s been designed to be placed on a piece of furniture but can also be placed on its own optional stand
- Type: 2-way closed centre speaker
- Suggested pricing: £349 / $649 / €399
- Drivers: 16.5cm Slatefiber Midrange/Bass, 25mm Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter
- Sensitivity: 91dB
- Bandwidth: 59Hz – 28kHz
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 40 – 200W
- Finishes: Black high gloss, Dark wood, Light wood
Theva Surround
If a custom installation interests, then Focal is offering the Theva Surround as a means of adding a wall-mounted speaker. It can be placed in different spots to immerse the listener, and again features the now usual aluminium/magnesium TNF tweeter and a Slatefiber Bass/Midrange speaker driver combo. It’s only available in a Black MDF finish.
- Type: 2-way closed surround speaker
- Suggested pricing: £349 / $649 / €399
- Drivers: 16.5cm Slatefiber Midrange/Bass, 25mm Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter
- Sensitivity: 89dB
- Bandwidth: 80Hz – 28kHz
- Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
- Recommended amp power: 25 – 100W
- Finishes: Black MDF
