Focal launches a new version Aria 900 Loudspeaker

Available from October the new loudspeaker from Focal will feature a Flax cone, new TNF tweeters and minimalist styled cabinets. 

It represents a significant design shift away from the Chorus 800 V’s very strong design identity towards a more sober statement combining the mineral and the organic. The Aria 900 range is similar in breadth to that of the Chorus 800 V for stereo and Home Cinema, with just one exception: the model 948, which marks a return to the original “generous” loudspeaker with two 21 cm bass speakers.

Eighteen years after Focal introduced its ‘W’ sandwich cones (glass-glass sandwich), it is launching its ‘F’ (for Flax) sandwich cones, the result of more than five years’ work towards achieving more affordable sandwich structures.

The use of an eco-textile like flax, together with composites technologies, brings an innovative solution to sandwich construction: a piece of high quality flax is placed between two very thin glass fibre sheets. The manufacturing process can be mechanized (unlike the W cones which had to be handmade) and automated, making them more affordable.

The new TNF tweeter has an aluminium/magnesium alloy inverted dome, for low mass and stiffness. The lightweight dome is supported on Poron suspension (for linearity) developed from the Utopia tweeter. The tweeter has a front plate waveguide to help ensure ideal horizontal directivity with low diffraction.