The Song Never Remains the Same

Focal expands on the theme for Aria

One of Focal's most beloved speaker lines gets even more alluring.

We all know and love Aria. The natural warmth of those flax cones lends weight and texture to bass notes, and the detailed extension of the metal tweeter brings the air and snap that makes the Aria's presentation so addictive.

Focal knows not to mess with a great thing, and the new Aria Evo X keeps all that is beloved whilst making a few key improvements.

Some people believe that turntable and loudspeaker design is static because everything to be learned about them was learned 40 years ago, and this could not be more untrue. Manufacturers are constantly finding newer and better materials and new ways to implement design, making these transducers quieter and more linear than ever before.

Evolving Aria

The Aria Evo X has the new TAM tweeter, also found in Vestia, which is replacing the TNF tweeter, now found in the Theva line. TAM is an aluminum-magnesium alloy like before but formed in Focal's innovative M shape, which gives it a wider dispersion. It also offers more linearity through the audio band with an increase of extension to 30 kHz.

In its ceaseless effort to always improve, Focal has also been able to smooth out further the response through 1 kHz and 5 kHz, a critical set of frequencies for our ears.

The flax mid/bass drivers use Focal's TMD (tuned mass dampener) in the surround, a patented technology previously used only in Kanta and up. The TMD, in turn, offers even lower distortion from 800 Hz to 3,500 Hz.

A Focal Aria Evo X No1 in the High Gloss Moss Green finish that contrasts so well with those flax drivers.

A Stunning New Finish

Ground-breaking technological improvements are expected from high-end audio companies, but few can also crush it in the looks department quite like Focal. We can't take our eyes off the new High Gloss Moss Green finish and how incredibly well it complements the textured brown flax driver. Once you add the leather effect front panel, you have a speaker making more than one of us at Upscale seriously consider bringing home.

More Warehouse Treasure: The Naim NAP 300 DR Power Amp

These days, it's hard to talk about Focal without mentioning Naim. Not just because they are part of the same company but because the newer products from both sides of the Channel are voiced with each other. Sometimes, you spend a lifetime hunting down "synergy," so it's nice to know when it comes factory-fitted.

The Naim NAP 300 DR is a two-story power amp and external PSU that delivers a massive 90 W per channel. If 90 W doesn't sound massive to you, you clearly have not heard a smaller Naim, such as the 40 W Atom, in full song. Naim's legendary high current delivery and focus on swift transients delivers so much slam, people refused to believe its first product, the Nait 1, was just 13 W.

The NAP 300 DR, with so much flagship Naim Statement technology, is best paired with Focal Sopra and higher, where the greater speed and delineation of the W cone drivers and beryllium tweeters properly highlight that high-power Discrete Regulator technology.

(That doesn't mean we wouldn't be very eager to hear a NAP 300 DR and Aria Evo X pairing, a system that would forbid "serious listening" because it would always want to go out and play.)

The matched and included 300 PS power supply minimizes interference and is able to offer the current needed for Naim's characteristic massive transient attack. The necessary Burndy cables between PSU and amp are supplied.

The Naim NAP 300 DR is selling for $5,000 off its original retail price, and inventory is extremely low.

New Video: Monoblocks Vs. Stereo Amps with PrimaLuna and Kevin Deal

Two monoblocks or one stereo amp? Kevin Deal, armed with a phalanx of PrimaLuna EVO tube power amps, explains how to get the very best from them, whether you're using one stereo amp or are wielding two of them set to mono.