Focal Kanta compact speakers now available in UK

More news from our French-friends at Focal. They have now announced that their lovely-looking Kanta loudspeakers are now available in the UK.

These compact beauties are dedicated to performance.

For the first time, the company has developed a loudspeaker combining its Flax sandwich cone speaker driver system with its legendary Beryllium tweeter. That not only sounds great, but it also makes me feel a little bit hungry.

The newly designed cabinet offers a softer approach to design. However, as is the case with all Focal designs, every detail is dedicated to acoustic performance. This includes the density and rigidity of the materials used for the front panel and housing, through to the smooth edges on the baffle and the dual port design.

Beryllium and Flax

This duo might sound like partners in a sci-fi cop show but Focal has put them to much better use.

High-frequencies are reproduced by a new pure Beryllium tweeter. This has been designed and developed especially for Kanta.

The IAL 3 tweeter combines the principles of the IAL (Infinite Acoustic Loading) and the IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) tweeters developed for the Focal flagship Utopia range. So, it should prove to be pretty good then.

Designed to improve the absorption of sound waves and reduce the resonance frequency of the tweeter, the IAL 3 delivers an effortless performance. Furthermore, it blends perfectly with the mid-range drivers making it acoustically invisible.

The Focal Flax cone has already proved its worth in several of the company’s leading designs. They are constructed by sandwiching flax fibre between two thin layers of glass fibre.

The resulting cones deliver high internal damping, high velocity of sound and high flexural rigidity.

This unique driver cone design is characterised by its natural sound, with low colouration. You can also expect richness of reproduction in the midrange register and tighter bass when used for low frequency duties.

The 1 x 6.5-inch (16.5cm) midrange driver is equipped with a technology that has become a must for Focal: TMD suspension (Tuned Mass Damping).

Each of the Kanta’s speaker drivers are also equipped with NIC motors (Neutral Inductance Circuit). These stabilise the magnetic field to provide perfect definition, whilst delivering better controlled bass via the 2 x 6.5-inch (16.5cm) bass drivers.

This unique combination of Flax and Beryllium delivers music with an incredibly natural yet musical performance.

Cabinet design

When it comes to innovation, constraints call for technology.

To meet the criteria of a compact design, Focal engineers reduced the volume of the bass cabinet, yet retained high-quality performance levels.

This called for a new material to be utilised for the baffle. This had to retain the high-levels of rigidity, yet remain favourable to acoustic conditions.

Through research, Focal engineers discovered and developed a mono-bloc high-density polymer (HDP). This material is capable of a significantly higher performance compared to MDF. The new ploymer is 70% denser, 15% more rigid, and has 25% increased damping.

Finally, to avoid any diffraction of the sound, the mono-bloc baffle has smoothed edges. This aspect allows the sound waves to effortlessly flow across the surface.

It is then attached to the rear housing of the cabinet, which is internally braced and constructed from moulded multi-ply wood to provide even greater rigidity.

Focus Time

Naturally, the Kanta employs the company’s ‘Focus Time’ driver alignment technology. This positions the drivers so that all soundwaves arrive at the listener’s ears at the same time.

Additionally, Focal ‘Power Port’ technology is used. With this you get a port on the front and one on the rear of each speaker. The result is extended bass response and limiting any dynamic compression of the bass signals.

The Zamac base, which includes adjustable spikes, provides stability whilst still maintaining the slim cabinet profile.

Finally, a very elegant glass plate on the top of the loudspeaker, and magnetic, beret-type grilles round things off.

Selection of finishes

The finishes for Kanta N°2 allow for numerous combinations to ensure that they perfectly integrate into any interior.

The housing is available in a lacquered black High Gloss finish or with a Walnut veneer. The front panel is available in four different colours for each of the two finishes.

With the black High Gloss housing: 4 High Gloss finishes for the front panel: Carrara White, Gauloise Blue, Solar Yellow, Black Lacquer.

With the wood veneer housing: 4 matt finishes for the front panel: Ivory, Warm Taupe, Gauloise Blue, Dark Grey.

Price and availability

The Focal Kanta retails at £6,999 and is available from most reputable audio retailers in the UK.