Noble Audio FoKus Apollo

Hi there, this is my review of the Noble Audio FoKus Apollo that I got sent from the German Noble dealer headphone.shop (https://headphone.shop) in exchange for my honest opinion. (At this point, many thanks to Kai Moulton and Thomas Halbgewachs for the nice communication.)

So let´s begin right away with the design:

And what a gorgeous design it is! Wow, they really do look beautiful. They feel good in the hands and also a lot lighter than 327g. All the materials are nicely finished. The cushions are very soft. Did I mention that I like their looks? The smell out of the box was a bit plasticky though, but that went away after a few hours. Oh, and the case is very well made (also in the inside!) but it could have been a bit thinner for my taste (and my backpack).
You get all the adapters you need (see pictures below), and then some. In the pouch you will even find a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter which may be very handy such as if your DAP doesn´t have a 3.5mm out or you want to use your 4.4mm out of convenience.

When putting the Apollo on your head, you immediately notice it already has a great passive noise isolation! The clamping force isn´t too tight nor too lose but just right. Nothing to complain here. But there was a hot spot to be felt on my head, so my thought was, that the headband cushion could have been a tad softer. I do tend to forget about the hot spot after some minutes listening to music though ...
What´s also important: If you have a smaller/thinner head, the Apollo might look a bit big or wide. So if possible, you should test if you like its looks when wearing them (apart from the even more important sound testing of course)

Pairing with my Samsung Galaxy S23 (using LDAC) as well as my iPhone15 (AAC) was done with a flick of the wrist. Switching between ANC on, ANC off and transparency mode with the button is as easy as it can get. ANC - as I remember it - is even better than with the Bathys, particularly the transparent mode! I don´t have a Bose or Sony at hand, and they probably are a tad better, but to be honest: Apollo´s ANC is so great. I don´t need anything else here on this front and especially as soon as the music starts, it mostly is unimportant to me anyways
That being said, I do prefer the ANC off (or transparent) for listening to music as the soundstage seems to be a tad wider and there is more effortlessness in its presentation.

Call quality is great. With mic, without mic. 1A! But in fact I don´t care about all that very much, haha, all I care about is:
SOUND! Can the Apollo deliver? Let´s find out:

If you´re a bass lover, this one is for you. Plenty of punch and subbass extension, with more than decent highs and recessed mids. A V-shape tuning for on the go that most of the listeners will appreciate I guess. But here, on head-fi we call ourselves "audiophiles", don´t we? And that´s why I´d say that the stock tuning isn´t an audiophile tuning per se but more of a tuning for the masses. But we are not the "masses", we are special, we are audiophiles, remember, so we want an uncompromising audiophile sounding headphone ... and we will get exactly that, just bear with me
As I didn´t talk about my preferences, here they are: I am a former producer, was in studios (mixing and mastering) for many many hours and days, so that´s why I favour a more balanced, neutral/natural tuning where the mids can shine, as that is where the most information in the music lies. For that purpose I have my Austrian Audio Composer open-back flagship headphones at home. But of course I also want/need the "best" sounding wireless headphone for on the go. I think I have found it ... but just not in its stock tuning.

That´s where the Noble App comes into play with its nice 10 band Equalizer! First of all I pushed all frequencies to the top. No clipping here. That´s great, because it means that I could listen quite a bit louder (well in fact to ear bleeding levels which of course I didn´t). So pushing all the controllers up just made everything louder but not more natural sounding, of course. As I found that the bass quantity in its stock tuning masks the mids, this was the first thing I did: lower the mids. As the small planar driver has plenty of information up top, this is the second thing I did: I lowered the highs. In that way now we get a nicely balanced tuning with more than enough bass to shine (the bass even gets tighter, has more impact and seems to be faster that way too!!!). Don´t get me wrong guys, I do love some nice bass, as I am also a studied Jazzdrummer and played in indie bands for many years. But the bass has to have the right amount to shine and therefore we have to tame it a bit so the mids can breathe. If there is too much, it doesn´t get enough space, everything feels cramped and also elevated highs can´t solve this problem. I hope all that somewhat makes sense to you guys, but as soon as you try out my EQ (see further down below) then I hope you immediately know what I am speaking about. As told above, now the mids can shine through, the voices are there again where they should be. The Apollo by the way has a nice, holographic soundstage. Layering could be better, but that is nitpicking.

