Focal Sopra No.3

A CONCENTRATE OF UNRIVALLED TECHNOLOGIES

Equipped with the best midrange ever developed by Focal, with NIC and TMD technologies, Sopra No.3 pushes back the limits of reproduction in terms of sound transparency in a compact loudspeaker. With its 21 cm woofers (instead of 18 cm for Sopra No.2), it delivers even more powerful bass.

THE FINEST MATERIALS

Cabinets made in France by our own cabinetmakers, tempered glass to eliminate all vibrations, and a wide range of elegant finishes (Carrara White, Electric Orange, Black Lacquer, Light Oak, Macassar) to enhance the sound. Sopra N°3 underlines the uniqueness of every living space.

TECHNOLOGIES

“W” MEMBRANE
Perfectly defined midrange and bass

By developing and manufacturing its own membranes, Focal pushes the limits of innovation in acoustics. The sandwich “W” membrane of the loudspeakers plays an essential role in sound reproduction. It consists of two sheets of glass placed on either side of a central foam body; a sandwich construction that enables us to master the three key parameters of a good loudspeaker: lightness, rigidity and damping. This flagship membrane of Focal know-how perfectly optimizes the frequency response curve, providing low distortion and total listening transparency. Sound is the ultimate in precision.

TMD SUSPENSION
Stabilized surround, eliminates vibrations

While our engineers are experts in the development of exclusive diaphragms, they also innovate in all the components that make up the loudspeakers, such as the surround that connects the diaphragm to the frame, the performance of which must be mastered. Introduced in 2015, Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) technology with harmonic damping consists of the addition of finely positioned toroidal weights to stabilize the surround for even greater sonic neutrality. This technology enhances the midrange and the erratic behaviour of the surround between 1 kHz and 2 kHz.

BÉRYLLIUM TWEETER
For exceptional treble

Membrane shape and materials are essential for high-fidelity reproduction. For exceptional treble, our engineers have developed the Béryllium inverted dome tweeter in pure Beryllium. Thanks to its unrivalled rigidity, Beryllium is the material of choice for high-frequency loudspeakers. Developed and patented by Focal, the pure Beryllium inverted dome is capable of covering more than five octaves (1,000 – 40,000 Hz) for perfect perception of micro-details.

INFINITE HORN LOADING
High-definition sound

For the Beryllium tweeter to deliver all its finesse, it would need an almost infinite volume. Sopra’s need for compactness meant that the maximum volume of the cabinet had to be used for the bass. Exploring new ways of loading the tweeter led us to imagine the IHL infinite-load horn. The IHL (Infinite Horn Loading) system enables the Beryllium tweeter to be loaded while respecting the compactness of the loudspeaker. The rear wave is gently and progressively absorbed to avoid distortion. The result is maximum definition.

GAMMA STRUCTURE
An anti-vibration cabinet

As the surface area of a loudspeaker cabinet is greater than that of the loudspeaker diaphragms, it can radiate sounds that are distorted by the resonances of the cabinet structure. This alters reproduction and blurs the sound image. To prevent such “interference”, it is essential that the cabinet is as inert as possible, that it is not emissive. At Focal, we use MDF (Medium Density Fiber) to achieve this inertia. This stable, heavy structure is anti-vibration. It has been optimized by vibratory mapping of the loudspeaker walls to reinforce or modify the structure wherever a weak point appeared.

NIC TECHNOLOGY
Very high sound definition

For very high-definition sound, control of the magnetic flux circulating in the loudspeaker is essential. Our acousticians have created a magnetic circuit of incredible stability, guaranteeing perfectly controlled sound: Neutral Inductance Circuit (NIC) technology. This patented technology resides in a Faraday ring whose dimensions, material and positioning are optimized to make the magnetic flux stable and the sound highly precise.