@@SuperReview it wouldn't let me log in so I assume my password was wrong. When I tried to reset the password it wouldn't send me the email. When I tried to re-register it wouldn't let me because he email was already registered.
I had the opportunity to test the Bathys. I really think that it's an excellent headphone. For the ANC part, i have to say that it's maybe not as good as the Sony's but for me, it has a great advantage: I didn't have the "pressure cabin effect" with the Bathys (i have this effect with the Sony 4/5, and even with the UX3000). So, I tend to think that it is voluntary, it was well studied on that side. ANC is very good in that sense for my ears.
First Focal headphones I bought and I am liking the tuning they have. The bass doesn’t have as much force behind it as I usually like, but to be fair I haven’t had really any headphones (though I almost exclusively have open back headphones) that come close to matching my IEMs in this so not a big deal. The bass is very nicely controlled and fast enough to keep up with my metal and electronic tracks which is impressive. The highs don’t trigger my sensitivity which is great and the detail is very nice. Vocals sound very nice. As far as the operation of it goes. The BT range and sources it works with is fine if nothing special. The ANC works fine for the volumes I listen at. I am so glad there is not a half-assed “on head” detection. I would rather have no auto pause then bad auto pause. Comfort is fine on my head with some extra steps in the adjustment left and the clamping force is better then my Sennheisers so getting used to it would be rather quick. The app is annoying for no good reason, but after looking at it… it seems that I will only really ever need it to do some firmware updates so no big loss.
I like this video. The Focal Bathys is my favorite wireless headphone because of the sound. Before this, my favorite was the $300 Audeze Maxwell, which replaced the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 as my favorites. I bought my wife the Apple AirPods, which is still the most elegant of them all but the least practical. I'm partial to Focal. I own the Utopia and used to own the Clear and the Elegia. It's not a $5,000 Utopia but it's got more punch than the AirPods or the Maxwell and more clarity than the Sonys. The Bathys is the perfect marriage of great sound and practicality. BOSE and Sony do better ANC but the ANC on the Bathys is easily good enough. I agree with your call. On this use case, a more laid-back bassy tonality is what's typically called for in this type of headphone. Nobody whips out an open-air can, with lush mids and sparkling, highly-detailed treble for use on a plane or a bus or any other noisy environment. You want the familiar and reassuring warmth of a headphone with decent bass. You just hope you get enough transparency on top so you don't feel like you've got your head in a bucket. I enjoy the Sonys (both the WH-1000XM4/5 and the WF-1000XM4) - which are more comfortable than the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (and with better connectivity) - but there always comes a moment when I start to feel like I'm listening through a dirty sock. Wireless just doesn't measure up to wired, but the Bathys does a noticeably better job of not making me regret going wireless. Its tuning comes as close as any wireless to letting you forget you're going wireless.
USB mode is a lot better. It is a lot more distinguishable when you listen to classical orchestral music. Also different codecs make different sounds. It depends on what music you are listening to. For classical music, high resolution music sounds a lot better too and it is easy to tell from A, B testing. I have Bathys. I have never had any Bluetooth headphones or IEM with this level of sound quality. I love your channel, but I have too many things to disagree with you. We are just different. Still, I always like your honest review.
I've been living with one for a few days now. I'm an audiophile that wanted the absolute best quality ANC BT headphone for on-the-go when I'm not using my AP2's. In comes the Bathys. I'm already acquainted with them as I also have Focal Clears in my line up. My other cans are Hifiman Arya V2's and Meze Empyrean. I cross shopped the Bathys with pretty much ALL totl ANC headphones save for the new Maxwell from Audeze/Sony, and I kept going back to the Bathys. I'd say it's worth around $600. Definitely not $800. At that price point, you may as well go wired, save a bit more money, and go Radiance. I got mine for exactly $550 for open box. The clamp is indeed pretty strong, and can put pressure specifically on your temples which can be incredibly grating for some. I don't have a big head, so it doesn't bother me. Regardless, the Bathys are the best of the best for ANC headphones. Knowing Focal, they'll come out with a better version in another 2-3 years, and I'm looking forward to that.