These cans, in Bluetooth mode (no matter if LDAC or AAC) are a killer! And I mean it: I had the Focal Bathys for almost a year in my possession and sold it as I found them lacking in the highs. There I also used the Focal app for EQing as they also were too bassy but above all they had too less highs. And I wasn´t able to fix this problem with their EQ entirely. Now with the Apollo and the 10band Equalizer (and thanks to their greatly implemented planar drivers) this isn´t a problem anymore. By the way, I am still listening to the good old AKG N700NC m2 headphones, but only in wired mode where they shine (and have even crisper mids than the Apollo with my applied EQ). But, as said, that is in wired mode (with activated ANC), because in BT mode the AKG can´t compete with the Apollo ... and wireless is what this is all about, right?

Wait, you can also drive the Apollo wired?! Yeah. This was also the case with the Bathys where the wired mode was better sounding than the wireless option. This time around, with the Apollo, I can´t say that they are really "better" sounding when wired. In the contrary: With USB-C connection, to me, they sound about the same as when driven with LDAC, so obviously I prefer them driven wireless, which is a BIG plus for the Apollo!! Back then with the Bathys I even had them connected with the pricey WireWorld Starlight 8 USB-C cable and they did sound quite a bit better wired than wirelessly, which was a bit of a bummer, as I would have liked them to be used wirelessly as they where designed to be used that way, but as told above, there were even less highs when driven with Bluetooth so I preferred them wired, even if it was a hassle.
Anyways, so the Apollo, in my view, is meant to be used wireless. Of course I also tried them wired with the 3.5mm cable because, as also stated above, I very often used my AKG N700NC m2 in wired 3.5mm mode when out and about, so I thought the Apollo would also benefit from the analogue connection. Except it didn´t. I did test them with my Questyle CMA18 P as well as with my Calyx K and the Romi Audio Less BX-1 amp. No matter which song I was playing, I still preferred the Apollo wireless. Also I have to say that the cables are somewhat generic. Too generic for the price of the Apollo. The 3.5mm cable, in my opinion, is too thick and also when unfolded, the thick sheathing prevents the cable to unfold without many bends in the cable that also won´t go away over time. So sorry, they just don´t look good when wired, so that´s maybe something Noble could change for the next headphone. In addition, when listening to louder volume levels, the Apollo started clipping. Strangely this didn´t happen (with the same loudness) when driven in wireless mode. So maybe I have a faulty unit where there is something wrong with the 3.5mm connection or there is something the Noble technicians can improve here with the triggering of the dynamic driver. Either way, it isn´t a dealbreaker at all because I wish to use "wireless" cans in "wireless" mode anyways

As told above I will share my EQ for you guys to test: After applying the EQ you will immediately hear the difference with its clear mids. In fact now you can crank up the volume when listening to your favourite tunes (but of course not too loud). This is what a (more or less) balanced tuning should sound like. Its bass still is slightly north of neutral, so I would call it a natural tuning. And of course this tuning could be a starting point for you guys, because I am not saying this tuning is for everyone. But those of you who would want to listen to music in a balanced (studio-like) tuning near the Harman curve, you should try it out sometime. So play around a bit. Maybe you want more bass? No problem. Put the bass levels up one notch. (Although I am inclined to go down one notch as bass still is kinda strong). Maybe you want more highs? Here again, play around. Just save my tuning and then your altered ones and so you can easily compare the different tunings. The mids are still a tad softer than with the AKGs I have (not to speak of the crystal clear sounding Austrian Audio Composer). So I wouldn´t mess around with the mids. To conclude the tuning chapter: I would call this a mellow, sweet kind of natural tuning with a nice bass level. But all of above: (more or less) balanced. But everything is there, as it should. Nothing too much, nothing too less. A tuning I could listen for hours. And a tuning I DO and WILL listen for hours!

31 Hz -> + 7dB
62 Hz -> + 8dB
125 Hz -> +10dB
250 Hz -> +11dB
500 Hz -> +12dB
1 kHz -> +12dB
2 kHz -> +11dB
4 kHz -> + 6dB
8 kHz -> + 5dB
16 kHz -> + 6dB

(also see screenshot/picture below)


So to sum it all up:

The Noble Audio FoKus Apollo is the best sounding wireless headphone I have heard to date (with my applied EQ). There are some things that can be improved upon but this is nothing that should prevent anyone from testing these gorgeous looking cans (or in fact, buying them blindly if you have the funds and are looking for a great pair of Bluetooth headphones you will be happy to listen to for years).

