Focal Bathys headphones overview: Transcendent wi-fi headphones

MSRP $800.00

“The Bathys from Focal are the best-sounding wireless headphones I’ve heard yet.”

Pros

• Exceptionally open sound
• Highly detailed
• USB DAC
• Solid battery/quick charging
• Bluetooth multipoint

Cons

• Fairly heavy for lengthy put on
• Moderately efficient ANC

Audiophile wi-fi headphones. Some (largely audiophiles) would say that’s an oxymoron. That’s as a result of Bluetooth is, by nature, a really slender pipe that was by no means designed to hold the massive quantities of knowledge that CD-quality sound requires. That has pressured the complete wi-fi headphone trade to closely compress the audio it sends over Bluetooth, and in the event you begin with a compromised sign, then all the pieces else down the chain may even be compromised in a roundabout way. Garbage in, rubbish out, proper?

Well, positive, there’s some reality to that. There’s no efficient strategy to faux your manner as much as CD-quality from a lossy, bit-starved Bluetooth audio stream. But that doesn’t imply that Bluetooth can’t sound higher than it usually does. That’s the premise behind the Focal Bathys headphones, the French audio outfit’s first take at a wi-fi noise-canceling headphone.

(Editor’s word: For my audio geek associates on the market, let me rapidly acknowledge that I’m conscious of the existence of aptX Lossless. I’m additionally conscious that only a few supply gadgets help it proper now. )

Focal’s place is that, by way of the meticulous design and engineering of each part, and by fastidiously balancing energetic noise canceling (ANC) and digital sign processing (DSP), it’s attainable to maximise the potential of Bluetooth audio. In a dialog with Focal, I used to be informed the corporate’s purpose was to develop wi-fi headphones that sounded as near the corporate’s vaunted Celestee headphones as attainable. I don’t understand how shut Focal obtained to the Celestee (which I beloved), however I’ll say I’m fairly thrilled with how the Bathys sound.

When it involves speaker and headphone design, trade-offs and compromise are sure to be concerned, and so it’s with the Bathys. They will under no circumstances be all issues for all folks — a aim which the Sony WH-1000XM5 attempt to fulfill — however that’s by design. More on that in a second. Let’s speak about what you get whenever you spend $800 on the Focal Bathys, and whether or not they’re well worth the funding.

What you get

How they appear

How they really feel

No getting round it: The Bathys are a bit heavy, particularly when weighed towards the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QC45. Then once more, so are the Bang & Olufsen H95 and Master & Dynamic MW75. The added weight is probably going a byproduct of the premium supplies in use, so in a manner, I discover it fascinating as I maintain the Bathys in my hand. But once I put them on my head, I instantly want they had been a bit lighter. By no means are the Bathys uncomfortable for shorter-term put on, however I did discover the load bearing down on my crown about three hours into my current flight. The weight is considerably offset by fastidiously thought-about clamping pressure that I take pleasure in, however I’ve to cease wanting saying these are a traveler’s delight. I used to be effective carrying them for 2 to a few hours, however not 5 – 6 at a time. Of course, your mileage could range.

How they work

The Bathys handle to be extremely succesful with out being difficult. If all you need is to show the headphones on, join by way of Bluetooth, and begin listening, they’ll try this. If you wish to toggle between ANC and transparency mode, there’s a button for that, too.

If you favor a wired connection, you may go that route with a typical 1/8-inch headphone cable, however the Bathys additionally provide a direct digital audio connection by way of USB-C for even higher sound high quality. While iPhone homeowners might want to buy a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter, Android homeowners can simply plug the Bathys straight into their cellphone. In any case, whether or not utilizing a cellular machine or a PC, this direct digital connection permits the Bathys to make use of its personal top-tier DAC, relatively than no matter DAC is constructed into your machine. This was a wise transfer, because the DAC constructed into most telephones, laptops, and desktop PCs is often a really weak hyperlink within the audio chain.

Wired or wi-fi, the built-in DAC is only the start of what makes the Bathys totally different from different headphones. Focal designs and builds its personal drivers for the Bathys, simply because it does for its different headphone fashions and its famend loudspeaker lineup. The firm claims it has additionally applied a strong headphone amplifier to drive these transducers. These measures on their very own ought to assist contribute to glorious sound high quality, however Focal claims the robust choices it made round ANC implementation and the selection to keep away from heavy-handed DSP are key to how the Bathys are capable of sound higher than their competitors.