TBH I've never encountered a USB cable that I can imagine liking as a headphone cable. I want a headphone cable to be soft and pliable, even the supplied USB cable with Bathys is typically stiff and memory prone. What's your main use case for the USB DAC function?
I've had the XM4s for 2-3 years now. Good for non music tracks (movies, etc.) but not on the comparison chart for music vs the Bathys. Still like the XM4s, but they are very limited in relation to the Bathys.
I got the bathy coming from having bose nc700 to momentum 3 then momentum 4 and a friend said get the bathy as he a hifi man and I'm not diaspppotned. I'm never going back to mainstream headphones. They sound sooooo much better
Nicely Done. At this price you have to hit 2 major points. Comfort & Sound. It's there first version. of anc , maybe they will fix the comfort and app on the next version . Thanks
So I saw the initial leaks of the Bathys and asked myself if I wanted to venture into owning yet another closed Focal and the inevitable fight I'd have with their pads. Focals imo makes great headphones, whether you like their sound or not is going to be preferential like anything but they're all well constructed and provide the three Ds: detail, dynamics, and design. Where they're not so great (imo) is the pads. Every (closed) Focal I've owned has had uneven distribution of the pad material. The actual leather is phenomenal but the foam inside has been wildly inconsistent which causes the center image to move and leads to more honk (for me) as they start to wear (which happens in weeks not months in my usage. I ended up getting both of Bowers and Wilkins current ANC headphones in the PX7 S2 and the PX8. I've been very surprised by the Bowers and Wilkins sound, and maybe it's because I've been in Audiophile land for the last few years, but they hit on a nostalgia funny bone for me by providing a deeper, heavier, more layered sound than a lot of the high detail, high resolution stuff which can sound thin and artificially sharp to my ear over time. I do still like Focal but it's a complicated relationship. There's trust issues. I want to love her but she's French, and on her own time. She always looks great but is too often cold, distant, and abrasive. I just think it makes more sense to have a bit of fun and enjoyment with my time than trying to make a pair of headphones happy. This got weird, but given my experiences with Focals, I contend it's accurate.
Indeed she always looks good and knows "her worth". I expect down the road, at least 100USD for new pads (Insane, when you consider that you could buy an ANker q35 headset for that price now with FLAC support mind you), and probably for the lifecycle of focal support for this headphone at least one battery replacement before they announce that the unit is no longer going to be supported. So, considering that, it is expensive future ewaste....when that battery is gone you cannot do passive listening (according to other reviews), your investment is gone. It does not sit right with me. I like the idea that I could wrap up a headphone I don't want to use for a while, then take it out years later, plug it in, and it is still just as good. At 300 dollars, it is still annoying, at 800 I think it deserves some serious questioning
ive heard focals have horrible quality control and drivers are fragile, is this true? whats your personal experience with the build quality compared to a beyerdynamic dt series?
@@smolbo1 Not in my experience. Nor in the experiences of other owners I've chatted with. Focals seem to be built and constructed well enough, but for me their pads have all had issues, from the Listens to Elegia to Stellia to Radiance. I have the ZMF pads for Focal and they're a heaven send (pricey but worth it). I wish Focal would commission either Dekoni or ZMF to make their pads for them. But as far as driver failure or clipping, never had an issue. I wonder if people don't realize what effects the pads have on the playback of a Focal.
From owning both the PX7 S2 and PX8, do you think the PX8 price is fair? I’ve heard mixed reviews and am deciding between the two…really interested in the PX8 but hesitant to buy them especially if the S2 is close.