Thanks for bearing with me ... and now on to some pics (including EQ screenshot)

Noble Audio FoKus Apollo: Emotive Versatility!

I have avoided wireless HPs and IEMs until I read about the Noble FoKus Apollo coming out and its driver makeup. The Apollo is a wireless device I wanted to get to know.

I have reviewed numerous Noble Audio IEMs in the past and thoroughly enjoy the sound quality and craftsmanship of Noble Audio’s audio gear. John Moulton, the Wizard of Noble Audio, knows I am into IEMs. I own and have owned about 57 IEMs over the past 6 years or so.

About a month or so ago, John contacted me and asked if I was into Headphones at all and that he has a new wireless Headphone coming out that he would like me to try out. I did let him know that I do enjoy headphones and I would love to try out their new headphone based on what I have been reading about with the driver setup of the Apollo (hybrid Dynamic Driver (DD) and Planar magnetic driver).

I own and have owned about 27 headphones in the past 8 years. I have owned HPs from the Sony MDR 7506 and Oppo PM3 (Apollo has a very similar footprint to the PM3) up to the big boys like LCD5, DCA Stealth/Expanse, Utopia and Stellia, and the Hifiman Susvara. And of course a lot in between that broad range. Those references not only are a testament to my psychosis but are background information that allows me to compare the quality of sound of the Apollo in general to other quality HPs.

I review audio gear for fun. Intellectual masturbation as I call it. I review items for companies I respect (ZMF and Noble for example), or I review a series of headphones I find above the grain for the price (Sennheiser HD series for example). When it is a piece of gear I do not like, I just do not review it. I do not want to spend time on something I do not like since I am doing this just for myself and hopefully I can get helpful info out to other crazy audio people like me.

Now that that monologue is over, my point is that I am writing my initial impressions of the Apollo because I am impressed with it. It legitimately has the quality of sound of quality audio gear.





Packaging:

The packaging lives up to what Noble packaging has been about for some time. My best memory of amazing Noble packaging and accoutrement is when the delivery person in 2020, during the height of Covid, put the Noble Sultan IEM box right in the middle of my driveway. Good thing I saw it before I backed out.

The outside sheath box slides off (is a tight fit but that adds to the enjoyment) and revealed an inner box that opens up to reveal the carrying case for the Apollo. The carrying case is of great quality and is plush and is the right size for the Apollo and cables and microphone etc. It is a firm case but not hard plastic. The case is not made to sit on while waiting for a train in Vienna but is perfectly made to go in a backpack or luggage.

The materials used for the HP strap and the cups and the swivel attachments are of excellent quality. The first time I put them on, I was worried about a hot spot during long sessions. I have had many long sessions since the Apollo arrived and hot spots have not happened at all. The headband is a similar shape to the Focal Utopia and Stellia headbands. This shape of headband is great for portability. Compact and easy to put in the travel case.

The 3.5 cable is of durable quality. The rubbery sheath should take any wear and tear thrown at it. A USB C cable, airplane adapter and microphone are also included. There is a 3.5 female to 4.4mm male adapter which could come in handy if your DAP just has a 4.4 input.




Connecting bluetooth and the battery:

I have connected the Apollo wirelessly to a few laptops, my phone and my DAP. No issues at all. I have kept the Apollo on at work when I stepped away from my desk and have spent many hours listening to it and the battery still shows up at 78%. Wow!! That is a long lasting battery.




To wire or not to wire?

I have listened to the Apollo using an iPhone 13 mini as a source and using an iBasso DX300 Max Ti DAP as a source.. With each session, the biggest takeaway for me is the quality of sound from the Apollo.

With my iPhone I am not hearing a difference between wired and not wired. I would say that is because the quality of the sound processor in the Apollo and in the iPhone with an Apple 3.5 to lightning adapter are not massively different. I think that finding is a testament to the quality of sound the Apollo can produce wirelessly. I have no complaints.

With my Android based iBasso DAP I do hear a difference between wired and wireless. The sound signature is the same (which is great) but wirelessly there are a couple more panes of glass between the source and what my mind is processing. Wired and wireless still sound excellent, there is just more even clarity connected to the DAP. That said, the DX300 Max Ti is a 3K DAP and in my opinion it is in the very top tier of transportable DAPs. It should sound better using the DAP sound processing and amplification qualities.

