Focal Theva N2 Speakers (Pair)

Focal Theva N2 speakers are a step up from Theva N1 and feature two 13cm Slatefibre bass drivers and a TNF tweeter, along with a 13cm midrange unit.

Theva N2 are elegant three way floorstanders and the refined profile is enhanced by an additional front panel and tilted stand. They are designed to deliver uncompromising bass with a realistic and powerful sound. Power handling is up to 200 Watts and the drivers are time aligned, due to the tilted stand.

Three finishes are available - black, dark wood or light wood.

Refined French cabinets

Theva N2 floor standers are made in France and have a refined and delicate design. The removable front grille makes the speakers a discrete addition to any home. You can also remove them to reveal the attractive screen-printed metal driver surrounds, painted in a slightly contrasting colour. The grille is attached by magnets and the rear-firing bass port with enhanced bass response even more than the three bass drivers.

TNF tweeters

The TNF tweeter was developed by Focal and is used in their latest speaker models. There are two features that make the tweeter unique. One is the inverted dome, the other the very light voice coil. The inverted dome provides a very well-dispersed sound field, while the light voice coil is bonded directly to the cone and can accurately reproduce high frequencies. Focal are well known for their use of new materials, and these tweeters are very impressive in delivering clarity and detail in musical recordings.

Slatefibre drivers

The ‘slate effect’ driver used by Focal has become the benchmark for high-performing bass speakers. Four years of research and development went into creating this design. The driver is characterized by its rich and ultra balanced sound and the mid-range is very clear and precise.

Carbon fibre cones

The Drivers are made out of recycled, non-woven carbon fibres. This creates the slate effect and Focal are the first to use this technology. A thermoplastic compound is mixed in with the fibres - this produces a material that is very light and strong. The result is sound that is controlled and sweet due to the improved rigidity and damping.

Rigidity, damping and lightness

Three factors make carbon fibre the perfect cone material. The first is the remarkable rigidity. The carbon fibres are all set in the same direction. The result is more bass for a given amplifier power. Next damping is improved. Damping is the ability of an amplifier to stop the movement of the driver cone when the signal has stopped. Damping is also affected by the cone material. The non-woven fibres of the cone improve damping. Finally, lightness is important, as a lightweight cone will have less mass and be easier to drive accurately. More air will be moved for less power.

Ported or sealed speakers?

Theva N2s have a bass port on the rear. This improves the bass response. Most small speakers have a bass port. However, they are also used with larger floor standers. Small speakers have less internal volume so find it harder to generate low frequencies. As a result, they have a bass port that is located on the front, rear or bottom, depending on the design and size of the cabinet, which can help with bass response.

The other type of cabinet is sealed. They have no opening to the outside world. However, the bass is better controlled and accurate. The downside is that they need more amplifier power for a given output – or as suggested above you need a much larger speaker for this to be effective, so a ported design on stand mount speakers is an effective approach.