@@ryanpowell2793 Price is subjective, what's reasonable to me can be completely unreasonable to someone else and that would be reasonable. But in terms of sound quality they're not far apart. The S2 has more bass emphasis, it's a bit looser in terms of control but to me sound a bit more organic or analog or what reminds me of listening to music on cassettes. The S2 has a more weight the PX8 is more neutral, tighter, more even in terms of its presentation (no noticeable over emphasis of a particular frequency). Where they differ significantly is in terms of comfort. The leather on the PX8 is just frigging amazing and does not get hot. The S2 is made of the spongey material that does get hot over time and can pinch a bit. ANC seems to be about the same. Both scale well on my sources. I think if comfort and effortless wearability and listening is your goal then you go with the PX8. If you don't mind some ear cup warmth and want some extra low end thud then I think you save the money and get the blue and gold S2 which is pretty slick in person.
Call me the "cheapest" audioman...but I am hooked on the KZ AZ09 Pro earhooks with my IEM's (e.g. S12, Olina, T3+, etc.). BT5.2, CVC, TWS+, plenty of codec support (AptX, AAC, SBC), and 6.5hrs/42hrs battery life. Own two set's, one in factory C-pin (QDC) and the other modded to B-pin (an easy mod to allows for perfect B-pin IEM coupling). The best part...these earhooks cost me only $26 ea. on deep discount about 1 year ago. Important distinction...only the KZ AZ09 "PRO" variant (along with its sister: CCA BTX) has the Qualcomm QCC3040 chipset. I only lose 15% battery in Power Mode (3 successive clicks to left earhook button) to provide the S12's sufficient power to shine. If I need ANC/Ambient...then a set of EarFunFree Pro 2's fit the bill ($50 on Amazon) with a custom 10-band EQ using the Android "AirReps15 6x" to set the default custom tune (persists with or without app...do it once and the custom tune remains even after a power down/reset). The EEFP2 factory tune has way too much bass for my liking...but with the custom tune...fantastic. IMHO.
Nice review! Been living with mine for little more than a week. I have found some things that can maybe be fixed through a firmware update: I set mine to "LED Off" after being left alone for an extended period of time the light comes on after it wakes up from sleep, which stays on and need to be manually turned off again. There is also a need for more granular control (like you mentioned) especially in the lower volume levels. There is also a slight static noise in passthrough mode (not noticeable unless you are somewhere completely silent.) As for the annoying voice assistant prompt, go into the app and click on the settings icon in the top right corner, and set it to "local" and it will use whatever assistant on your device (google assistant for android and siri for ios) when clicking the assistant button.
This video proves how sound and preferences are subjective, personal. You don't seem all that high on them... and the many other videos I've watched say something very different. I have the Sennheiser Momentum 4s and really love them, as they check off all the features I want and need, while still providing above-average ANC sound across a variety of genres. But when I put on the Bathys... it's remarkable to hear the difference. The immersive nature, staging width, layering, etc... is leaps and bounds ahead of my M4s. And to that point, significantly better than the Sony XM5s. Just a good example of how everyone is different, as is there taste.
Chances are Bathys will be a very big hit for Focal, mostly at the expense of Apple which doesn’t appear to have a new erosion of AirPods Max coming out before Christmas. The Max beats Bathys in ANC and passthrough but the dynamic range of Bathys makes the Max sound a bit dull in comparison.
@@GadZookz My 100 dollar Olinas beat my MW65 wireless which I did buy on discount but are 500 dollars normally. And they beat them by quite a bit as well.
Love these but won't get them. Learnt from my Master & Dynamics cans that purchasing a brand from overseas in my country is a bad idea since when things go wrong you can't replace anything.
I Tryed the xm3’s and xm4’s and was terribly disappointed. I have 4 pairs of xm2’s. With the app I can get a great response with the xm2’s. Couldn’t get a good response out of the further versions. I give up on Sonys Bluetooth headphones. Sad but true. I have a studio and 22 years of audio production experience and I need a decent on the go headset. Does the focal have a DAC based eq ?
I am not a fan of the Sony or Bose ANC headphones. Both have way too much clamp for me. I got the Sennheiser PXC 550 (OG) and have not looked back. I am tempted to get the Focal set. Mainly because ever since I got the Focal Clear Pro (Non-MG version) I have been a fan.
aside from other issues, the headband is a deal breaker for me. anything over many hundreds of dollars better be ultra comfy... thanks for all of the reviews by the way. keep up the good work.
