Focal Kanta N°3
Focal’s Kanta N°3 marries physical, tuneful bass with a glorious midrange, silky beryllium treble and a vast, sharply focused soundstage. HiFi News admired its fluid, controlled authority, while What Hi-Fi? found a rare high-end sweet spot: richly detailed, dynamically fearless and beautifully styled for serious full-range listening.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
96/100
Build Quality
94/100
Value for Money
92/100
Pros
Deep, tight and tuneful bass combines real physical weight with rhythmic control.
Expressive, highly resolved midrange and smooth, non-harsh treble reveal voices, strings and fine detail beautifully.
Large, cohesive soundstage with precise focus, plus effortless dynamics from low-level listening to orchestral scale.
Immaculate build and distinctive styling, supported by a stable, easily adjustable Zamac base.
Cons
Large, visually assertive cabinets demand substantial room space and careful placement; positioning too near the rear wall can elevate bass.
Some listeners may prefer more warmth in vocals, and the 3-ohm impedance minimum rewards an amplifier comfortable with demanding loads.
No bi-wiring option, and the midrange grille fit can be fiddly.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 96/100
Reviews consistently describe an exceptionally open, coherent and musically involving presentation that combines refinement with real scale and power. The Kanta N°3 is praised for its deep, controlled low end, unusually expressive midrange, smooth resolving treble, focused staging and effortless dynamic range.
Bass
96/100
The two 21cm woofers earn repeated praise for bass that is deep, physical, tight and tuneful rather than simply abundant. Tech Reviews heard weight and depth that could be felt even at moderate levels, while Hi-Fi News found the low end powerful, rhythmically crisp and controlled with rock, orchestral and acoustic music.
Mid
96/100
What Hi-Fi? calls the midrange the star of the show, highlighting the intensity, colour and inflection in voices. Hi-Fi News likewise heard strong tonal insight and detail without the bass overwhelming the piano, although Tech Reviews thought some listeners might prefer a touch more vocal warmth.
Treble
96/100
The beryllium tweeter is described as highly resolving, smooth and free of harshness. Tech Reviews heard silky, precisely focused strings and convincing piano decay, while What Hi-Fi? found violin sweet and pure and praised the tweeter's composure with complex high-frequency material.
Soundstage Imaging
96/100
Reviewers describe a generous, open soundstage with particularly sharp focus and convincing dimensions. What Hi-Fi? heard a cohesive but tangible image with depth, height and width, and Hi-Fi News praised the lifelike image of performers and the recorded acoustic.
Dynamics
96/100
Dynamic expression is a major strength, from the lightning-fast attack noted by Tech Reviews to the convincing power heard by Hi-Fi News with full orchestral music and driving rock. What Hi-Fi? also reports incredible drum dynamics and clean handling of demanding synthesised material.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
94/100
Hi-Fi News describes the Kanta N°3 as immaculately built and finished, with its drive units engineered and assembled in-house. What Hi-Fi? also notes the substantial cabinet, integral Zamac base and dense, stiff, well-damped one-piece front baffle.
Value for Money
92/100
At around £9,000/€8,999, this is firmly a premium loudspeaker, but reviewers consider the price well supported by its performance and presentation. What Hi-Fi? says it avoids the usual diminishing-returns trap and occupies a sweet spot, delivering terrific sound and stylish design for the money.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Specifications
- Height
- 1.28 mm / 50.39 in
- Width
- 386 mm / 15.2 in
- Depth
- 520 mm / 20.47 in
- Weight
- 46 kg /
- Product type
- Bass-reflex 3-way column
- Membrane
- Flax
- Woofer
- 2x 8"(21 cm) Flax woofer with NIC motor
- Medium
- 6.5" (16.5cm) Flax midrange drivers with TMD suspension and magnet
- Tweeter
- 11/16" (27mm) ‘IAL3’ pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter
- Response at - 6dB (Low frequency point)
- 26 Hz
- Frequency response (+/- 3dB)
- 33 Hz - 40 kHz
- Minimum impedance
- 3 Ω
- Nominal Impedance
- 8 Ω
- Recommended amplifier power
- 40 - 400 W
- Sensitivity
- 91 dB
- Counter points
- Counter spikes x4 already mounted
- Grilles
- Magnetic grille
- Points
- Spikes x4
Manufacturer's Description — Focal
3-way floor-standing speaker
High-fidelity reference of the line, Kanta N°3 is an acoustic work with resolutely modern design. It combines a number of exclusive focal technologies, for flawless hi-fi quality in stereo configuration like home cinema. With Kanta, performance has style.
ALL IN MUSIC
This hi-fi loudspeaker combines depth, impact and bass register articulation. The definition and neutrality of the midrange are exceptional, thanks to the advantages of the French Flax membrane. The latest-generation IAL tweeter reproduces the finest details with surgical precision.
DESIGN FOR SOUND
Thanks to Focus Time, all the loudspeakers are at the same distance from the ear. The modern, disruptive character of the loudspeaker is underlined by a one-piece molded wood rear shell, a Zamak base, a glass plate, discreet magnetic fabric holders...
MODERN FINISHES
Mat fronts are combined with Black High Gloss, White High Gloss and Walnut High Gloss bodies, offering a wide choice of contemporary combinations. Sophisticated, the Matte effect "absorbs" light rather than reflecting it, creating a refined contrast with the varnishes.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Focal Kanta N°3
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- A Tube High Fidelity — online and in-store — Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands (website)
- A/V Solutions — in-store — Pleasanton, California, United States (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Accent On Music — in-store — Mount Kisco, New York, United States (website)
- Accessories 4 less — online and in-store — Apopka, Florida, United States (website)
- Acoustic Designs Inc. — in-store — Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acoustic Streams — in-store — Lower Drift, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 345 more verified dealers