It is also another sign of the quality of the drivers of the Apollo that it does scale up with better DAPs. Average stuff does not scale up.. Apollo scales up!




LDAC and AAC:

In wireless mode, I could also easily tell the difference between HD LDAC and non HD LDAC using my Android based DAP. To overuse an analogy, panes of glass are taken away with HD LDAC. Not much but a noticeable enough amount.

Wirelessly, it was easy for me to jump between using my Android DAP using LDAC and my iPhone using AAC. Wow what a difference. LDAC was clear and precise. The best term I can think of with the AAC sound is boomy. Everything had more latency in the notes hence the boominess. It still sounds fun because that is what boominess adds and would be fine when there is ambient noise and critical listening is not happening. For critical listening HD LDAC it will be.

EDIT: Shortly after the release of the Apollo, through the Noble FoKus App, an update became available. This update fixed the "boominess" of AAC. Huge difference in quality of sound.




The three modes of listening wirelessly:

I am sort of new to ANC and wireless as I mentioned already. This is the first wireless device I have used that I did not want to throw out the window due to the degradation of sound with bluetooth. I have not tried many wireless devices since throwing things out a window is not a good habit.

In an extremely quiet environment the obvious choice is ANC off (I am so glad they added this option just Noble Audio adding the option to listen passively with a cable). There is no white noise trying to mask anything. The sound with the ANC off is more forward obviously with less masking. There is a slight mid bass bump with ANC off. Very slight.

ANC on is rather impressive. I have it on when there is any noise around me, which is most times except very early morning or late evening. The tuning in these ways is very good. More on that in a bit. With ANC on the white noise becomes not noticeable at all when there is ambient noise. The hybrid ANC is doing its thing (feedforward and feedback ANC). I have been listening to slow modal jazz a lot to see if the white noise will bother me when there is some ambient noise. I can report that I am not bothered by it at all. I am very particular about any noise. I have a hard time with open back HPs since any ambient noise bothers me.

Transparent mode is a trip. The crickets outside my window late at night come alive in my head in the transparent mode. Seems like a good feature for when you really want to hear what is going on around you or want to have a conversation with your headphones on.




The tuning/signature:

In my opinion what I am hearing from the Apollo is what I would hear in sound quality from a headphone priced above the $649 price tag of the Noble FoKus Apollo. That statement really says a lot about what these hybrid drivers are doing. I am a huge fan of the clarity that Planar drivers provide. Secondary to that I am a fan of the emotive qualities, lifelike timbre, and visceral bass that a Dynamic Driver (DD) can provide. I am hearing the clarity of a Planar and the lifelike timbre of a DD. The crossover/phasing seems to be done correctly because my mind is not feeling any dissonance.

I get lost in my time with Apollo. The main reason is that the tuning is engaging and emotive. Boredom does not set in due to lack of engagement nor does annoyance due to lack of quality of sound. This is my number one reason I am enjoying the Apollo along with being able to be wireless when it is more convenient than being tethered.

I will now give a description of her from bottom to top. The lower legs, subbass, is not a dominant feature. The midbass has a slight bump which grabs my attention right away. Not overly boomy nor bloated at all. Just a nice tight bump. Great use of the DD driver

The lower mids are recessed a tiny bit. I think this is in order to accentuate the mid bass and allow the mids to be not too forward and not too recessed. Just right. Too forward mids or even worse recessed mids are annoying for me. Now we foreplay into the upper mids. The Planar starts to shine. Articulation, articulation, articulation. Clarity, clarity and clarity. I would say the upper mids are just right. Articulate and not forward.

The treble is where the climax is at. I am not hearing any drop off. Just engaging clarity. A lot of HPs and IEMs do not shine in the treble section. With the Planar driver in these, the treble is as much of a star as the mid bass. Well done Noble.




CONCLUSION:

For me first and foremost is the quality of sound. The Apollo ticks that box! The signature is emotionally engaging. Music is a pleasure to listen to with Apollo.

Second for me is the versatility that comes with the Apollo. I can listen to it wired with a DAP or desktop system and benefit from how the Apollo scales to the quality of the DAP or desktop DAC/AMP.
I do not have to be tethered with the Apollo. I will use it wirelessly when traveling, I will use it when at work and home and need to move around a bit. I will use it for walks. I will use it in the hammock. I will use it out on the deck. Etc. etc. etc.

Emotive Versatility: The reason to own a Noble FoKus Apollo!