FOCAL THEVA N°3-D Flagship Floorstanding Speaker User Guide

: October 30, 2023
: FOCAL

Table of Contents

Specifications
READ FIRST!
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

FOCAL THEVA N°3-D Flagship Floorstanding Speaker User Guide

Specifications

Type	Bass-reflex 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker	1-way closed
Speaker drivers	2 x 61/2″ (16.5cm) Slatefiber bass 61/2″ (16.5cm) Slatefiber
midrange 1″ (25mm) Al/Mg inverted dome TNF tweeter	5″ (13cm) full-range

READ FIRST!

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS!

| Caution
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN|
---|---|---
The bolt of lightning in an equilateral triangle warns the user that the device has high voltage that could result in a risk of electric shock| WARNING: To prevent any risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or the back) from the device. There are no user-serviceable parts in this device. For maintenance or repairs, contact a qualified professional.| Warning symbol. This symbol is designed to warn the user of the presence of important instructions mentioned in the user manual and relating to the handling, operation and maintenance of the device

Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/ apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-ove

| 11. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. 12. When using the device, the ambient temperature should not exceed 95°F (35 degrees Celsius). 13. Do not use this device in tropical climates. 14. Do not place naked flame sources, such as lit candles, near the device. 15. The appliance should only be mounted on a wall or ceiling if the manufacturer allows for this. 16. This product has sharp corners. Handle it with care. 17. Do not attempt to repair this device yourself. Opening the device may be dangerous. Contact a qualified professional for all work on the device. 18. When replacement components are needed, use only the components specified by the manufacturer or components with identical technical features to those of the original product. Using non- compliant components could cause fires, electric shocks or other risks. 19. After any maintenance or repair work on the device, test it to check that it is working safely. 20. Turn the source to minimum before connecting the products and turning up the volume. Once the products are in place, gradually increase the volume to a reasonable and comfortable level.| 21. To avoid damaging your hearing, do not listen to loudspeakers at high volumes for long periods of time. Listening to loudspeakers at an excessive volume can cause damage to the user’s ears and may lead to hearing problems (temporary or permanent deafness, buzzing in the ears, tinnitus, hyperacusis). Exposing your ears to a volume higher than 85dB SPL-LAeq for several hours can irreversibly damage your hearing.

After removing the product from its packaging, keep the packaging out of the reach of children. It could present a suffocation risk. 23. Some users who are not selfsufficient enough to use the product on their own without danger. In particular, children under 14 or people with some types of disabilities must be supervised and/or accompanied when using the device.

Please validate your Focal-JMlab warranty,
it is now possible to register your product online: www.focal.com/warranty

Thank you for purchasing a Focal product. Welcome to our High-Fidelity world. Innovation, tradition, excellence and pleasure are our values; our one and only aim is to bring you a sound that is rich, pure and true. To get the most out of your product, we recommend that you read the instructions in this booklet, then store it in a safe place to refer to in the future.

Handling (fig. A)

Theva N°3-D loudspeakers weigh more than 20kg. We strongly advise having 2 people lift them during unpacking and installation.

Theva loudspeakers have sharp corners. Take care not to injure yourself when handling your loudspeakers\

Fixing the base (fig.B)

Align the base opposite the fixing holes, position the 4 screws supplied and tighten them using the Allenkey provided. Make sure the base is the right way up (upper part at the front of the loudspeaker).

Then simply attach the rubber feet or spikes depending on the type of floor your loudspeaker will stand on. For hard floors, we recommend using the rubber feet. If installing your loudspeaker on carpet, using the spikes will provide greater stability

Grilles (fig.C)

Theva loudspeakers are supplied with grilles to protect the speaker drivers. They are easy to fit or remove thanks to their magnetic attachment system.

We advise removing them when you are listening to music to get the best performance from your loudspeakers.

Dolby Atmos® (fig.D)

Your Theva N°3-D loudspeakers supports Dolby Atmos®. The loudspeaker has a speaker on top, facing upwards, to use ceiling reflections to achieve Dolby Atmos® effects. Dolby Atmos® technology offers 3D sound, integrating the vertical dimension, i.e. the propagation of sound from a new source of sound emission: the ceiling. This new dimension brings precision and realism to a multi-channel sound experience worthy of home-theater (fig. D).

Connections (fig.E)

Theva connectors provide reliable, multi-purpose contacts for stripped cables (up to 4mm diameter), forkterminals or banana connectors. It is imperative to respect the connector polarity of both the loudspeaker and the amplifier. The connector marked “+” must be connected to the positive output on the amplifier and the connector marked “-” must be connected to the negative terminal . Stereo image and bass perception would be seriously compromised if these conditions are not respected. Choose good quality cables with a cross-section appropriate to their length: your retailer will be able to advise you.

Dolby Atmos® connections (fig.E)

Be sure to observe the connectors indicated on the back of the speaker. The top connector corresponds to the speaker situated on top of the loudspeaker, which reproduces Dolby Atmos® effects. The bottom connector refers to the speakers on the front of the loudspeaker (fig. E).

Positioning (fig.F,G,I,J)

These loudspeakers have been designed to deliver the most faithful reproduction of all kinds of music or home cinema programmes. Nonetheless, we recommend following these simple rules to optimise their performance and to warranty good tonal balance and a realistic sound image.

