It was only a matter of time until Focal added a pair of premium wireless noise-cancelling headphones to its ranks alongside its established high-end wired models, which include the recently announced Utopia model (2022).
The freshly released Focal Bathys come in at £699, $799, and AU$1199, making them the most recent pair of Bluetooth headphones to join the newly evolved upper echelon of the market.
The Bathys are the first set of headphones produced by the French company that have active noise cancellation. The company had previously experimented with lower-priced wireless over-ear headphones. Two different Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) modes are available to choose from.
One is ‘Silent,’ which promises to block out sound in noisy environments. The other is ‘Soft,’ which is a mode designed to help the wearer focus at home or at the office and is presumably a less intense isolating mode than ‘Silent.’
The ‘Transparency’ setting, which allows for the introduction of ambient noises such as train announcements, can be found and is functioning properly.
When it comes to connectivity via Bluetooth, the Bathys don’t let you down. They support the standard SBC and AAC codecs and the high-quality aptX Adaptive codec, which is also compatible with aptX.
They can also be used with a wired connection, and not just through the 3.5mm connector on the headphones but also through the USB-C port, owing to a USB-DAC mode that offers a high-quality resolution of up to 24-bit/192kHz. The package includes 1.2-meter cables for both 3.5mm and USB-C connections.
The battery life varies depending on how you choose to listen; they offer 30 hours of playback when wireless, 35 hours when tethered through the jack, and 42 hours when wired over USB. A “quick charge,” which only takes 15 minutes, delivers enough power for five hours of listening. Overall, I’d say that’s quite satisfactory.
The well-known aluminum and magnesium ‘M-shaped’ dome drivers found inside are produced in the same workshop in Saint-Étienne, France, that Focal uses to produce its loudspeakers. The sound these drivers produce can be modified to some extent by using the equalization controls included in the companion app.
Those who already know the company’s wired open- and closed-back models will notice that the Bathys share more than one strand of their aesthetic DNA. Talking for the closed-back models, here at MidnightMagicSounds we have compiled a list with 10 best Closed Back Headphones for gaming that you might find interesting to read. The color finishes that have been decided upon for this model are black and silver.
Magnesium is used for the yokes, genuine leather is used for the headband, there are distinct grilles and a curvy-centric design, and the flame symbol of Focal is featured at the center of the earcup and may be lighted if the user so chooses.
Now you know the answer. If you’ve made it this far and have read “Bathys” as both “Bath-ees” and “Battys,” let us assure you that the former is correct. The name “Bathys” derives from the word “bathyscaphe,” which was the first vehicle designed specifically to explore the ocean’s depths by diving.
As a metaphor for Focal’s most recent headphones, the company refers to the vessel as “the embodiment of peace, depth, and perfect silence” in its marketing materials.
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