Here in Australia, the Bathys is on sale for $415, ~$65 more than the retail price of the XM5 so I guess it is a no-brainer in terms of which to buy if one is in the market for a Bluetooth ANC.
I had been accepting the sound of my QC35 for wireless listening... but I had been looking for a more neutral & detailed substitute. I did not found it yet. All I have tried was not good enough (I was exited about the Dali hype, but when I did try them the sound level was really low). In the last two years some new contenders got to the market and make me think if I should listen some of them. I am thinking about the Bathys and about the Master&Dynamic MW65. To give you some context I listen my music on a Topping DX7 Pro and I am user of Focal Elegia (no eq but needs some), Dan Clark AEON 2 Noir (I eq down a weird bump un the bass, but I like the details). Do you think with the Bathys I would get as detailed sound as in the Noir, but with a more neutral sound? What about soundstage? Thanks in advance!!
Great review! … and I’m happy to hear of your acquired interest in this headphone category because I personally believe it’s the future. Also because your reviews tend to be aimed at audiophiles, I can well imagine a future shootout that would include the newest Bt headphones aimed at audiophiles, and that you didn’t include here. I’m speaking of Sennheiser, B&W, Kef, and possibly the Bt codecs that each support, and how accurately the Bt implementation matches these headphones’ optional wired implementations. 2023 will be a very interesting year for Bluetooth, and I’ll be looking forward to your reviews… while I save up for my next headcan purchase…
Why didn't you include other options in the conculsion? Always useful if you're saying if you're only option is the Sony then OK, but what if it's not your only option?
Hi Mark, I am looking for a warm, smooth, natural, great VOCALS without getting peaky or harsh and mids or bass not too thick. S8, RSV and SA6 which one is better for the things I mentioned.
I was thinking about buying these vs the focal clear professional vs the meze 109 (modded with foam like you did). In home use only and anc not important and wireless not important. Can you give a brief comparison in sound between the clear and the bathys and which of the 3 you prefer in sound quality only and why?
@@SuperReview What will you consider for the price range $400 up to $1000? I prefer anywhere from slightly elevated bass up to significant bass bump (as long as the sub bass matches or exceeds the midbass). I don't like neutral bass or rolled off bass. I prefer treble air extension (in the brilliance region) as I love my timeless and ie600 iems. But I can live with average treble air extension. I love a lot of details, imaging, and soundstage. Most important I want to feel the bass (slight to moderate rumble) and not necessarily only hear it. Thank you so much.
Can I Use My Fiio BTR7 to get LDAC via the 3.5 cable . The sony xm5 look and feel like cheap plastic . I sent 2 pairs back on 2 different occasions thinking my Soundcore Q35 and Q45 sound better and look better and built better . I will try to use my fiio btr7 to get LDAC on my Bathys
I recently was able to purchase a pair for $550 (used). I just thoroughly sanitize them and roll.. There's no way i would pay $800 or $700 for headphones.
Very hot take, but I think "high end" Bluetooth headphones are a waste of money in general, you are spending $700-800 on something that has a battery which will crap itself in a few years. IMO spending more than $400-500 on a Bluetooth headphone is a waste of money at this point in time. Maybe in the future when we will get lossless over Bluetooth, and more user friendly/removable batteries then I'd consider something like the Bathys or an Airpods max.
Dude coming from someone who owns a high end pair of bluetooth cans that had a horrid battery out of box and is now nonexistant I agree with you 100%. It's super nice if you are travelling a lot but just get a cheap pair. It's not worth it otherwise. 😂😂
amazing how almost all manufacturers decided to use non-replaceable batteries. amazing how all reviewers never take issue with that. disposable world...
