Focal Bathys - Wireless ANC Over-Ear Headphone
Dec 18, 2022 at 3:54 AM Post #887 of 1,703
I have tested this song with Bathys and APM. The crackle I hear on loud volume (I usually do not hear in that volume, not good for my ears) is the same with Bathys and APM.
Interesting, thanks for testing! For me the song crackles way more than when I was listening to it on my Stellia or XM3. It's not too troublesome since it's so loud anyway, but I may still try to swap it just to confirm if it's supposed to happen or not. Thanks again! :thumbsup:
 
Dec 18, 2022 at 2:28 PM Post #888 of 1,703
I have radiance, is it worthy to get the bathy?
Only if you need a ANC headphone for travel, office use with no extra dac+amp or really need to remove the wires from your headphones. Radiance on decent amplification is a few notches above the Bathys to my ears. I can't think of any area, outside of ANC and being wireless, where the Bathys would not be a downgrade compared to the Radiance. If you buy the Bathys and expect it to match any of the full size Focal headphones in overall sound quality then you will most likely be disappointed.
 
Dec 22, 2022 at 6:43 PM Post #889 of 1,703
Here’s something you guys might find interesting. I connected my new A&K SP3000 to the Bathys with a generic 3.5mm wire. It sounds really amazing… only thing is I need to keep the volume at like 120 since I can’t use the balanced out
 
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Dec 26, 2022 at 1:49 PM Post #890 of 1,703
Posted this on the other Bathys thread. I'm about 2/3 of the way through that 46 page thread, once I finish that tonight I'll start at page 1 of this thread lol

Had the Bathys for about 5 days now and very impressed. Slowly catching up with this thread (page 33!!) and must say it's been a real treat reading most of the posts - informative and critical in both positive and negative ways.
I have dabbled in Wireless phones before but usually always reverted back to wired, I'm normally Sennheiser through and through. When I saw Darko's review of the Bathys it piqued my interest for a set of phones that I would use 90% listening in the house at night (so minimal need for ANC) and also a pair that gave the flexibility of outside or travel. I was even more intrigued to hear that Focal appeared to be focusing particularly on the sound quality too, which will be my sole reason for getting them as I wont be using for phone calls and/or work.
Initially I was a bit "meh" straight out the box, thought they were a bit harsh in top end, but then noticed on day 2 or 3 that this was not an issue. I then started to use the DAC and things improved a touch more. I also have a Mojo 2 and an Audioquest 3.5mm cable and found this to be a terrific way to listen.
I've not bought many pairs of headphones over the years really(especially compared to lots of you guys!), and always assumed I'd never be able to improve on my Sennheiser HD800S unless I paid even more money, however at approx half the price I reckon the Bathy's comfortably outperform the HD800S.

As well as catching up on posts here and elsewhere I have been watching a few videos. Apologies if this review from ecoustics has been posted and discussed on this and the other Bathys thread (I've yet to start it!) but I found those guys to be very enthusiastic as well as knowledgable about Wireless headphones in general and they gave the Bathys a glowing review.
I'll post them below- their dedicated review of Bathys and a shootout with PX8's



 
Dec 28, 2022 at 9:10 AM Post #892 of 1,703
Though I am a huge Focal fan and owner of the Clear MG and Aria speakers, ........let's just say, when they update the Bathys in about the next 3-4 years, they will be the Bluetooth headphones from Focal I will buy.

This was their first attempt at Bluetooth headphones. They did a good job, but the plastic housing made in China feels cheap for headphones that costs this much. The hiss sound was another issue for me. They are still great headphones but right now the PX8 has my vote.
This is B&W 2nd update since the original PX7's. The refinement of the PX8 s from the original really show. Im sire Focal will also show nice refinements in their next model. Still wish companies would make overseas parts in a country where they don't treat people like dogs and imprison Muslims in camps and arrest people with different points of view. Why not make them in the Philippines or Thailand? I know we don't want to get political here but it still amazes me countries choose that place over Thiland or thr Philippines.
 
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Dec 28, 2022 at 3:05 PM Post #893 of 1,703
Why not make them in the Philippines or Thailand? I know we don't want to get political here but it still amazes me countries choose that place over Thiland or thr Philippines.
Companies care about profit margins first. Since many of the parts used in these headphones are produced in China, it's cheaper and more efficient for the entire product to also be manufactured there, too. It's why you don't see a Shenzhen Audio-like site from Thailand or the Philippines. The audio industry in Southeast Asia is largely based in China.

Sadly, nearly all non-boutique corporations put profits ahead of people. Audio companies are no different.
 
Dec 28, 2022 at 5:49 PM Post #894 of 1,703
Though I am a huge Focal fan and owner of the Clear MG and Aria speakers, ........let's just say, when they update the Bathys in about the next 3-4 years, they will be the Bluetooth headphones from Focal I will buy.

