[nunomeneses]

My best experience sound price where the shure aonic 50… all the others is you get what you pay

 

[Denkmal]

The only problem with this is once you hear the better sound… Even if marginal, it is hard to go back to the worst sounding headphones, even if you intrinsically understand you are getting a better value.

Sure. I sometimes use my Sony XM3, they are actually not bad, but of course in a very different league than the PX8.
I bought them used but mint for $85. That is a lot of sound and features for the money.

 

[jthomp72]

Sure. I sometimes use my Sony XM3, they are actually not bad, but of course in a very different league than the PX8.
I bought them used but mint for $85. That is a lot of sound and features for the money.

I wish my brain worked that way, but it doesn’t… All I could think of in your case would be man there are better sounding headphones and I own them, why am I not using those lol

 

[Denkmal]

I wish my brain worked that way, but it doesn’t… All I could think of in your case would be man there are better sounding headphones and I own them, why am I not using those lol

Yeah. I try to use my Sonys exclusively in situations where ANC is needed - that’s where they shine.

 

[joscejrod]

If we compare H95 vs Px8 what of them have more “in front of you” sound instead of backstage sound with bigger soundstage?

 

[Maukey]

For those interested, I've updated my wireless anc headphone comparison thread to include the Bathys and PX8. I figured I'd point everyone to that instead of posting a comparison here. I also include many other popular anc headphones including the 5909, M&D MW75, B&O H95, and Apple AirPods Max.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sid...l-5909-m-d-mw75-focal-bathys-and-more.958727/

 

[Soundizer]

For those interested, I've updated my wireless anc headphone comparison thread to include the Bathys and PX8. I figured I'd point everyone to that instead of posting a comparison here. I also include many other popular anc headphones including the 5909, M&D MW75, B&O H95, and Apple AirPods Max.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sid...l-5909-m-d-mw75-focal-bathys-and-more.958727/

Thank you and great review article.

One thing that puzzles me is that you described your preferences as not too sharp due to treble sensitivity. I am the same. However you didn’t find the ML5909 to be too sharp as others describe and even the Bathys can be often.

 

[Soundizer]

Trying the PX8 and normally I don’t mind strong clamp force, but they seem to pinch my glasses. Anyone experienced this with glasses? I have quite thick arms on my glasses.

 

[Denkmal]

Trying the PX8 and normally I don’t mind strong clamp force, but they seem to pinch my glasses. Anyone experienced this with glasses? I have quite thick arms on my glasses.

I have the same problem with many headphones, but not so much with PX8 as the foam is very soft. They also formed nicely after only a few days.

 

[Soundizer]

I have the same problem with many headphones, but not so much with PX8 as the foam is very soft. They also formed nicely after only a few days.

Ok. Only had 1 day so far and few hours. So did it improve allot and adapt in shape?

 

[Denkmal]

Ok. Only had 1 day so far and few hours. So did it improve allot and adapt in shape?

Yes I would say so. Fresh out of the box they were pretty comfortable but I could feel a little bit of fatigue around my ears and over the temples of my glasses (thick ones). I have worn them now maybe 30 hours and they have definitely softened up to the point at which I can wear them all day. If you have the possibility to wear them intensively before returning then you can try this - simply enjoy the music

With some other headphones I have had to stretch the headband a little but not with this one.

 

[jainkjohn]

New PX8 video review is here:

 

[evhvis]

Finally feel I've had enough experience with both the PX8 and the Bathys to make a proper comparison. Overall they are both good headphones that are close to competing vs dac+headphone combos in the same price range when run wired over USB, but neither are better than good wired headphones at the same price and the quality difference vs high end passive headphones is quite significant.

PX8
The PX8 is quite consistent and keeps it character between different codecs and wired USB, but with some improvements to harmonics, voice nuances, detail and timbre as you go up the ladder in codecs/connection. It works fine with AAC and gives a good listening experience, but sounds better and more natural with aptX-HD or aptX adaptive. USB is the optimal solution though and there are some nuances that come through and generally less distortion/artifacts in the music. There is also significantly better separation between the elements in the recording.