We talked about this in the Q&A portion. I understand the reservation, but it's pretty low priority for me. (1) Because there's not an alternative, and (2) lithium batteries are typically rated for ~500 recharge cycles to retain 80% battery health, and a product like this is gonna get charged roughly once per week. That's about 10 years of charging before the battery capacity starts really feeling the effect. Versus a phone, which gets recharged daily, or TWS like AirPods which recharge every time you put them back in the case, a Bluetooth headphone like this really isn't subjected to the same charging abuse. So of the many reasons I may or may not choose a Bluetooth headphone, that ranks pretty low on my considerations.
Time to check out the Bowers & Wilkins PX7s2 € 426 and the new PX8 but this one is to expensive compare with the PX7s2 the same with Focal Bathys to expensive compare with the PX7s2 if you only gif points for the SOUND, but why buy you a headphone in the first place?? Right. all the other stuff is luxery not sound.
It would have been nice if FOCAL could have been the first to make a great bluetooth headphone that could continue to work after the battery is gone, so as to not be called an 800usd e-waste item. If Focal was like Sennheiser, and supported products for decades, I'd feel better about it, but they are more like many companies that seem eager to revamp model lines in order to boost sales, and even when they had a home run (Focal Clears) they discontinued them, wtf? Just how long do we think they will support a device like this? More to the point, how many people actually replace batteries in their phones? Most just get another phone. uhhh.... Don't mind me, I just liked the idea that someday if got tired of my wired headphone I could put it in the closet for years, then give it to someone in the family to enjoy, or sell it off and know that person will enjoy it. Tired thinking from a bygone age.
Hifiman Deva/Deva Pro? They can be Bluetooth, USB C and traditionally connected through dual 3.5mm sockets (as well as having a detachable/upgradeable bluetooth module). They are decent sounding, albeit they are open-backed and do not have ANC.
@@SteveHuffer Yes, and if they could do that with something like the Arya or even Ananda that would be even better. The Ananda BT had promise but suffers with different issues.
It's the currency and income differences. You'd afford to buy headphones on a monthly basis with a regular job in the US and the EU. Unfortunately, the current political and economic order is designed to screw poorer and developed countries.
@@aihkas makes sense.. I have a job.. it's not flashy but it's fine.. However I have to plan 2-3 mnths in advance if I have to purchase a 100$ product !! I've always been baffled and frustrated at how people seem to buy 500-1000$ products every month!!! Especially since I share the same passion for audiophilia..
Is a BMW worth twice that of a Ford? Not a relevant question as we live in diminishing returns. Chances are to get 10 or 20% increase you may easily pay twice.
I expect it won't sound great. Seems they're applying some DSP to the signal to get the frequency response they do, if you bypass the DSP... probably sounds bad.
If you EQ the XM5 properly it stands up there with any overpriced headphone. Sony Clearbass is the bomb! Detail retrieval good enough to exceed capabilities of 192khz 24 bit u compressed audio!
MORE bass?? Sony XM headphones are always way too bassy, to the extent that it drowns out the lower mids. Fortunately there’s more separation and clarity in my XM5’s compared to my XM4’s, but I still EQ the bass down. And that makes it a headphone I can, just barely, enjoy on its own merits while traveling, rather than most other noise canceling sets I’ve tried that sounds good only “for a Bluetooth headphone.” I certainly prefer the XM5 sound to the AirPods Max (and I love the swipe controls - easy and intuitive) and while the B&W PX7 has an exciting sound I love, B&W cans always just clamp too tightly on the ears and top of my head.
@@SuperReview I smashed the two together until parts started flying and one Bathys got through five XM5's and was still functioning. But seriously, when it comes to sound the XM5 does nothing a $30 SuperLux can't do better where as Bathys would be okay as just a wired headphone.
I had them and was not impressed at all and sold them last week. There were connection problems. Not impressed at all with the noise cancelling. Plastic cheap feel about them. Far too expensive for what they are.