The loudspeakers should be positioned symmetrically, facing the listening area, ideally forming an equilateral triangle with it. However, these distances may be adjusted to find the ideal compromise according to the design of your interior (fig. F).

The loudspeakers should be positioned at the same height, in the same horizontal plane. Ideally, the tweeter should be positioned at the same height as the listener’s ears in the usual listening position (fig. G).Do not position your loudspeakers too close to a corner of the room and do not place them too close to a wall. This will induce some unwanted room resonance and artificially increase bass response. On the other hand, if the bass level is considered to be insufficient, you could try moving the loudspeakers nearer a wall to re-balance the bass level (fig. J). For a home cinema setup, please refer to the figure I for the placement of your loudspeakers (fig. I)

CAUTION
With a Dolby Atmos® installation, it is advised not to have any obstacles (shelf, lamp, etc.) less than 3 feet (1m) above the Theva N°3-D loudspeaker that could impede the reflection of Dolby Atmos® sound off the ceiling.

Optimisation (fig.H)

For perfectionists, here is a formula for optimal positioning:
If A is the distance from the centre of the woofer to the nearest floor or wall, B is the distance to the next closest floor or wall, and C is the greatest distance (A < B < C), the equation B2 = AC defines the ideal loudspeaker position.

Example:
If the centre of the woofer is 20″ (50cm) away from the rear wall (A) and 24″ (60cm) above the floor (B),
then the side wall will be ideally 28″ (72cm) away [C = B2 ⁄ A = 28″ (72cm)].

Recommendations for use
The behaviour of the loudspeakers depends on the acoustics of the listening room, on the correct positioning of the loudspeakers within the room, and on the position of the listener. It is possible to tweak each of these parameters to obtain or improve a desired effect.
Stereo perception is imprecise and poorly centred: try moving the loudspeakers closer together and/or have them facing the listening point:

The sound is harsh, aggressive: the acoustics of your listening room are probably too reverberant.

Consider using sound-absorbing materials (carpets, upholstered furniture, tapestries, curtains, etc.) and sound-reflecting materials (furniture) to absorb or diffuse resonance.

The sound is “flat”, strangled: there are too many sound-absorbing materials in the room, the sound is soaked up, it has no relief. Look for the best compromise between sound-absorbing and sound-reflecting materials in your room.

In general, aim to have a reflective wall behind the loudspeakers for the sound to develop correctly. The wall
behind the listening area, on the other hand, should ideally be sound- absorbing to avoid rear reflections “contaminating” the stereo image. Furniture can be judiciously placed near the side walls of the room to diffuse sound waves and ensure certain frequency ranges are not excited, particularly in the midrange (suppression of flutter echoes).

Break-in period
The speaker drivers used in Theva loudspeakers are complex mechanical components which require a certain time to adapt to operate at their best and to become acclimatised to the temperature and humidity of the listening environment. This break-in period varies depending on the climate and may last a few weeks. To reduce the break-in period, we recommend operating the loudspeakers for approximately twenty consecutive hours. Once the loudspeakers’ characteristics have totally stabilised, you will be able to enjoy your Theva loudspeakers’ performance to the full.

Special precautions

****The only maintenance required for the Theva loudspeakers is dusting with a dry cloth. If your loudspeaker becomes dirty, we recommend simply cleaning it with a damp cloth. Never use solvents, detergents, alcohol-based or corrosive products, scrapers or scourers to clean the surface of a loudspeaker. Keep the loudspeakers away from sources of heat.

Choosing the right amplifier
It is not an excess of amplifier power that can damage your loudspeakers and speaker drivers but a lack of power. Moreover, if the volume is turned up too high, the amplifier saturates and generates parasite signals that may damage the tweeter. The dynamic capacity and definition of Theva loudspeakers are sufficient to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of whatever amplifier is connected. Your retailer will be able to help you choose the amplifier best suited to your tastes and budget.

Audio/video amplification
Please make sure your amplifier is Dolby Atmos® compatible.

Recommendations

If your amplifier is equipped with an auto-calibration function, make sure that your amplifier has the latest firmware.
f you configure the amplifier manually, we highly recommend:
setting Dolby Atmos® speaker in “Small”.
doubling the distance of the Dolby Atmos® loudspeakers compared to the front speaker drivers.
increasing the level until you obtain the desired result.

Conditions of warranty
All Focal loudspeakers are covered by warranty drawn up by the official Focal distributor in your country. Your distributor can provide all details concerning the conditions of warranty. Warranty cover extends at least to that granted by the legal warranty in force in the country where the original purchase invoice was issued.

Correct elimination of this product

This marking indicates that within the EU this product should not be disposed of with other household wastes. To prevent any risk to the environment or human health, please recycle them responsibly to encourage the reuse of material resources. To return your used device, please use the return and collection systems available, or contact the retailer where you purchased the product. They can recycle this product safely.

Costumer Support

Focal-JMlab®
– BP 374 – 108, rue de l’Avenir – 42353 La Talaudière cedex –
France – www.focal.com
Tel. (+33) 04 77 43 57 00 –
Fax (+33) 04 77 43 57 04 – SCCG – 05/04/2023 – v1