Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Bluetooth Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancelation, Dune

Biggest thing is they are substantially better sounding than any Bluetooth headset I've heard I do have currently the Sony xm5 my wife has the xm4 and the Bose QC 45s. I also tried the panda if that's the right name and those were so so. The DAC connection is a really cool option, although it does seem to lack the ability to adjust the sound like a nice equalizer. Honestly even when it's in Bluetooth mode focal surprised me with a small five band equalizer. I'm really surprised not to see a nice parametric EQ.With the sound quality being an obvious big plus the battery life is solid the build quality is great and they actually fit really nice I could see someone if they have a little bit bigger head than me maybe struggling a little bit. But overall they're ... MoreBiggest thing is they are substantially better sounding than any Bluetooth headset I've heard I do have currently the Sony xm5 my wife has the xm4 and the Bose QC 45s. I also tried the panda if that's the right name and those were so so. The DAC connection is a really cool option, although it does seem to lack the ability to adjust the sound like a nice equalizer. Honestly even when it's in Bluetooth mode focal surprised me with a small five band equalizer. I'm really surprised not to see a nice parametric EQ.With the sound quality being an obvious big plus the battery life is solid the build quality is great and they actually fit really nice I could see someone if they have a little bit bigger head than me maybe struggling a little bit. But overall they're actually pretty comfortable. I do like the way they look they stand out and look different than any other headphones I have.But I really enjoy about the sound is the bass isn't so overinflated but it's very accurate sounding, the soundstage is great the separation in the instruments is solid and they're almost too good at times because you can actually hear bad recordings are bad studio versions. I will say the DAC does seem to lack the volume that Bluetooth has I'm not sure if it was just the song I was listening to but I noticed I had the volume maxed out whereas on Bluetooth I'm rarely past 50%.The price is pretty steep but it's a big jump up from the xm5 that were about $300 less. I don't think they can replace a top tier wired headset like focal offers or Sennheiser and many of the other planar headsets but it does a really good job as a stopgap.

A Premium ANC Wireless Headphone - Focal Bathys

Weighing at 350 grams it doesn’t feel quite as tight on the head and is comfortable. It is a big and bulky headphone. Weight distribution is not as good as Apple Max.ANC in silent mode is extremely good. Passive isolation is great. Transparency mode is good enough. Battery life is very good. Bathys makes crystal clear phone calls.Bathys is a big sounding headphone and slightly warm sounding. It has a woody richness. Treble is slightly pepped up but not incisive. Great clarity and detailing. Nice amount of dynamic flair. The sub bass is present but not overbearing. It is as good if not better than its peers, the B&W and Sony.It has a fuller sounding mid bass which is great for acoustic music. Bathys sorts out complex arrangements with ease. D&B, Hip Hop, Techno ... MoreWeighing at 350 grams it doesn’t feel quite as tight on the head and is comfortable. It is a big and bulky headphone. Weight distribution is not as good as Apple Max.ANC in silent mode is extremely good. Passive isolation is great. Transparency mode is good enough. Battery life is very good. Bathys makes crystal clear phone calls.Bathys is a big sounding headphone and slightly warm sounding. It has a woody richness. Treble is slightly pepped up but not incisive. Great clarity and detailing. Nice amount of dynamic flair. The sub bass is present but not overbearing. It is as good if not better than its peers, the B&W and Sony.It has a fuller sounding mid bass which is great for acoustic music. Bathys sorts out complex arrangements with ease. D&B, Hip Hop, Techno pop music is a little subdued.It has a DAC mode. But I am not sure if people would prefer this mode over Bluetooth and ANC.Overall, the performance is excellent and it is a great sounding luxury product. It may become your go to Wireless headphone.

