Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Bluetooth Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Congratulations to the Focal team.At last, Bluetooth headphones for the audiophile.I acquired the Focal Bathys headphones to listen to orchestral classical music while moving around.Excellent stable full range Bluetooth sound.The sound is even better if you stream hi-res files with provided USB C cable utilising the DAC in the headphones. (iPhone users will need to get a “Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor” plus a USB to USB C adapter, but it is worth it to listen to hi-res streaming or WAV files) There is the minor inconvenience of walking around with the cable connection.They sound even better again if you use the supplied 3.5mm cable to listen via your dedicated headphone amplifier (hopefully with cross-feed to better replicate the natural soundstage and stereo ... MoreCongratulations to the Focal team.At last, Bluetooth headphones for the audiophile.I acquired the Focal Bathys headphones to listen to orchestral classical music while moving around.Excellent stable full range Bluetooth sound.The sound is even better if you stream hi-res files with provided USB C cable utilising the DAC in the headphones. (iPhone users will need to get a “Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor” plus a USB to USB C adapter, but it is worth it to listen to hi-res streaming or WAV files) There is the minor inconvenience of walking around with the cable connection.They sound even better again if you use the supplied 3.5mm cable to listen via your dedicated headphone amplifier (hopefully with cross-feed to better replicate the natural soundstage and stereo experience of listening via full-range speakers).I ordered these headphones based on the reviews and because I already own the Focal Clear MG and love the clarity. I am in the market for the Focal Stellia down the track.The soundstage is good because of the forward positioning of the 40mm magnesium drivers.The ANC easily removes ambient noise without affecting the sound quality.Traffic noise and noise from appliances eliminated without feeling closed-in.The natural noise isolation also protects me from the noisy neighbours.Comfortable to wear for many hours.The head clamping force is just right and the leather cups comfortable on the skin.

Excellent sound. Easily worked with Apple phone and laptop. No issues with the DAC which definitely improved the detail and spaciousness over bluetooth. Unfortunately too heavy for me to wear for even an hour without neck pain. Had to return them and settle for the AirPod pros which are not half bad and are super easy with the Apple universe.

Great sound for a wireless headphone

I admit to being a wired type of headphone user. I bought these for use during travel. I am impressed with the depth of sound. The typical comment on Focal products is the warm neutral sound. This set has the same nice qualities.

Hits the spot

Been using focal for years. This product hits the spot. I would love to see the app have more utility, the ANC could be better, the transparency could be better as well, but all around great! I work in a fast paced office and have multiple devices connected to these and they manage calls and voice commands flawlessly. For my use case they are perfect. I'm sure over time they features will improve. I would highly recommend for the working person who is looking for a HIGH FIDELITY sound that is wireless and has other functions.

Just Buy Them

If you care about the sound you get from you Bluetooth devices then treat yourself. These are audiophile headphones for listening to mobile devices. Dump your Sony's, your beat's, your Bose's headphones in your kids' room or give them to your spouse. I treated myself for Christmas and I could not be happier. Well worth their price and the sound; heavenly!!!!!!!

Might be the last headphones you will need

If you’re looking for Great sound you usually don’t find it with Bluetooth headsets. These are the exception. I have tested many in ear models looking for that perfect pair, purchased and returned many over ears looking for that perfect pair. Secondly with an iPhone you’re limited to your options for Hi-Res listening. Let me start by saying I want sound quality above all else. With iPhone and AAC it’s the best sounding Bluetooth headset in ear or over that I have heard to date. Then with the option to run a dragonfly cobalt out of my MacBook and connect the Bathys with the 3.5mm connection the sound just opens up and the detail is more crisp and clear. Then the magic really happens when I connect my iPhone to the Bathys with a USB-C to USB-C cable to utilize the ... MoreIf you’re looking for Great sound you usually don’t find it with Bluetooth headsets. These are the exception. I have tested many in ear models looking for that perfect pair, purchased and returned many over ears looking for that perfect pair. Secondly with an iPhone you’re limited to your options for Hi-Res listening. Let me start by saying I want sound quality above all else. With iPhone and AAC it’s the best sounding Bluetooth headset in ear or over that I have heard to date. Then with the option to run a dragonfly cobalt out of my MacBook and connect the Bathys with the 3.5mm connection the sound just opens up and the detail is more crisp and clear. Then the magic really happens when I connect my iPhone to the Bathys with a USB-C to USB-C cable to utilize the internal DAC on the Bathys. This is accomplished by using a ddHi-Fi TC28i Pro into the iPhone. These completely open up, soundstage is centered and instruments in all areas of the track can be pin pointed. Like I said in title. You may not need another pair of headphones wired or wireless as these do both exceptionally well based soully on sound quality.

Probably the best sounding BT/Mobile headphone...BUT...

