Focal Sopra N3 Premium High End Floor-Standing Tower Speaker (Each)

3-WAY HIGH-END LOUDSPEAKER – 2 WOOFERS 8¼” (21CM)

$12,999.00

by Focal
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The longest standing loudspeaker of the line, Sopra N°3 perfectly combines dynamics, space optimisation and harmonic richness.

With its two 8¼" (21cm) woofers, this loudspeaker offers solid, rich and perfectly defined bass for music lovers looking for optimum performance. Despite its reasonable size, it will reveal its full potential in rooms measuring up to 860 ft2 (80 m2).

Sopra clearly inaugurates a new era for the “Premium High End” by taking into account new performance criteria. Compact, modern, a pure design, character... all these are essential factors to ensure perfect integration into your interior.

Equipped with best midrange drivers ever developed by Focal, with the NIC and TMD technologies, Sopra pushes back the limits of sound reproduction in terms of transparency in a very compact enclosure. Indeed, unlike Utopia, which is extravagant by essence and where size is by no means a constraint, Sopra aims for maximal compactness to ensure easy integration into reasonably sized rooms.

Overview

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The biggest loudspeaker of the line, Sopra N°3 perfectly combines dynamics, space optimisation and harmonic richness. With its two 81/4" (21cm) woofers, this loudspeaker offers solid, rich and perfectly defined bass for music lovers looking for optimum performance. Despite its reasonable size, it will reveal its full potential in rooms measuring up to 860 ft2 (80 m2).

Focal Sopra N3 Premium High End Floor-Standing Tower Speaker (Each) Review

Introduction

The Focal Sopra N3 is an impressive three-way floorstanding speaker from Focal's renowned Sopra line. Designed with a combination of cutting-edge technology and meticulous craftsmanship, the Sopra N3 aims to deliver a truly immersive and high-fidelity audio experience. With its impressive specification sheet and promises of exceptional performance, the Sopra N3 certainly sets high expectations for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike.

Design and Build Quality

The Sopra N3 boasts a sleek and elegant floorstanding design that exudes sophistication. Its slim profile and clean lines make it a visually appealing addition to any living space. The speaker is available in a variety of finishes, including gloss white, black, red, orange, and wood-paneled options, catering to different aesthetic preferences. Regardless of the finish chosen, the Sopra N3 exhibits a high-quality build and finish that is indicative of Focal's attention to detail and commitment to craftsmanship.

Technology and Performance

One of the standout features of the Sopra N3 is its incorporation of trickle-down technology from Focal's flagship Utopia line. This technology transfer ensures that the Sopra N3 benefits from the advancements made in the development of the Utopia series, resulting in improved performance and overall audio quality.

The Sopra N3 also utilizes an innovative Infinite Horn Loading (IHL) system, which effectively dampens the tweeter and optimizes bass performance. This system enhances the speaker's overall coherence and minimizes unwanted resonances, resulting in a cleaner and more accurate sound reproduction.

The inclusion of Neutral Inductance Circuits further contributes to the Sopra N3's exceptional performance. By stabilizing the magnetic field, these circuits ensure that the drivers reproduce sound with a high level of accuracy and precision, minimizing distortion and delivering an authentic listening experience.

Focal has also incorporated Tuned Mass Damper technology into the midrange driver of the Sopra N3. This technology reduces distortion and improves efficiency, allowing the midrange to deliver exceptional clarity and coherence.

When it comes to performance, the Sopra N3 does not disappoint. With impressive dynamics and transient response, the speaker effortlessly handles both delicate nuances and powerful crescendos. The frequency response is remarkably linear, ensuring a balanced and accurate reproduction of audio at both high and low volumes. The wide dispersion and accurate imaging further enhance the listening experience, creating a soundstage that is both expansive and precise.

The beryllium tweeter, a signature feature of Focal speakers, offers extended high-frequency response with exceptional detail and clarity. It adds a level of refinement to the overall sound, reproducing the subtlest nuances of the audio source.