Audiophile quality headphones on the go

I wanted some noise cancelling headphones that didn’t compromise audio quality - the Focal Bathys fit the bill. Audio quality is shockingly good for bluetooth headphones, with additional EQ settings (in app) to tailor the sound profile to your preferences. The noise cancellation isn’t best in class, but sufficient for my purposes, there is notable hiss when silent though (particularly in transparency mode). This isn’t an issue with music playing. Controls are all button-based and largely intuitive, and I’ve had no problems pairing the headphones with my phone or other devices. They’re comfy, even with glasses, but bulky and may grow a little warm with extended use. The design is also too ‘flashy’ for my tastes and I much preferred the B&W px8s on that front, but the ... MoreI wanted some noise cancelling headphones that didn’t compromise audio quality - the Focal Bathys fit the bill. Audio quality is shockingly good for bluetooth headphones, with additional EQ settings (in app) to tailor the sound profile to your preferences. The noise cancellation isn’t best in class, but sufficient for my purposes, there is notable hiss when silent though (particularly in transparency mode). This isn’t an issue with music playing. Controls are all button-based and largely intuitive, and I’ve had no problems pairing the headphones with my phone or other devices. They’re comfy, even with glasses, but bulky and may grow a little warm with extended use. The design is also too ‘flashy’ for my tastes and I much preferred the B&W px8s on that front, but the audio quality was sufficient to override those concerns (and thankfully, you can turn off the light-up logo!)Overall, expensive, but recommended if you want audiophile quality sound in a pair of wireless headphones. However, if noise cancellation is the primary concern (with audio quality secondary), alternatives may be preferable.

Best audiophile bluetooth till daye

1. Portable. The pads rotate to fit in a smallerand flatter box. Not on the heavier side but manageable.2. Pads look a bit underpowered as far as durability is concerned. These pads are soft, comfortable and spacious but looks like they might wear down quickly.3. Noise cancelation- good, not best but not bad either. Works pretty well in crowded situations.4. Bluetooth performance - easy connection, no skipping, connection is very good even across larger rooms or around one wall.5 Battery - fast charge, very strong battery performance. One charge last 3-4 days of several hours per day music. With noise cancelation applied battery last lesser but still very good performance.6. Sound quality- very good with bluetooth. Almost true audiophile quality. Bass is very ... More1. Portable. The pads rotate to fit in a smallerand flatter box. Not on the heavier side but manageable.2. Pads look a bit underpowered as far as durability is concerned. These pads are soft, comfortable and spacious but looks like they might wear down quickly.3. Noise cancelation- good, not best but not bad either. Works pretty well in crowded situations.4. Bluetooth performance - easy connection, no skipping, connection is very good even across larger rooms or around one wall.5 Battery - fast charge, very strong battery performance. One charge last 3-4 days of several hours per day music. With noise cancelation applied battery last lesser but still very good performance.6. Sound quality- very good with bluetooth. Almost true audiophile quality. Bass is very good but no bleeding. Good thump but not overpowering. Mids are very well presented and no harshness. Top end slightly clipped but represented very well. Mids slightly recessed.7. With analog input from external DAC- it is as good as other entry level headphones from focal like focal clear. Slight veil in comparison to clear but almost 90% of focal performance. It requires slightly more power than focal.8. Verdict- steep price but if you can buy, its worth every penny.

Excellent bluetooth headphones!

The Focal Bathys have exceeded my expectations. I actually prefer them to the Focal Celeste and have replaced my closed back needs in addition to the convenience of running them wireless. I use a FiiO BTA30 PRO transceiver for the wireless listening, routing the sound from my PC to the headphones. Its a joy to be able to finally listen to music at good enough quality and do work around the house. Tuning is pretty great, no need to go heavy on EQ, only minor adjustments. The Focal/Naim app on the phone has decent customization for that if you want to experiment. ANC is pretty decent too, if you need to turn that on. Looking forward to trying them on my next flight! All in all, I highly recommended them!

Hearing Aid Wearers Rejoice

These are amazing sounding headphones and very comfortable to wear. I was easily able to pair with my Cambridge bluetooth turntable. For anyone wearing hearing aids these headphones are hands down the best choice. They now allow correction of the EQ for your hearing loss with the Mimi hearing app. This works way better than trying to do it yourself with the 5 band EQ in the app. I had 10 different saved settings, none of which compared the the EQ achieved with Mimi. My airpod pros also allow me to EQ with Mimi or my professional audiogram. Though the airpod pros are lovely and comfortable, particularly for travel, they do not compare sonically with the Bathys. The Bathys is highly recommended for all hearing aid users and anyone with hearing loss (everyone over 50). ... MoreThese are amazing sounding headphones and very comfortable to wear. I was easily able to pair with my Cambridge bluetooth turntable. For anyone wearing hearing aids these headphones are hands down the best choice. They now allow correction of the EQ for your hearing loss with the Mimi hearing app. This works way better than trying to do it yourself with the 5 band EQ in the app. I had 10 different saved settings, none of which compared the the EQ achieved with Mimi. My airpod pros also allow me to EQ with Mimi or my professional audiogram. Though the airpod pros are lovely and comfortable, particularly for travel, they do not compare sonically with the Bathys. The Bathys is highly recommended for all hearing aid users and anyone with hearing loss (everyone over 50). Now on sale as a plus. My only complaint has been when I receive a call through my Iphone the Bathys does not return to the music I was listening to when the call is disconnected without my turning the power off and turning them back on which reconnects to my bluetooth turntable. Something fixable with a firmware update I presume.