This headphone (Bathys) is overrated, overhyped, and TBH the frequency response is unforgivable. I don't know why audiophiles don't seem to care about the horrendous dips in the FR and there are a lot of apologists of this clearly inferior measurable performance. And listening tests clearly show these dips, if one's REALLY listening and not hyping. Reputable speaker makers seems to release mediocre headphones... Focal and B&W, yes you. It would have been ok if you're not asking exorbitant prices for your underperforming "flagships".
A lot of people like them, take my opinion for what it is, but IMO they're a very good electronic device that happens to sound pretty bad but do everything else well.
@@SuperReview Please be assured, I’m not arguing with you. It’s just so unusual for any reviewer to criticize the sound of the XM5. I’ve never heard them, so I don’t have an opinion, but I consider your reviews to be thorough and consistently honest.
![fellow fellow - พรุ่งนี้ไม่มีใครรู้ feat. INK WARUNTORN [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QP6JyjYx_W0/mqdefault.jpg)
Missed the Q&A but still got a question? Follow me on Minds and send me a Supermind for guaranteed response. www.minds.com/superreview/
minds doesn't work. It's a piece of shit.
What issues you have?
@@SuperReview it wouldn't let me log in so I assume my password was wrong. When I tried to reset the password it wouldn't send me the email. When I tried to re-register it wouldn't let me because he email was already registered.
Did you check spam folders?
@@SuperReview nothing in spam. I'm going to give up for now before I break something.
I had the opportunity to test the Bathys. I really think that it's an excellent headphone.
For the ANC part, i have to say that it's maybe not as good as the Sony's but for me, it has a great advantage: I didn't have the "pressure cabin effect" with the Bathys (i have this effect with the Sony 4/5, and even with the UX3000).
So, I tend to think that it is voluntary, it was well studied on that side. ANC is very good in that sense for my ears.
First Focal headphones I bought and I am liking the tuning they have. The bass doesn’t have as much force behind it as I usually like, but to be fair I haven’t had really any headphones (though I almost exclusively have open back headphones) that come close to matching my IEMs in this so not a big deal. The bass is very nicely controlled and fast enough to keep up with my metal and electronic tracks which is impressive. The highs don’t trigger my sensitivity which is great and the detail is very nice. Vocals sound very nice.
As far as the operation of it goes. The BT range and sources it works with is fine if nothing special. The ANC works fine for the volumes I listen at. I am so glad there is not a half-assed “on head” detection. I would rather have no auto pause then bad auto pause. Comfort is fine on my head with some extra steps in the adjustment left and the clamping force is better then my Sennheisers so getting used to it would be rather quick. The app is annoying for no good reason, but after looking at it… it seems that I will only really ever need it to do some firmware updates so no big loss.
I like this video. The Focal Bathys is my favorite wireless headphone because of the sound. Before this, my favorite was the $300 Audeze Maxwell, which replaced the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 as my favorites. I bought my wife the Apple AirPods, which is still the most elegant of them all but the least practical.
I'm partial to Focal. I own the Utopia and used to own the Clear and the Elegia. It's not a $5,000 Utopia but it's got more punch than the AirPods or the Maxwell and more clarity than the Sonys. The Bathys is the perfect marriage of great sound and practicality. BOSE and Sony do better ANC but the ANC on the Bathys is easily good enough.
I agree with your call. On this use case, a more laid-back bassy tonality is what's typically called for in this type of headphone. Nobody whips out an open-air can, with lush mids and sparkling, highly-detailed treble for use on a plane or a bus or any other noisy environment. You want the familiar and reassuring warmth of a headphone with decent bass. You just hope you get enough transparency on top so you don't feel like you've got your head in a bucket.
I enjoy the Sonys (both the WH-1000XM4/5 and the WF-1000XM4) - which are more comfortable than the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (and with better connectivity) - but there always comes a moment when I start to feel like I'm listening through a dirty sock. Wireless just doesn't measure up to wired, but the Bathys does a noticeably better job of not making me regret going wireless. Its tuning comes as close as any wireless to letting you forget you're going wireless.
