Focal Sopra N°2 Floorstanding Speakers

3-way high-end loudspeaker

Sopra N°2 is the new epitome of today’s premium loudspeakers. It perfectly combines dynamics, space optimisation and harmonic richness.

Sopra n°2 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 n°2 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. Sopra n°2 is perfectly at ease in rooms measuring up to 320ft2 (30m2), and is even ideal for larger rooms measuring up to 750ft2 (70m2).

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.

Neutral Inductance Circuit

Since the beginning, we have always had a great interest in the magnetic circuit, an essential aspect of a speaker drive unit. The precision and detail of audio reproduction depends on the stability of the magnetic field. NIC technology (Neutral Inductance Circuit) permits to control the magnetic field and finally enables to master it in order to limit distortion. It decreases the effects of distortion and give the sound a very high-definition and an unprecedented dynamic.

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.

Details

The main theme of Sopra is deliberately uncluttered, though it still offers connoisseurs the opportunity to enjoy all the small details. The grille with an incremental meshing motif protects the Beryllium tweeter and gives it a strong identity. This motif is repeated for sealing the curved back panel of the middle section. The terminal board, the thumb nuts and the adjustable spikes have all been specially designed for Sopra, as have the few visible screws, all of which were manufactured by watchmaking experts.

Features

Midrange driver with TMD suspension and NIC magnetic circuit

IHL Beryllium tweeter (Infinite Horn Loading)

Drivers developed and manufactured by Focal in France

Specifications

Type 3-way Bass-reflex floor standing loudspeaker

Drivers

Two 18cm "W" woofer

16.5cm "W" midrange with TMD suspension, NIC motor

27mm IHL Beryllium inverted dome tweeter

Frequency response (+/- 3dB)

34Hz - 40kHz

Low frequency point - 6dB 28Hz

Sensitivity (2.83V / 1m) 91dB

Nominal impedance 8 Ohms

Minimum impedance 3.1 Ohms

Crossover frequency 250Hz / 2 200Hz

Recommended amplifier power 40 - 300W

Dimensions (HxWxD) 1190x358x540mm

Weight 55kg