The character doesn't change massively between ANC on or off, but slightly brighter (more upper midrange/low treble) and slightly less perceived bass with ANC off. For codecs vs USB I would say my overall listening experience was about 80% with aptX or AAC, while this increases to around 90% with aptX HD or adaptive.

Bathys
The Bathys is quite inconsistent between the different ways of transporting the music data. To my ears, the handling of the AAC is not that good and doesn't make me want to listen to music over time. It is detailed and sounds "good" for BT, but there are so many nuances and harmonics that are masked in this mode that I struggle to enjoy the music compared to other codecs. Once you switch to plain aptX it becomes more enjoyable to listen to, but the big deal was when I got these connected to aptX adaptive using a sennheiser BTD 600 dongle.

The ANC mode changes the sound quite significantly for me, just not tonally but how dynamics and instruments are perceived as well. The bass is cleaner, more detailed and hits harder with ANC mode soft, but also seems quite similar in overall level between soft and silent. The headphone sounds darker, with less perceived treble when ANC is on. For codecs vs USB I would say my overall listening experience was about 70% with AAC, 80% with aptX, while this increases to around 90% with aptX adaptive. Focal chose not to license aptX-HD so only aptX or aptX adaptive available.

Codecs
The PX8 is the clear winner for me with AAC only as it retains most of it's character and music is enjoyable. The Bathys does a better job with aptX than with AAC while the PX8 is more about different tradeoffs. Once over on aptX adaptive both headphones sound significantly better with another step up when it comes to USB. I feel they are different takes on enjoyable sound with aptX adaptive or USB and more of a sound preference than one being much better than the other.

Bass
There are two versions of the Bathys, ANC soft and ANC silent while the bass is similar but slightly different in levels between ANC on and off for the PX8. With ANC soft the Bathys has a bit better quality in the bass with more detail and slam compared to the PX8. The perceived bass from the Bathys also reaches deeper. The bass also doesn't bleed into the midrange. With ANC silent on the Bathys the PX8 moves ahead as the Bathys lose quite a bit in terms of quality. Both lose quite a bit of quality when the ANC is working hard to counter external rumble or other low frequency sounds, but the PX8 generally retains some definition while the Bathys became a muddied mess quite a few times.

Midrange
There are a few times where the midrange on the PX8 gets colored by the bass being boosted to high in frequency, but generally I found the midrange on the PX8 to be more enjoyable to listen to than the midrange on the Bathys. When comparing the two I find that the PX8 feels warmer, while the Bathys is a bit cooler. For me the PX8 is better at bringing out the emotion in vocal performances and in a lot of instruments and I generally love the midrange on this headphone.

Treble
The PX8 feels a bit subdued in the treble. The Bathys are a bit brighter than the PX8 and generally more detailed, but sometimes they can sound sharp on sibilants, especially with ANC in silent mode. A lot of the tracks that I have issues with sibilants on the Bathys are not an issue on my wired headphones (tuning on some are darker while others are brighter).

Dynamics
Both the PX8 and the Bathys in soft mode have excellent dynamics. With silent mode the Bathys loses some, but it still very good.

Imaging and soundstage
The Bathys has more space between performers and overall larger soundstage that is presented kind of spread out in a half dome. The PX8 sounds smaller and puts performers more in front. Neither have a large soundstage, but overall the Bathys is slightly better here.

ANC
The Bathys are pretty good at removing rumble and low frequencies, but they let in so much of the higher frequencies that I am forced to turn up the volume quite a bit in a noisy environment. The PX8 is decent at removing rumble but much better at removing high frequencies, allowing me to listen at more moderate levels. The PX8 wins this by a lot in both the office and on public transportation in my book and is quite serviceable as an ANC headphone. If you demand absolute silence then both of these can be crossed of your list as they are nowhere near the Sony XM5 or similar.