Notably, the Sopra N3 excels in delivering strong and satisfying bass performance. The combination of the IHL system and the two 8.25-inch bass drivers allows for deep and impactful bass reproduction that adds depth and richness to the overall sound signature.

Setup and Compatibility

It's important to note that the Sopra N3 is a relatively large and heavy speaker, requiring assistance during the setup process. While its size may pose a challenge for some users, it is a trade-off for the impressive bass performance and overall sound quality that the speaker delivers.

In terms of power compatibility, the Sopra N3 is versatile and can work well with a variety of amplifiers, including tube amplifiers. This flexibility allows users to pair the speakers with their preferred amplification system, ensuring optimal performance and compatibility.

Value for Money

The Focal Sopra N3 is undeniably a high-end speaker with a price tag that reflects its performance and quality. With an approximate price of $20,000 per pair, it is an investment that requires careful consideration. However, when comparing the Sopra N3 to other speakers in a similar price range, it becomes evident that the value it offers is exceptional.

The Sopra N3's ability to deliver an immersive and high-fidelity audio experience, coupled with its advanced technology and meticulous craftsmanship, makes it a worthwhile investment for those seeking uncompromising performance and audio excellence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Focal Sopra N3 is an exceptional three-way floorstanding speaker that lives up to its promises of high-fidelity audio reproduction. With its impressive dynamics, accurate imaging, and refined beryllium tweeter, it delivers a listening experience that is immersive and captivating.

While the Sopra N3 comes with a high price point and requires assistance during setup due to its size and weight, these factors are outweighed by its outstanding performance and the value it offers for the level of audio quality it delivers.

If you are an audiophile or a home theater enthusiast who demands the best in audio reproduction, the Focal Sopra N3 is a speaker that should certainly be considered. Its blend of cutting-edge technology, refined design, and exceptional performance make it a standout choice in the high-end speaker market.

Specs

  • Speakers: 2 x 81/4" (21cm) “W” cone woofers with NIC 61/2" (16.5cm) “W” cone midrange with NIC and TMD suspension 11/16" (27mm) pure Beryllium IHL inverted dome tweeter
  • Frequency response (+/- 3dB): 33Hz - 40kHz
  • Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 91.5dB
  • Crossover frequency: 250Hz / 2200Hz


Additional Info

INFINITE HORN LOADING

Our Beryllium tweeter features an incredibly light and extremely rigid dome, that deliver a transparent and dynamic sound. Its main limitation comes from the compression of air in the cavity behind it. But the requirement for Sopra to be compact meant that as much of the cabinet as possible had to be used for the bass. We had to explore other options for loading the tweeter, which led us to come up with the IHL system. The "IHL" system enables to load the Beryllium tweeter respecting the compactness demand of the speaker. The rear wave of the tweeter is delicately and gradually absorbed to avoid any distortion. The treble definition is pushed to the maximum

TUNED MASS DAMPER

Our teams have revealed resonances which alter definition in the suspension which connects the cone to the basket. The solutions already known for increasing the damping properties of the suspension all result in an increase of the mass which consequently alters definition. The answer came from a technology used in earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and which is also used for the suspension on racing cars. "TMD" technology consists of optimising the suspension profile which controls the resonance in order to drastically reduce distortion and increase the definition of bass and midrange.

MASTERING THE CABINET AND CHOICE OF MATERIALS

Made in France Sopra’s cabinet was designed in our cabinet-making facility in Bourbon-Lancy (Burgundy, France) using the same manufacturing process as for Utopia The 69mm sandwich-machined front panel uses the same principle as ‘Gamma Structure’ to provide inertia and damping. Its density gives it the inertia necessary to provide a stable mechanical reference for optimal definition. The inside of the cabinet has no parallel side panels, and small Helmholtz resonators have been added to the lower section to prevent vertical standing waves. We chose glass as the material for the base of the loudspeaker to provide floor coupling, using spikes, which enabled the fastest propagation time possible, thus eliminating all halo effects in the bass.