Focal Sopra N°2 Lacquered Black (pack of 2)

Introduction to the Focal Sopra N°2 Floorstanding Speaker

The Focal Sopra N°2 is a French-made 3-way floorstanding speaker from Focal, a brand renowned for its audio quality. This model embodies the pinnacle of modern acoustic design, combining robust performance, advanced technologies, and elegant design. It offers a listening experience rich in detail and faithful to the original sound. Equipped with Focal’s latest innovations, the Sopra N°2 pushes the boundaries of transparency, dynamics, and sound spatialization, all within a compact speaker format.

A Concentration of Unmatched Technologies

Equipped with the best midrange driver ever developed by Focal, featuring exclusive NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) and TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) technologies, the Sopra N°2 pushes the limits of sound reproduction in terms of transparency, within a contained volume speaker. Unlike the Utopia range, which is inherently extravagant and for which volume is not a constraint, the Sopra aims for maximum compactness to easily integrate into realistically sized rooms.

Perfect Acoustic Convergence

The speaker’s architecture revolves around a central piece made of injected polyurethane. This element allows the bass and treble enclosures to be tilted for optimal time alignment of the drivers at the listening point. This patented “Focus Time” technique ensures perfect acoustic convergence of the different channels.

A Sleek Design Highlighting Technologies

The design of the Sopra N°2, crafted by the Pineau & Le Porcher agency, is intended to be sleek to showcase the technological feats. The front face is smooth to optimize both acoustics and aesthetics. The soft curves contrast with the taut lines for a harmonious and elegant result. The visible decoupling spikes, specifically designed for the Sopra, are manufactured by watchmaking specialists. The tweeter protection grille features a dynamic lattice pattern, echoed on the rear plate of the central piece.

Bass Drivers: Power and Definition

The Sopra N°2 is equipped with two 18 cm bass drivers with “W” sandwich membranes. This exclusive Focal technology, composed of two glass sheets on either side of a foam, combines lightness, rigidity, and damping, the three key parameters of a quality driver. This results in optimized frequency response, low distortion, and great sound transparency. The power and depth of the bass are impressive given the speaker’s volume.

Midrange Driver: Realism and Definition

The 16.5 cm midrange driver is a technological marvel. It benefits from the TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension, which consists of two tubular rings positioned on the suspension. Their strategic dimensions and placements stabilize the dynamic behavior of the suspension and eliminate membrane deformations without compromising dynamics. Coupled with the NIC magnetic circuit that stabilizes the magnetic field, it results in great precision and striking realism in voices and instruments.

Beryllium Tweeter with IHL Waveguide

The 27 mm pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter harnesses the unique properties of this material: lightness, rigidity, and damping. To maximize its potential, Focal engineers developed the IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) system. This system allows the tweeter to be loaded while maintaining the compactness of the speaker. The rear wave is gradually absorbed without any parasitic reflection. The treble clarity is stunning, without any aggressiveness.

Anti-vibration Internal Structure

The internal structure of the Sopra N°2 is designed to eliminate any parasitic vibrations. The MDF walls, 22 to 25 mm thick, are reinforced with internal braces. The non-parallelepiped shape and strategically placed reinforcements, following a vibrational analysis, ensure maximum neutrality and transparency. The cabinetry and assembly are handcrafted in Focal’s workshops in France.

Optimized Bass-Reflex Loading

The bass-reflex tuning of the Sopra N°2 has been meticulously refined. The laminar port opens towards the floor, between the glass base and the cabinet. This configuration ensures optimal airflow, without turbulence or port noise, even at high levels. The bass response is both ample and precise, perfectly integrated with the rest of the spectrum.

High-Quality Filtering

The filtering of the Sopra N°2 uses hand-selected components, hand-wired on a 4 mm thick epoxy printed circuit board. The conductive tracks are made of thick pure copper. The internal wiring is done with single-strand OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) cable. All these elements ensure optimal signal transmission, without loss or coloration.

Installation and Usage Tips

To get the best out of the Sopra N°2 speakers, a few simple rules should be followed. The ideal placement is at least 50 cm from the side and rear walls, with a slight tilt towards the listening position. The space between the two speakers should equal the distance from the listening point. An amplifier of 40 to 300 W is recommended, with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Bi-amplification or bi-wiring is not possible, as only one set of connectors is present. A break-in period of about twenty hours is necessary for the membranes to reach their optimal parameters.

What is the sensitivity of the Focal Sopra N°2?

The Focal Sopra N°2 has a sensitivity of 91 dB. This means it can deliver a sound level of 91 dB at 1 meter with a power of 2.83 V. This is a fairly high value, indicating good efficiency, allowing the speaker to perform well even with reasonably powered amplifiers (starting from 40 watts).

What are the characteristics of the Beryllium tweeter?

The tweeter of the Sopra N°2 is a 27 mm diameter pure Beryllium inverted dome model. Beryllium is a very rigid and lightweight material offering exceptional acoustic performance in terms of transparency and speed.

The inverted dome provides optimal coupling with the horn and excellent directivity control. Focal also uses its IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) technology with an acoustic horn at the back of the dome to gradually absorb waves and reduce distortion.

What is the power handling capacity of the Sopra N°2?

Focal recommends pairing the Sopra N°2 with amplifiers delivering a power range of 40 to 300 watts. This wide power range reflects both the speaker’s ability to reproduce high sound levels without distortion and its excellent definition even at low volume.

With a sensitivity of 91 dB and a nominal impedance of 8 Ω (min. 3.1 ohms), the Sopra N°2 is a relatively easy-to-drive speaker that will deliver optimal performance with most high-end hi-fi amplifiers on the market (transistor or tube).

What finishes are available for the Sopra N°2?

In addition to the classic black lacquer and white lacquer, Focal offers the Sopra N°2 in several lacquered finishes: black, white carrara, light oak, orange, new concrete, brown concrete, smoked oak, and macassar ebony. This ensures it can blend into any interior.

Regardless of the chosen finish, the Sopra N°2 benefits from very high-quality craftsmanship in Focal’s workshops in France. Each speaker is assembled and checked by hand with the utmost care, ensuring impeccable results and maximum reliability.

Technical Specifications

Key Technologies

• Midrange speaker with TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension and NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) magnetic circuit
• Beryllium tweeter with IHL (Infinite Horn Loading)
• Speakers developed and manufactured in France by Focal

Acoustic Specifications

• Type: 3-way bass-reflex floorstanding speaker
• Drivers:
  • Bass: 2 x 180 mm W woofers
  • Midrange: 165 mm W speaker with TMD suspension and NIC motor
  • Treble: 27 mm pure beryllium inverted dome
• Cone: W type

Audio Performance

• Low cut-off frequency (-6 dB): 28 Hz
• Frequency response (± 3 dB): 34 Hz - 40 kHz
• Minimum impedance: 3.1 Ω
• Nominal impedance: 8 Ω
• Recommended amplifier power: 40 W - 300 W
• Sensitivity: 91 dB

Dimensions

• Height: 1,190 mm
• Width: 358 mm
• Depth: 540 mm
• Weight: 55 kg

Included Accessories

• 4 pre-mounted counter-spikes
• 4 decoupling spikes
• Magnetic attachment acoustic grille