Focal Kanta 2, my honest opinion

Let's go back for a moment to our post-adolescence...

Do you remember the typical high school classmate who looked like a rich girl, who used to dress elegantly and soberly, well-defined, with great attention to detail? And she dressed even better when she accompanied her parents to classical music concerts? Yes? Do you remember her?

That same girl was capable of walking into a bar in the most troubled neighborhoods of the city with the same elegance and poise, where an acoustic jazz band was playing alongside a female vocalist.

And at the first high school parties, which were a bit crazy, to our surprise, she danced as if she had been a lifelong rock fan... but let's be clear, she never lost her elegance, her attention to detail, and the ample space she loved to dance in.

In case you don't remember her name, let me refresh your memory: FOCAL KANTA 2

Are there any prettier girls? Of course there are, but due to their high pedigree, my pocket couldn't afford to take them out to dinner at the best restaurants, so Miss Focal Kanta 2, with her pleasant, detailed perfume and her speed and stage presence, already filled everything my pocket and musical tastes could afford.

First of all, before getting into the subject at hand, I want to explain the importance of having an acoustically prepared room, even if only partially, whether it is a dedicated room with resonators, absorbers (absorbent curtains are also fine, in the case of windows or glass doors) and bass traps, or going to the other extreme (i.e., your living room), decorative fabric pictures on some walls, plants in the corners, and, if possible, thick curtains. It goes without saying how important the location of the speakers is in relation to the listening point. There is no other trick than to consult the manufacturer and then try, try, and try again until you find your "sweet spot"!

Now I will briefly explain about the company FOCAL JM LAB:

Focal JM Lab is a French company founded in 1979 by engineer Jacques Mahul, specializing in the design and manufacture of high-fidelity audio systems. Its headquarters and main production center are located in Saint-Étienne, France.

• Products: Focal JM Lab produces home speakers, car speakers and amplifiers, professional monitors for recording studios, high-end headphones, and integration systems for public and private spaces.
• Innovation: The company is renowned for its constant innovation in materials and technologies, such as the use of Polyglass and Polykevlar cones and the development of inverted dome tweeters, which have set trends in the audio industry.
• Quality control: Focal controls the entire production process, from component design to final assembly, ensuring exceptional sound quality and an international reputation.
• Made in France: Most of its products are designed and manufactured in France, maintaining a strong commitment to excellence and French industrial tradition.
• International recognition: Focal JM Lab is considered one of the leading brands in the high-fidelity audio sector, with iconic products such as the Grande Utopia series, recognized worldwide for its sound quality. Business areas
  
• Home Audio: High-fidelity speakers for the home.
• Car Audio: Speaker kits and amplifiers for cars.
• Pro Audio: Studio monitors for sound professionals.
• Headphones: From portable models to reference headphones for audiophiles.
• Integration: Sound solutions for public spaces, outdoor areas, high-end cars, and yachts.

Equipment used in testing

Sound source:
» Mcbook air pro connected to DAC/PreAmp via USB C to USB B cable
» Qobuz Studio
» RME Adi2 Dac Fs (-24dbs)
Power amplification:
» Pass Labs X.250.5
» Accuphase P360
Speakers:
» Focal Kanta 2
Cables:
» MIT AV3, Speaker cables
» Van Damme Professional, XLR cables
» Kiuwxduy 10awg, Power Cables
» WAudio W-6000B, High Fidelity Network Filter

What are the Focal Kanta 2 like? (*)

These aesthetically unattractive (in my opinion) Focal Kanta 2 speakers are capable of handling large dynamic changes, which makes orchestral and symphonic music particularly impressive, creating a convincingly large three-dimensional soundstage with precise placement of instruments and voices. (Track: "Les voici – Les Voici le quadrile" from the opera Carmen by GEORGES BIZET) and (Track: "Simphony No. 1, 3rd movement, Allegro" by RUTH GIPPS).

While its sound is generally versatile, its strengths in tonal accuracy, vocal realism and soundstage make it particularly suited to classical music, opera and acoustic jazz or blues. I can't comment much on other musical genres, as my listening percentage of these is less than 10%... But I would dare to say, without a fundamental listening base and prolonged knowledge of this type of music, that they are not left behind. (Track "This is the end" by THE DOORS)

Let's continue... The purity of the highs and mids is a standout feature. The beryllium tweeter contributes to smooth, sweet high frequencies; the upper end sounds airy and extended. The midrange is perceived as extensive and its tonal balance leans towards the bright side of neutral, but always without flagrantly altering the instrumental or vocal signatures. (Track "Red sweet pee" by SEIKO MATSUDA) and (Track "Dome epais le jasmin" from the opera "Lakme" by LEO DELIBES).