Consistency
Both headphones have consistency issues and the sound depends on how they are worn. Move them forward or backwards and there is a noticeable difference in the sound and frequency response.

Comfort
I find the leather on the Bathys to be much less comfortable (sometimes a sticky feeling) than the one on the PX8 and the headband lacks padding for my taste. Clamping force is a bit higher on the Bathys as well. The PX8 leather feels super comfortable and the earpads are soft. The PX8 doesn't feel that secure on my head as the Bathys though. Overall the PX8 is slightly above average and the Bathys is slightly below average in comfort levels for me.

Connectivity
The PX8 is OK at connectivity and mostly connects automatically while the Bathys often needed to be powered cycled or manually connected to. In general they are both way below the best examples, but they are serviceable. The headphones should only be connected to one source when running aptX adaptive or aptX-HD, otherwise I needed to powercycle them to get rid of dropouts/distortion.

Conclusion
For low or moderate noise environments I would say it is close to a tie between the PX8 and the Bathys and preference comes down to fit and taste. For high noise environments the PX8 is a clear winner for me. The Bathys is slightly more detailed with a larger sound stage and better bass, but they are also more clinical (not overall clinical, but not as fun and engaging as the PX8). The PX8 has a slightly more fun and "live" feeling to the music with a gorgeous midrange. Codecs also come into play. With AAC I would reach for the PX8 100% of the time. When using aptX adaptive or USB then I would probably reach for the Bathys 35% of the time and the PX8 the other 65% of the time, but this is mostly a sound preference. Overall I am very happy that bluetooth headphones are finally starting to move past mass market and looking forward to seeing what comes next.

 

[Laps]

Just a FYI. The tan PX8 is now available at several vendors in the USA.

 

[nunomeneses]

Finally feel I've had enough experience with both the PX8 and the Bathys to make a proper comparison. Overall they are both good headphones that are close to competing vs dac+headphone combos in the same price range when run wired over USB, but neither are better than good wired headphones at the same price and the quality difference vs high end passive headphones is quite significant.

PX8
The PX8 is quite consistent and keeps it character between different codecs and wired USB, but with some improvements to harmonics, voice nuances, detail and timbre as you go up the ladder in codecs/connection. It works fine with AAC and gives a good listening experience, but sounds better and more natural with aptX-HD or aptX adaptive. USB is the optimal solution though and there are some nuances that come through and generally less distortion/artifacts in the music. There is also significantly better separation between the elements in the recording.

The character doesn't change massively between ANC on or off, but slightly brighter (more upper midrange/low treble) and slightly less perceived bass with ANC off. For codecs vs USB I would say my overall listening experience was about 80% with aptX or AAC, while this increases to around 90% with aptX HD or adaptive.

Bathys
The Bathys is quite inconsistent between the different ways of transporting the music data. To my ears, the handling of the AAC is not that good and doesn't make me want to listen to music over time. It is detailed and sounds "good" for BT, but there are so many nuances and harmonics that are masked in this mode that I struggle to enjoy the music compared to other codecs. Once you switch to plain aptX it becomes more enjoyable to listen to, but the big deal was when I got these connected to aptX adaptive using a sennheiser BTD 600 dongle.

The ANC mode changes the sound quite significantly for me, just not tonally but how dynamics and instruments are perceived as well. The bass is cleaner, more detailed and hits harder with ANC mode soft, but also seems quite similar in overall level between soft and silent. The headphone sounds darker, with less perceived treble when ANC is on. For codecs vs USB I would say my overall listening experience was about 70% with AAC, 80% with aptX, while this increases to around 90% with aptX adaptive. Focal chose not to license aptX-HD so only aptX or aptX adaptive available.

Codecs
The PX8 is the clear winner for me with AAC only as it retains most of it's character and music is enjoyable. The Bathys does a better job with aptX than with AAC while the PX8 is more about different tradeoffs. Once over on aptX adaptive both headphones sound significantly better with another step up when it comes to USB. I feel they are different takes on enjoyable sound with aptX adaptive or USB and more of a sound preference than one being much better than the other.

