[ranel]

Is the amplifier engaged on both BT and wired/DAC mode? Maximum volume is the same on both for me.

Very much yes, the internal DAC and amp are engaged in all three connection modes: BT, USB-C, and 3.5 mm (surprisingly perhaps).

 

[Anda71]

Very much yes, the internal DAC and amp are engaged in all three connection modes: BT, USB-C, and 3.5 mm (surprisingly perhaps).

They need to be because the drivers need an amp to make sound and the headphone relies on DSP to apply focal's target frequency response and eq settings.

3.5mm connection: ADC -> DSP -> DAC -> amp
BT connection: BT receiver -> DSP -> DAC -> amp
USB C connection: DSP -> DAC -> amp

 

[richsto]

They need to be because the drivers need an amp to make sound and the headphone relies on DSP to apply focal's target frequency response and eq settings.

3.5mm connection: ADC -> DSP -> DAC -> amp
BT connection: BT receiver -> DSP -> DAC -> amp
USB C connection: DSP -> DAC -> amp

Been doing most of my critical listening on the Bathy's with the 3.5 mm connection from my preferred DAC but I had not given much thought to the extra Analog to Digital Conversion step (assuming that is always performed with the 3.5 mm connection?!?).

Now I'm thinking I should give the USB C connection using the Bathy's own DAC a more critical evaluation. Not sure how good it is but would avoid an extra conversion step.....although most of my devices (e.g. iPhone, and portable music player don't support USB C). Anyone with perspective or experience on this?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[Anda71]

Been doing most of my critical listening on the Bathy's with the 3.5 mm connection from my preferred DAC but I had not given much thought to the extra Analog to Digital Conversion step (assuming that is always performed with the 3.5 mm connection?!?).

Now I'm thinking I should give the USB C connection using the Bathy's own DAC a more critical evaluation. Not sure how good it is but would avoid an extra conversion step.....although most of my devices (e.g. iPhone, and portable music player don't support USB C). Anyone with perspective or experience on this?

Thanks,

Rich

The AD conversion has to be done for the rest of the signal chain to work.

The USB C connection is technically the best connection with the simplest signal path and the best sound. You can buy the Apple USB to lightning camera adapter and use a USB A to USB C cable to connect the adapter to the headphones.

If you buy the Apple USB 3 to lightning camera adapter you can charge your IPhone while playing

 

[richsto]

The AD conversion has to be done for the rest of the signal chain to work.

The USB C connection is technically the best connection with the simplest signal path and the best sound. You can buy the Apple USB to lightning camera adapter and use a USB A to USB C cable to connect the adapter to the headphones.

If you buy the Apple USB 3 to lightning camera adapter you can charge your IPhone while playing

Ah, good advice! I have the the camera adapter and use it with my Dragonfly Cobalt for Qobuz hi-rez , just need a good USB A to USB C cable (have a crappy Anker lying around - I know it makes no difference...)

Not sure how or what the internal DAC is in the Bathy's but I'm about to find out how good it is...or isn't.

Thanks again,

Rich

 

[Anda71]

Ah, good advice! I have the the camera adapter and use it with my Dragonfly Cobalt for Qobuz hi-rez , just need a good USB A to USB C cable (have a crappy Anker lying around - I know it makes no difference...)

Not sure how or what the internal DAC is in the Bathy's but I'm about to find out how good it is...or isn't.

Thanks again,

Rich

You should know already because you are using it every time you use the headphones. What you will hear is what happens when you avoid the extra conversion steps using your DAC and the built in ADC in the headphones.

 

[richsto]

You should know already because you are using it every time you use the headphones. What you will hear is what happens when you avoid the extra conversion steps using your DAC and the built in ADC in the headphones.

Thanks, feel silly that this never crossed my mind before. Duh....

 

[GungJoe]

Thanks, feel silly that this never crossed my mind before. Duh....

I wouldn't worry about it. I was explaining it to someone else a few pages back, it's not that intuitive. But yeah like he said, you can't hear these headphones without their DAC, so you've always been evaluating how good the DAC is.

That doesn't mean to say 3.5mm is bad though, perhaps that ADC is taking away nothing audible and your DAC is colouring the sound in a way that you prefer even with the longer signal chain.

 

[noplsestar]

I wouldn't worry about it. I was explaining it to someone else a few pages back, it's not that intuitive. But yeah like he said, you can't hear these headphones without their DAC, so you've always been evaluating how good the DAC is.

That doesn't mean to say 3.5mm is bad though, perhaps that ADC is taking away nothing audible and your DAC is colouring the sound in a way that you prefer even with the longer signal chain.

In my opinion the 3.5mm is bad I never thought a bt connection would sound better than 3.5mm. Anyways, USB-C sounds best of course!

 

[Click]

Focal is having a 20% off sale across most U.S. online retailers right now.

Bathys is $639 for about the next 4 days.

 

[GungJoe]

In my opinion the 3.5mm is bad I never thought a bt connection would sound better than 3.5mm. Anyways, USB-C sounds best of course!

It's still going to depend heavily on what your 3.5mm source is, right?

On my laptop directly, it sounds bad, maybe worse than BT, but on my Zen DAC I think it's very acceptable, if not as good as USB-C.

The only use case I actually have for 3.5mm is plugged into the Switch or PS5 controller and it sounds okay on the Switch and quite poor plugged into the PS5 controller (predictably, because the signal chain of a PS5 controller goes through another converstion to bluetooth to the controller, so it manages to be bluetooth and wired at the same time).

 

[botmann]

It's still going to depend heavily on what your 3.5mm source is, right? ...

Of course. As they say, "crap in, crap out"

 

[marcr]

I reached out to Focal about Sidetone and iOS. Bottom line its not directly supported. Here is their response:

Hello ,

Apple does not directly support sidetone and I suspect that may be the reason, I have also sent an iquiry to our programmers in France for confirmation, I will follow up with you when I get a response.

 

[garethr]

I reached out to Focal about Sidetone and iOS. Bottom line its not directly supported. Here is their response:

Hello ,

Apple does not directly support sidetone and I suspect that may be the reason, I have also sent an iquiry to our programmers in France for confirmation, I will follow up with you when I get a response.

Don’t buy that for one minute. Sidetone is a function of the headphones and not the mobile device operating system. Sidetone, Own Voice or whatever you call the voice focused transparency mode when on calls works perfectly well with a multitude of other headphones on iOS.

Suspect what they’re trying to say badly is that the feature just isn’t supported in the iOS app.

I’d hazard a wild guess if you switch the feature on in the Android app then it would work perfectly if the headphones were subsequently connected to an iOS device. Not that I’ve got an Android device to test this.

 

[marcr]

Don’t buy that for one minute. Sidetone is a function of the headphones and not the mobile device operating system. Sidetone, Own Voice or whatever you call the voice focused transparency mode when on calls works perfectly well with a multitude of other headphones on iOS.

Suspect what they’re trying to say badly is that the feature just isn’t supported in the iOS app.

I’d hazard a wild guess if you switch the feature on in the Android app then it would work perfectly if the headphones were subsequently connected to an iOS device. Not that I’ve got an Android device to test this.

Do agree. I remember H95 having a similar feature and it worked on iOS. Hoping they fix it cause it’s something I’d love for work calls.