In terms of bass performance, the flax fiber woofers provide room-filling, propulsive performance and a robust punch at the lower end.(Track: "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" by BELA AFFLECK) There is excellent bass extension for the size of the speaker—which is not exactly small—and the bass can be described as articulate and controlled, becoming clearly deep if the room is well acoustically treated, as is the case in my home. (Track: "No More Blues" by SAMARA JOY).

The Kanta 2's ability to deliver an astonishing level of transparency (Track: "Saw" by AI KUWAVARA, STEVE GADD & WILL LEE) and (Track "Alternate Summer" by TOM HARRELL) and reproduce the explosive dynamics of an orchestral crescendo is highly transparent to the source, adding very little sound of its own, which ensures that the integrity of the recording is faithfully preserved (4th movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony)... and, quite frankly, it punishes bad recordings mercilessly, just like the bad guys in a cheesy 1980s action movie produced by Yoram Globus and Menahem Golam. (Example: Death Wish" with Charles Bronson).

The soundstage is one of the main virtues of the Kanta 2. The speakers excel at producing holographic images and subtle details, offering first-class auditory photographs, contributing to a deep and layered soundstage. (Track "Spoksteg" by TINGVALL TRIO).

(*)^{Throughout this text, you will see a musical theme appear in parentheses. This theme is an auditory example of the qualities and characteristics of the explanation}

They have a sensitivity of 91 dB, which means they can be effectively driven by a wide variety of amplifiers. (But... but... but...) here comes the catch...
For large symphonic works and opera, the system must convey a huge range of agile and energetic contrasts. The explosive dynamics of an orchestral crescendo from the Kanta 2 will be well supported if there is ample power reserve from the amplifier or power stage.The Kanta drops down to 3.1 Ohms, and when you have amplification to match... you can hear it, and you can hear it loud (track "As the Jurassic World Turns" from the Jurassic World soundtrack by MICHAEL GIACCHINO).

Features and peculiarities

As I always say, every speaker has its own sound and every ear has its own music. For some, it may sound a little bright in the high frequencies or lack a certain emotion in some "rock" passages. I'm referring to those speakers that, lacking crystal-clear detail or even surgical precision, tend to emphasize a certain opacity, and are inclined towards purely musical emotion, understanding music as a whole. The Focal Kanta speakers are not unexciting; they are exciting, and as I mentioned above, they are much better when driven by a substantial amount of power, but perhaps they lack that extra emotion for certain ears, to the detriment of the orderly spatiality required by classical music and jazz.

One point to bear in mind is their break-in period:
The Focal Kanta 2 requires a significantly long break-in period. My initial impressions were misleading, as they produced a somewhat muddy and tunneled sound... After consulting with Focal itself, I was told that they may need at least six months to reach their optimal performance, at which point the bass, soundstage, and midrange truly settle in. In my case, after just one month, I began to fall in love with them. Even the initial harshness of the treble faded more quickly. This insistence on a long break-in period is not a minor detail and, in my case, it was a real test of faith, as one of my biggest flaws is a lack of patience.

Below are the covers of the tracks I used to illustrate the virtues of these French ladies.

Conclusión

Focal Kanta 2, whose visual aesthetics, despite not being to my liking... that doesn't mean that, in the eyes of others, they aren't beautiful... The sound quality is astonishingly detailed in the highs, offering a wide and three-dimensional soundstage, a tremendously pleasant tonal color in the mids, and brutal bass. Aggressively big and smooth at the same time (it's like Monica Bellucci at 25 hitting you in the chest with the force of Mike Tyson). It's not that they've stolen my heart, it's just that, unless I inherit a large amount of money, they'll follow me to my death in those daily listening sessions of romantic symphonic, baroque, and Renaissance music. From exciting modern and classic soundtracks, acoustic jazz or jazz with female vocals (or, in other words, sensual musical eroticism in which the voice becomes just another instrument) to the harsh, deep, delicately decadent and hard primitive blues or, to a lesser extent, rock, whether hard, progressive or symphonic, and also some heavy metal.