TL:DR - Buy them for the SQ or if you just want something different.Time spent: a little over two weeks @ 4+ hours of daily use (music, media, utility(ANC) )Sound Quality: These are very well tuned, on the fun side of neutral, high level of detail, instrument separation is excellent with a bigger sound stage than expected for a closed back (a BT set at that). They have that 3D presentation you'd expect from a high-end headphone.Features:- ANC: inferior to the big three (Sony, Bose, Apple) but will get the job done well enough to remove distractions. Unfortunately, there is currently no option to simply turn off ANC, it's either ON, Soft or Transparent- Transparency Mode: Inferior to the big three, but usable - it induces a hiss like the noise floor is ... MoreTL:DR - Buy them for the SQ or if you just want something different.Time spent: a little over two weeks @ 4+ hours of daily use (music, media, utility(ANC) )Sound Quality: These are very well tuned, on the fun side of neutral, high level of detail, instrument separation is excellent with a bigger sound stage than expected for a closed back (a BT set at that). They have that 3D presentation you'd expect from a high-end headphone.Features:- ANC: inferior to the big three (Sony, Bose, Apple) but will get the job done well enough to remove distractions. Unfortunately, there is currently no option to simply turn off ANC, it's either ON, Soft or Transparent- Transparency Mode: Inferior to the big three, but usable - it induces a hiss like the noise floor is raised yet still sounds like wearing a poorly isolated headphone.- DAC mode: Great higher res option than wireless; adds true flexibility and is a value add when you want to do more critical listening. functionality is a miss hear though as this should be simple plug and play like other brands have done, not a stop on a three position switch.- Aux input mode: Great flexibility option, though this should have been a passive option to allow for user choice in headphone amp. As it is, this doesn't bypass the headphones internal amp section (though I believe it does bypass the internal DAC).- Call Quality (mics): Don't know as i haven't used this feature (and don't really plan to) but given how their ANC performs, I suspect this to be on par or slightly behind the big 3 previously mentioned.Build: This is where the headphone fell down a bit in my opinion with its plasticky feeling cups at this price point. If truly a weight reducing measure, I'd personally rather lightweight magnesium (or even carbon/composite) cups in lieu of the functionless perforated magnesium appliqu on outside of the cups (though I understand the branding design strategy at play).Buttons feel like that of much cheaper headphone (think Sennheiser BT series). On the positive side, the dense yet soft and supple leather on the pads and headbands do have a high quality feel. In summary, fit and finish are good but the subjective 'feel' doesn't quite equal what I'd expect at this price.Comfort: this is a comfortable, lightweight headphone that I was able to wear for more than six hours without issue. Even with leather pads, heat/breathability never stood out as an issue though i was not in a hot environment.Styling: understandably subjective but the design is a bit overstated for me and what I assume is their target buyer (business traveler with taste and budget for high-end items). I'd love an all black version as i find two-tone, perforated look a bit busy; ironically, I quite like the lighted logos (this world makes no sense).Function: Multipoint BT pairing/connection/operation seems to be stable. On the down side, the (only mobile) app is sparse but required to use some features (EQ, LED Logo control and ANC 'Soft' setting).Conclusion: having owned and daily driven the AirPods Max, B&W PX and PX7 (and heard the Sony and Bose offerings) I'd say the hype of these being the 'best sounding' BT headphones is true. I think the materials and features (namely ANC, Transparencymode, app) are what tell you this is a freshman offering from Focal in this segment. Focal have nailed it on sound and for that reason alone I plan on keeping this pair. I'd love to see them improve on the feel of this headphone for the asking price as well as an improvement on their ANC/Transparency algorithms (possibly tunable with firmware update but I won't hold my breath). I would suggest this headphone to anyone with the budget looking for arguably the ~'best sounding' BT headphone who prioritizes sound quality over other features and can live with its shortcomings. I'd be interested to compare these with the new Bowers & Wilkins PX8 though...

Simply the best!!!

I love them! Compared them to Bowers &Wilkins PX8 - they are much superior. Don’t waste your time on reviews - get them.But when I connected them to my iPhone. And fired them via their DAC - they shined !!! Love them, just so natural and realistic, it is shivering! Thank you RS!

These are great!

I have a Focal / iBasso / Cardas kit that cost 3 times as much as the Bathys and while I'm not going to say that the Bathys are better - I don't use that kit anymore and will be selling it in the near future. In bluetooth mode the Bathys are in a different league from mySony WH-1000XM4s, in DAC mode they are comparable to the above mentioned Focal / iBasso / Cardas kit. Little things like the switches and the case could be better, as could the software (which is slowly improving). Comfort - I can wear these all day and often do. I bought both the B&W PX8s and the Bathys from B&H. Sent back the PX8s - no comparison sound-wise, though the PX8s had a more premium build quality.Be sure to break-in your headphones properly. Both the Bathys and the PX8s need at least ... MoreI have a Focal / iBasso / Cardas kit that cost 3 times as much as the Bathys and while I'm not going to say that the Bathys are better - I don't use that kit anymore and will be selling it in the near future. In bluetooth mode the Bathys are in a different league from mySony WH-1000XM4s, in DAC mode they are comparable to the above mentioned Focal / iBasso / Cardas kit. Little things like the switches and the case could be better, as could the software (which is slowly improving). Comfort - I can wear these all day and often do. I bought both the B&W PX8s and the Bathys from B&H. Sent back the PX8s - no comparison sound-wise, though the PX8s had a more premium build quality.Be sure to break-in your headphones properly. Both the Bathys and the PX8s need at least 100 hours (300 is better) in order to fully bloom. Short of that you will not be hearing them at their best. The sound signature doesn't change that much as they break-in, but the sound opens up substantially with fuller, tighter bass, more relaxed and extended highs plus greater inner detail. They become appreciably more musical - which is what we're after - right?

Transparent sound, smooth frequency response

Tried these in parallel with a pair of B&W PX8, when I was originally planning to just go for the PX8s. I'm glad I did, as I found the Focals a distinct upgrade that justified their £100 extra price tag. The best wireless headphones I've used so far. Their sound is powerful but smooth with a frequency response that's a lot nicer than many.