The Focal Aria 906 is a talented bookshelf speaker which is one of the best at their price range. Their exceptional sound quality impresses both the critics and audiophiles alike. They may be solid performers but without a matching amplifier, they can’t sound their very best. This is where we come in, we will be sharing with you a list of the best amplifiers that you can pair with your Focal Aria 906.
These amplifiers are chosen based on how well they complement and drive the Aria 906 standmounters. Matching and complementing the strengths and sonic characteristics of Focal Aria 906, are important for you to know as well because you can also use this information to easily source amplifiers on your own.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Merits of Focal Aria 906
As mentioned earlier, the Focal Aria 906 is a beautiful pair of bookshelf speakers. It has style and elegance fused into one, using the Focal Aria S900 as the speaker stands, the Aria 906 will look stunning in most homes. It looks great with or without speaker grilles, but we do prefer the latter. As you can show off the 6.5 inch (165mm) flax/fiberglass sandwich cone which not only looks good but sounds good too. Above the woofer, you will spot a 1 inch (25mm) TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome tweeter with a waveguide. Below the woofer, a front-firing bass port which makes finding speaker placements easier.
For a bookshelf speaker, the Focal Aria 906 has an outstanding frequency response of 55Hz-28kHz (±3dB) which shows the Aria 906 can produce deep bass. The speaker sensitivity is good as well, it is at 89.5dB. The nominal impedance is at 8 Ohms and the minimal at about 4.6 Ohms. Comparing with other bookshelf speakers in a similar price range, the Focal Aria 906 are quite efficient speakers and should be easily driven. The recommended amplifier power of 25-120 Watts is quite a normal requirement. The need for a subwoofer to supplement the bass is still probable though.
More Details at Amazon – Focal Aria 906 Bookshelf Speaker
The Focal Aria 906 has the ability to convey your music into a large-scale sound that has weight and punch. The soundstage it projects is impressive for bookshelf speakers, it is wide, convincing depth and height. The stereo imaging also chipped in to produce a cohesive sonic performance without them falling apart at high volumes. It could also partly due to the tonal balance of the Focal Aria 906 where all drivers play seamlessly together as one without muddling each other which is simply remarkable at this price point. To nitpick, we find that the bass reproduction can be a little exaggerated at times.
Overall the bass reproduction is still good, to improve it, we will suggest going for a subwoofer which can really help in reproducing very deep bass and also opens up the Focal Aria 906. Or you can just lower the bass via the amplifier/receiver. The agility of the Focal Aria 906 is impeccable, the sense of timing and precision makes it an entertaining speaker to listen to. It may not be as enthusiastic sounding as other speakers but the overall music presentation is still an enjoyable listening experience.
Focal Aria 906 is a musical-sounding bookshelf speaker, with a touch of warmth and smooth sound quality. They will do well in a home theater setup but will definitely need support from an active subwoofer. The Focal Aria 906 will have no problem handling most music genres but when it comes to bass-heavy music, it might not have enough control over the lower end frequency. Alright, it is time to list out the best amplifiers to go for and match them with your Focal Aria 906 loudspeakers.
Focal Aria 906 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 2-way front-firing bass port
- Drive Units: 1 inch (25mm) TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome tweeter with a waveguide, 6.5 inch (165mm) flax/fiberglass sandwich cone
- Frequency Response (±3dB): 55Hz-28kHz
- Recommended amplifier power: 25-120 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms (min. 4.6 Ohms)
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 89.5dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 390mm x 225mm x 280mm | 15.4″ x 8.9″ x 11″
- Weight: 8.6kg (19lbs)
Best Amplifiers to match with Focal Aria 906
The Lavardin IS Reference is one of the best matching amplifiers that you can go for to pair with your Focal Aria 906 bookshelf speakers. This integrated amplifier has plenty of details and produces them out in musical fluidity. The rich sound reproduction along with its faithful music presentation of your favorite tunes makes it one of the most musical sounding amplifiers at this price point. If music is your main priority, you should definitely audition Lavardin IS Reference along with your Focal Aria 906 and hear them out yourself. The only qualms we have is the lack of features.
The Rotel RA-1572 will make an amazing amplifier partner for your Focal Aria 906 speakers, as firstly it has more than enough power to drive your Aria 906. There is also an AKM premium 32-bit/768kHz Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) and a subwoofer output to connect to a powered sub. The Rotel RA-1572 has fantastic bass control, it reproduces the low frequency with an impressive sense of timing and is punchy which doesn’t overstay its welcome. This integrated amp complements the Focal Aria 906 standmounters really well and deserves your consideration.
A highly qualified integrated amplifier to match with your Focal Aria 906, the Naim Supernait 3 is a solid performer and has top-quality sound reproduction. It is another impressive musical-sounding amplifier that breathes life into your favorite tunes. The way the Naim Supernait 3 delivers your music is with confidence and cohesiveness, allowing you to fully focus on the richness of the sound quality and feel the emotional energy when the music reaches its crescendos. The soundstage and stereo imaging are immaculate, a worthy amplifier partner for your beautiful Focal Aria 906 speakers.
For a preamp and power amp combination, the Cambridge Audio will be a great choice. For the preamp section, you might want to take a look at Cambridge Audio Azur 851N, a multi-award-winning network player that is design and built for modern usage. With the capability of producing beautiful and clean sound quality, well suited for your Focal Aria 906 bookshelf speakers. Coupled with a matching power amplifier, Cambridge Audio Azur 851W, you’ve got yourself a powerful high-resolution digital and streaming sound system. You should definitely spend some effort to audition them, especially you are into high-resolution audio files and/or music streaming.
More Info at Amazon – Cambridge Audio Azur 851N Digital Preamplifier, Network Player
More Information at Amazon – Cambridge Audio Azur 851W
If you want more excitement for your music listening experience, the Rega Elex-R will be your amp and an ideal matching partner for your Focal Aria 906 standmounters. The rhythmic agility and fast pace fluidity without ever sounding rush are what make the Rega Elex-R such an astounding integrated amplifier. The liveliness that the Elex-R has is driven into your speakers, bringing the emotional energy out from your music sources. It also digs out plenty of details and is produced out with clarity. The Focal Aria 906 speakers are quite warm sounding and the Rega Elex-R does make it sound a bit more lively. Still, it is best to audition them first before deciding.
More Information at Amazon – Rega Elex-R Integrated Amplifier
Naim also has amazing preamplifiers which you may be interested in, the Naim NAC 202 is a great start but if budget allows, you should really check out Naim NAC 252 instead. Naim amplifiers are very suitable for Focal speakers, and this is why they are usually one of the top choices when pairing with Focal speakers. Naim also makes power amplifiers do check out NAP 200 DR, the 70 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms is more than sufficient. The older Arcam models are also good matches with the Focal Aria 906, you might want to take a look at the newer models such as the ARCAM SA10 which is an entry-level integrated amplifier. The Arcam power amplifiers such as the PA240 uses Class G amplification, where Class A circuitry is been used for low-level signals (50W).
More Details at Amazon – ARCAM SA10 Integrated Amplifier Class A/B, 2x50w
To Sum It Up
You might want to integrate sealed cabinet powered subwoofers to enhance the overall bass performance and supplement Focal Aria 906 low-frequency production. High-quality sealed subwoofers such as SVS SB-2000 Pro are capable of producing low frequencies more accurately than the ported versions. The listed amplifiers here should be auditioned first together with your Focal Aria 906 before making any decisions. You can also use these amps and along with the information in this article as references when searching for potential amplifier partners on your own.
More Info at Amazon – SVS SB-2000 Pro 550 Watt DSP Controlled 12″ Sealed Subwoofer
