Focal Sopra No. 1

A luxurious bookshelf speaker in style and sound. Designed and manufactured in France, the Focal Sopra No. 1 brings the essence of the flagship Utopia series to a lower price point.

$15,598 (pair)

Special order

Available in: Black High Gloss, White Carrara, Light Oak, Black Oak

What Creative Audio says

Who wouldn’t love to own a pair of Focal Utopia speakers? Were it not for the price, of course. Fortunately we have Sopra. With the Sopra series, it’s game set and match to the competition. Here we have the beautiful Sopra No. 1 bookshelf model; before the music even starts playing, this speaker catches your eye with it’s soft curves and luxurious materials. There’s substance here too: when you listen to these speakers you will marvel, particularly at the high frequencies. How is it possible that a speaker can be so detailed, so absolutely precise, and yet not be harsh, cold, or clinical? This precision extends down to the midrange as well, where vocals are reproduced with an almost alarming sense of realism. Yet what we love most is that, more than anything, these speakers are a pure joy to listen to because they make music that strikes the heart. This is not a stuffy audiophile speaker, not at all. Rather, it is an absolute joy to listen to.

Key Features

  • Two-way design

  • 6 1/2” midbass ‘W’ cone driver with TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension and NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) magnet

  • 1” Beryllium inverted dome tweeter with IHL (Infinite Horn Loading)

What Focal says

Focal Sopra ushers in a new era for the premium high-end loudspeaker. Available to buy in Winnipeg at Creative Audio, the Focal Sopra No. 1 is compact and pure in its design, ensuring perfect integration into your home.

Starting from the top, Focal’s Beryllium tweeter is incredibly light and extremely rigid. These characteristics allow it to deliver a level of transparency previously unheard and with incredible dynamic capability. The main limitation for the tweeter is the compression of the air in the cavity behind it. The IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) design allows the rear wave of the tweeter to be delicately and gradually absorbed, avoiding any distortion. This is what brings the high frequency performance of Sopra to a completely new level.

The attention to detail continues on the midbass driver, with its TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) on the driver’s surround. Utilizing technology used in earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and in the suspension of racing cars, the TMD optimises the resonances in the surround, drastically reducing midrange distortion and thereby increasing definition.

The precision and detail of music reproduction depends on the stability of the magnetic field of the driver. Focal’s NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) technology controls the magnetic field in an effort to limit distortion. Detail comes forward and dynamics are improved, allowing the midbass driver to perform to a higher level.

Design agency Pineau & Le Porcher designed Sopra with one rule: that there be no sacrifice of performance to aesthetics. Even the cabinet of the Sopra No. 1 is bristling with technology. Built in Burgundy, France, the Sopra No. 1 cabinet is built using the same manufacturing process used for the Utopia series. The 69mm machined front panel uses Gamma Structure principles for damping. Its density allows it to provide a stable mechanical surface for the drivers to provide optimal definition. There are no parallel sides on the interior and Helmholtz resonators prevent vertical standing waves.

 

Technical Specifications

Dimensions (HxWxD):
16 47/64" x 10 63/64" x 15 19/32"

Drivers:
6 1/2” bass driver
1” tweeter

Frequency Response:
45 Hz - 40 kHz (+/- 3 dB)

Low Frequency Extension:
41 Hz (-6 dB)

Impedance (nominal/minimum):
8 ohms/3.9 ohms

Sensitivity:
89 dB

Weight:
41.89 pounds

Sound Advice

  • Focal Sopra requires a minimum of 200 hours of break-in before delivering its best performance.

  • We do recommend the dedicated stands (sold separately) for the best performance.

  • Experiment with placement for the best results. We recommend at least 12 - 18” from the back of the speaker to the back wall. Adjust the toe-in (angle of the speakers towards the listening position) for the sharpest soundstage.