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...

Solid, quality headphones

Ordered Sep 5 - status "awaiting fulfillment". Status on Sep 6 - "shipped". Item delivered Sep 8th. No tracking information provided. I expected better from Audio Advisor. I had no idea when to expect delivery and by which carrier. I am just glad these pricey headphones made it to me in good shape.As for the headphones themselves, I was not disappointed. Because music reproduction sound is so subjective from one listener to the next, all I have to offer is my opinion only. I appreciate a visceral bass, which is not achievable with headphones, and yet the Bathys still left me satisfied. The bass was firm, concise, and unapologetic, but did not dominate the mids or highs. I felt the midrange to be "natural". A piano sounded like I was right next to it, a snare snap ... MoreOrdered Sep 5 - status "awaiting fulfillment". Status on Sep 6 - "shipped". Item delivered Sep 8th. No tracking information provided. I expected better from Audio Advisor. I had no idea when to expect delivery and by which carrier. I am just glad these pricey headphones made it to me in good shape.As for the headphones themselves, I was not disappointed. Because music reproduction sound is so subjective from one listener to the next, all I have to offer is my opinion only. I appreciate a visceral bass, which is not achievable with headphones, and yet the Bathys still left me satisfied. The bass was firm, concise, and unapologetic, but did not dominate the mids or highs. I felt the midrange to be "natural". A piano sounded like I was right next to it, a snare snap was distinct, and sometimes, I could hear a singer take in his next breath. I had to use the Focal & Naim app to get the High end where I thought it should be. It just seemed to lack the brilliance I was expecting out of the box. However, I think that was my error. I use these headphones on my daily walks, and I discovered my phone settings were working against the app settings. I disengaged the phone music settings, and used the app settings exclusively, and the high-end clarity and sparkle became the asset it is intended to be. Overall, the Bathys headphones are a delight. I can hear every instrument in every song no matter the genre, they stay on my head comfortably without that squeeze feeling, and I don't get listening fatigue at all. Incidentally, the wireless phone feature works great !. Although these are a bit pricey, I still feel satisfied with what I got for the money.

Sublime

I bought these as an upgrade from the Sony WH-1000XM4 which I was using frequently in my office job. In Bluetooth mode the Bathys sound better and 'larger' than the Sony's, and the microphone is of good quality for things such as Webex/Zoom calls.The noise cancelling also works very well, cutting out most of the office noise, and pass-through mode also works very well.Musically they are crystal clear, but also pack a bit of a punch with bass, that being said the bass is tight and focused, and even at full volume the music does not distort.In DAC mode, the Bathys are at another level entirely, especially when paired with hi-res music from a source such as Qobuz, I can't quite describe just how good they sound, but I find myself wanting to use DAC mode all the ... MoreI bought these as an upgrade from the Sony WH-1000XM4 which I was using frequently in my office job. In Bluetooth mode the Bathys sound better and 'larger' than the Sony's, and the microphone is of good quality for things such as Webex/Zoom calls.The noise cancelling also works very well, cutting out most of the office noise, and pass-through mode also works very well.Musically they are crystal clear, but also pack a bit of a punch with bass, that being said the bass is tight and focused, and even at full volume the music does not distort.In DAC mode, the Bathys are at another level entirely, especially when paired with hi-res music from a source such as Qobuz, I can't quite describe just how good they sound, but I find myself wanting to use DAC mode all the time. I found that listening to songs, even ones I know well, was like listening to them for the first time again, there is so much detail!In short, these are an all in one package, they have an inbuilt DAC for 24 bits 192 kHz, as well as the convenience of active noise cancelling & Bluetooth, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

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?