Bass
There are two versions of the Bathys, ANC soft and ANC silent while the bass is similar but slightly different in levels between ANC on and off for the PX8. With ANC soft the Bathys has a bit better quality in the bass with more detail and slam compared to the PX8. The perceived bass from the Bathys also reaches deeper. The bass also doesn't bleed into the midrange. With ANC silent on the Bathys the PX8 moves ahead as the Bathys lose quite a bit in terms of quality. Both lose quite a bit of quality when the ANC is working hard to counter external rumble or other low frequency sounds, but the PX8 generally retains some definition while the Bathys became a muddied mess quite a few times.

Midrange
There are a few times where the midrange on the PX8 gets colored by the bass being boosted to high in frequency, but generally I found the midrange on the PX8 to be more enjoyable to listen to than the midrange on the Bathys. When comparing the two I find that the PX8 feels warmer, while the Bathys is a bit cooler. For me the PX8 is better at bringing out the emotion in vocal performances and in a lot of instruments and I generally love the midrange on this headphone.

Treble
The PX8 feels a bit subdued in the treble. The Bathys are a bit brighter than the PX8 and generally more detailed, but sometimes they can sound sharp on sibilants, especially with ANC in silent mode. A lot of the tracks that I have issues with sibilants on the Bathys are not an issue on my wired headphones (tuning on some are darker while others are brighter).

Dynamics
Both the PX8 and the Bathys in soft mode have excellent dynamics. With silent mode the Bathys loses some, but it still very good.

Imaging and soundstage
The Bathys has more space between performers and overall larger soundstage that is presented kind of spread out in a half dome. The PX8 sounds smaller and puts performers more in front. Neither have a large soundstage, but overall the Bathys is slightly better here.

ANC
The Bathys are pretty good at removing rumble and low frequencies, but they let in so much of the higher frequencies that I am forced to turn up the volume quite a bit in a noisy environment. The PX8 is decent at removing rumble but much better at removing high frequencies, allowing me to listen at more moderate levels. The PX8 wins this by a lot in both the office and on public transportation in my book and is quite serviceable as an ANC headphone. If you demand absolute silence then both of these can be crossed of your list as they are nowhere near the Sony XM5 or similar.

Consistency
Both headphones have consistency issues and the sound depends on how they are worn. Move them forward or backwards and there is a noticeable difference in the sound and frequency response.

Comfort
I find the leather on the Bathys to be much less comfortable (sometimes a sticky feeling) than the one on the PX8 and the headband lacks padding for my taste. Clamping force is a bit higher on the Bathys as well. The PX8 leather feels super comfortable and the earpads are soft. The PX8 doesn't feel that secure on my head as the Bathys though. Overall the PX8 is slightly above average and the Bathys is slightly below average in comfort levels for me.

Connectivity
The PX8 is OK at connectivity and mostly connects automatically while the Bathys often needed to be powered cycled or manually connected to. In general they are both way below the best examples, but they are serviceable. The headphones should only be connected to one source when running aptX adaptive or aptX-HD, otherwise I needed to powercycle them to get rid of dropouts/distortion.

Conclusion
For low or moderate noise environments I would say it is close to a tie between the PX8 and the Bathys and preference comes down to fit and taste. For high noise environments the PX8 is a clear winner for me. The Bathys is slightly more detailed with a larger sound stage and better bass, but they are also more clinical (not overall clinical, but not as fun and engaging as the PX8). The PX8 has a slightly more fun and "live" feeling to the music with a gorgeous midrange. Codecs also come into play. With AAC I would reach for the PX8 100% of the time. When using aptX adaptive or USB then I would probably reach for the Bathys 35% of the time and the PX8 the other 65% of the time, but this is mostly a sound preference. Overall I am very happy that bluetooth headphones are finally starting to move past mass market and looking forward to seeing what comes next.

When you speak about AAC what implementation you experienced?