In a dialog with Focal, I used to be informed that the corporate spent numerous hours discovering the precise stability between ANC effectiveness and sound high quality. The extra heavy-handed it was with the noise canceling, the extra the audio constancy suffered. When it went too laborious within the different path, although, the ANC wasn’t efficient sufficient to name it a product characteristic. In the tip, Focal strove for the candy spot, the place noise-canceling was made simply efficient sufficient to maintain ambient noise from dirtying the sound, however not a lot that it crushed the headphones’ pure tendency towards premium audio high quality.

How they sound

I do assume you will need to be clear on the purpose that the Bathys’ noise-canceling prowess is nowhere near the extent provided by headphones just like the Sony WH-1000XM5, Bose QC45 or Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. As I’ve simply defined, that’s by design. The Bathys’ ANC isn’t designed to create a dome of silence across the listener, so that they aren’t your best option for touring on an airplane or noisy prepare, however it’s efficient sufficient to permit the headphones’ glorious constancy to shine by way of. Given this was Focal’s aim, I’d must say that it was wildly profitable.

As I bounced between the Bathys, the Sony XM5, and the Bowers and Wilkins PX7, all in wi-fi mode, I used to be struck by how rather more open, ethereal, and spacious the Bathys sounded. By comparability, the Sony and B&W sounded closed in, nearly claustrophobic, which is curious as a result of I’ve by no means described both as sounding that manner previously. It took listening to the Bathys to disclose how a lot I’d been lacking after years of listening to wi-fi headphones with forceful ANC and heavy-handed DSP.

The Bathys additionally sound expertly balanced, with only a little bit of added heat within the bass, a very clear midrange, and a number of the most articulate, correct treble I’ve heard from a set of wi-fi headphones. Honestly, it was laborious to consider I used to be listening by way of Bluetooth. But then I switched to the wired digital connection utilizing the Bathys’ onboard DAC, and I spotted simply how a lot better the Bathys might sound, given a higher-quality sign.

While treble under no circumstances sounded raspy or garbled in the best way it does when listening to a low-quality mp3 file, I heard a right away enchancment to high-frequency constancy as soon as I switched from wi-fi to digital wired connection. In the wi-fi mode, Vinnie Colaiuta’s hi-hat and percussion work within the opening seconds of Sting’s Seven Days held collectively properly, with a pleasing presence of shimmer and assault not simply audible on different wi-fi headphones. When I switched to the wired mode, nevertheless, I might hear extra tone within the cymbals, and the transient response of the drumstick hitting the drummer’s hi-hat had a extra pronounced influence. The usually barely audible buzz from the nylon-stringed acoustic guitar additionally offered extra texture. In brief, shifting from wi-fi to wired, the sound escalated from nice to glorious.

What I really like most about how the Bathys sound, although, is how they resolve advanced brass overtones and the natural grit of reed devices like saxophone and clarinet. These wind devices simply sound extra life like and current, which makes for terribly participating listening periods when having fun with bands like Earth, Wind, and Fire, Corey and the Wongnotes, and Snarky Puppy.

I additionally must name out how dazzling the Bathys’ stereo separation and soundstage could be. Any monitor with a guitar taking part in by way of a refrain pedal appears like liquid gold, and the opening chords from the Fender Rhodes on Phat Phunktion’s Integrity rattling close to made me dizzy. I’m right here to inform you: The Bathys are deeply satisfying and very enjoyable to take heed to, wired or wi-fi.

I don’t imply to shortchange the Bathys’ bass efficiency — they’ve glorious bass response, deep and tuneful, however not overbearing — it’s simply that the readability, element, and general integrity are likely to steal the present right here.

If there’s any disadvantage to the Bathys’ efficiency, it’s that they very clearly name out any deficiency in your streaming audio information. While the Bathys do wonders for wi-fi sound, they’ll’t repair how crappy, low-quality mp3s sound. So, in the event you’re not paying for Spotify Premium (which remains to be solely 320kbit/s, however manner higher than the max 160kbit/s from the free model), then put together to pony up for the subscription, swap streaming companies, or simply don’t trouble with the Bathys. Fortunately, Apple Music’s Lossless streaming sounded simply effective, as did high-fidelity streams from Tidal and Quobuz.

Who should purchase them