[Robster1958]

Has anyone taken advantage of the Flex Rental option at Headphones.com? Seems to be offered only on select cans, but it turns out to be one I wanted to try out: Focal Bathys. On sale now at $699, but can rent for $40 per month, plus $40 fee. No minimum, no strings.

Yes I know that they offer one year return (unheard of!!) but I am going into the Bathys with such skepticism that I almost expect to return them...know what I mean? That being said, I am a year or two behind with Bluetooth codecs, and maybe they will surprise me. After 3 months, I am out $120. Less than buying (with tax) and then selling here...(mint condition; didn't like them, etc...)

 

[pbui44]

Get them on rent right before you take a long flight and if you do not like them enough, then send them back after one month and be out just $40.

 

[Robster1958]

well..there IS a $40 upfront admin charge - fully disclosed -- so that makes it $80 one month, $120 two months (not three as I said). I also wonder whether the Bathys can hold their own as wired cans. My next thread!

 

[JonM78]

Interesting but rental cost does vary by headphone. The Sennheiser HD 800S is $115/mo.

 

[pbui44]

well..there IS a $40 upfront admin charge - fully disclosed -- so that makes it $80 one month, $120 two months (not three as I said). I also wonder whether the Bathys can hold their own as wired cans. My next thread!

Bathys vs Aeon X Closed (I assume that is your main matchup)…I will go out on a limb and say the Bathys will not hold up in sound, as the Aeon X Closed is specially tuned for sound quality. The Bathys is really designed to be one of those ultimate AIO “Swiss-army-knife” closed-backs, where I believe the soundstage and noise-cancelling options as a combo will really shine for those noisy situations, especially using those across-the-globe flights, like from the U.S. to U.A.E. trips. Yeah, the B&W P7 S2 can also do this, but the extra price in the Bathys should bring out an even wider soundstage and clearer details. The B&W P8 basically does the same thing, but with that more tonal sound signature that B&W is typically known to provide to someone’s ears. I say all of this to allow re-evaluation of your situational use cases and possibly other vendors that may allow you to try open-box products and maybe even return them as well.

Interesting but rental cost does vary by headphone. The Sennheiser HD 800S is $115/mo.

For those headsets that are know to be power hungry, like planar-magnetics and/or a driver rating of more than 32 ohms, then the Schiit Midgard should definitely work as a cheaper demo amp or even a more transportable amp for longer-term overseas projects, not to mention an extremely versatile single-ended amp with lots of ins/outs and extra power for the price:

https://www.schiit.com/products/midgard

 

[kumar402]

Where to find this fee? I really want to try Susvara

 

[JonM78]

For those headsets that are know to be power hungry, like planar-magnetics and/or a driver rating of more than 32 ohms, then the Schiit Midgard should definitely work as a cheaper demo amp or even a more transportable amp for longer-term overseas projects, not to mention an extremely versatile single-ended amp with lots of ins/outs and extra power for the price:

https://www.schiit.com/products/midgard

This literally has nothing to do with my statement about rental costs varying and using the HD 800S as an example.

 

[JonM78]

Where to find this fee? I really want to try Susvara

Go to Headphones.com and look. Not sure if they have the Susvara but only select headphones offer ability to rent. You have the option Buy and next to it Rent, if available.