This was their first attempt at Bluetooth headphones. They did a good job, but the plastic housing made in China feels cheap for headphones that costs this much. The hiss sound was another issue for me. They are still great headphones but right now the PX8 has my vote.
This is B&W 2nd update since the original PX7's. The refinement of the PX8 s from the original really show. Im sire Focal will also show nice refinements in their next model. Still wish companies would make overseas parts in a country where they don't treat people like dogs and imprison Muslims in camps and arrest people with different points of view. Why not make them in the Philippines or Thailand? I know we don't want to get political here but it still amazes me countries choose that place over Thiland or thr Philippines.

When are you getting a hiss sound? I don't get any aside in transparency mode and then only when no audio is playing. I think the Focal sound a lot better than the PX8 personally, the PX8 have the benefit of being quite a bit cheaper though.

I agree about the plastics used. Reading reviews prior to buying almost had me thinking it was a predominantly metal construction and the parts that are made of metal on full sized focal headphones are plastic here so it's easy to assume they would have been metal too. There's more plastic on these than there is metal and the entire earcup is plastic. The plastic itself feels hard and cheap, the kind of plastic that feels it's sooner likely to crack than it is to dent or scuff. Not ideal for a headphone at this price point.

With that said, I think they covered all of the most vulnerable areas with metal. Specifically the headband is lined with metal and the earcup hinges and connections are all metal.

I agree with you on the ethics of headphone manufacture, and I'd also like it if consumers had the option for non-leather pads. I understand that, as others point out that Chinese construction helps companies hold better margins for their products, but at £700 I doubt that these are reaching the average consumer, and people shopping in that price point are likely to be much more conscious of things like build quality.
 
Dec 28, 2022 at 5:55 PM Post #895 of 1,703
In defense of plastic: I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve banged up and scratched every single headphone I’ve ever traveled with, and with a few thousand airmiles on these, I’m glad it’s just plastic. And I don’t think there’ll be a carbon fiber edition at the same price any time soon.

Hiss: Since I’m curious and I‘be never heard it, was this in DAC mode? NC on or off? Is it in the mid-highs or where?
 
Dec 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM Post #896 of 1,703
In defense of plastic: I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve banged up and scratched every single headphone I’ve ever traveled with, and with a few thousand airmiles on these, I’m glad it’s just plastic. And I don’t think there’ll be a carbon fiber edition at the same price any time soon.

Hiss: Since I’m curious and I‘be never heard it, was this in DAC mode? NC on or off? Is it in the mid-highs or where?

I only get his in transparency mode. I don't think these headphones have an NC off, only transparent, high or low. I get it in dac mode or in bluetooth.

Other users seem to be talking about something different though, perhaps a more broad his. Personally I think a quiet hum from the microphones is probably fine, if they can fix it without making transparency worse then by all means, but I'd imagine that they'd struggle to do that as any software based effort to cut out the noise the microphones pic up would likely end up cutting some real-world sound out too. I find the transparency mode to be really good, aside the very quiet hiss.
 
Dec 28, 2022 at 7:18 PM Post #897 of 1,703
I only get his in transparency mode. I don't think these headphones have an NC off, only transparent, high or low. I get it in dac mode or in bluetooth.

Yep, ANC silent more is what I meant (Transparency).

I find the transparency mode to be really good, aside the very quiet hiss.

I’ve just tried to hear this to no avail. Note I’m not defending focal, it‘s just that I am very sensitive to hiss and hums and I can’t quite reproduce what you describe. I’d contact Focal if I were you and have the set replaced (or at least looked at) - seems like a defect in your unit.

Good luck!
 
Dec 28, 2022 at 11:45 PM Post #899 of 1,703
Yep, ANC silent more is what I meant (Transparency).



I’ve just tried to hear this to no avail. Note I’m not defending focal, it‘s just that I am very sensitive to hiss and hums and I can’t quite reproduce what you describe. I’d contact Focal if I were you and have the set replaced (or at least looked at) - seems like a defect in your unit.

Good luck!

That seems very weird that you either don’t have it, or don’t hear it.

1. I’ve tried multiple Bathys and they both had it. I knew it had this before I purchased.
2. I have heard ANC hiss in more ANC headphones than I have not.
3. Reviewers also report hiss on the Bathys transparency mode.

It’s not a factor for me really. I have to concentrate to even hear it and then it’s only in transparency mode and only when no music is playing in a quiet room. I don’t generally put my headphones on if all I intend to do is sit in silence in an empty space.
 
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Dec 29, 2022 at 2:43 AM Post #900 of 1,703
it’s only in transparency mode and only when no music is playing in a quiet room

Ah, now I know what you mean - like a faint gas lamp. In these (and AirPods) I perceive it as the headphone’s attempt to reproduce what’s around you - they are not really letting the sound “in”, per se, they’re amplifying whatever is around you (uncannily).

My bad - I thought you were describing an anomaly in the driver at a certain frequency.
 

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