USB mode is a lot better. It is a lot more distinguishable when you listen to classical orchestral music. Also different codecs make different sounds. It depends on what music you are listening to. For classical music, high resolution music sounds a lot better too and it is easy to tell from A, B testing.
I have Bathys. I have never had any Bluetooth headphones or IEM with this level of sound quality. I love your channel, but I have too many things to disagree with you. We are just different. Still, I always like your honest review.
I've been living with one for a few days now. I'm an audiophile that wanted the absolute best quality ANC BT headphone for on-the-go when I'm not using my AP2's. In comes the Bathys. I'm already acquainted with them as I also have Focal Clears in my line up. My other cans are Hifiman Arya V2's and Meze Empyrean. I cross shopped the Bathys with pretty much ALL totl ANC headphones save for the new Maxwell from Audeze/Sony, and I kept going back to the Bathys. I'd say it's worth around $600. Definitely not $800. At that price point, you may as well go wired, save a bit more money, and go Radiance. I got mine for exactly $550 for open box. The clamp is indeed pretty strong, and can put pressure specifically on your temples which can be incredibly grating for some. I don't have a big head, so it doesn't bother me. Regardless, the Bathys are the best of the best for ANC headphones. Knowing Focal, they'll come out with a better version in another 2-3 years, and I'm looking forward to that.
Overall nice review; I wish you would have reviewed the USB DAC function tho. This is a game changer for many applications.
TBH I've never encountered a USB cable that I can imagine liking as a headphone cable. I want a headphone cable to be soft and pliable, even the supplied USB cable with Bathys is typically stiff and memory prone.
What's your main use case for the USB DAC function?
@@SuperReviewit might be too late now but the cable included with the iPhone 15 pro works great for me as it isn’t as stiff as most cables
I've had the XM4s for 2-3 years now. Good for non music tracks (movies, etc.) but not on the comparison chart for music vs the Bathys. Still like the XM4s, but they are very limited in relation to the Bathys.
Yeah they have their use. I use bonephones all the time even though they don't sound great. High fidelity not always the priority.
What equalization do you recommend for these?
I got the bathy coming from having bose nc700 to momentum 3 then momentum 4 and a friend said get the bathy as he a hifi man and I'm not diaspppotned. I'm never going back to mainstream headphones. They sound sooooo much better
They are double the price, they better have had a better sound lol😂
ANC headphones ARE mainstream, lol
So they are significantly better sounding than the momentum 4?
@@h1a8 in my opinion, yes. Tried these in the store for like 20 minutes each but the difference was evident even in that short amount of time.
@@jsosuwils8729k Thanks I bought them a few weeks ago and I agree.
Nicely Done.
At this price you have to hit 2 major points.
Comfort & Sound.
It's there first version. of anc , maybe they will fix the comfort and app on the next version .
Thanks
Reading this made me decide yeah should wait for the next version
So I saw the initial leaks of the Bathys and asked myself if I wanted to venture into owning yet another closed Focal and the inevitable fight I'd have with their pads. Focals imo makes great headphones, whether you like their sound or not is going to be preferential like anything but they're all well constructed and provide the three Ds: detail, dynamics, and design. Where they're not so great (imo) is the pads. Every (closed) Focal I've owned has had uneven distribution of the pad material. The actual leather is phenomenal but the foam inside has been wildly inconsistent which causes the center image to move and leads to more honk (for me) as they start to wear (which happens in weeks not months in my usage. I ended up getting both of Bowers and Wilkins current ANC headphones in the PX7 S2 and the PX8. I've been very surprised by the Bowers and Wilkins sound, and maybe it's because I've been in Audiophile land for the last few years, but they hit on a nostalgia funny bone for me by providing a deeper, heavier, more layered sound than a lot of the high detail, high resolution stuff which can sound thin and artificially sharp to my ear over time. I do still like Focal but it's a complicated relationship. There's trust issues. I want to love her but she's French, and on her own time. She always looks great but is too often cold, distant, and abrasive. I just think it makes more sense to have a bit of fun and enjoyment with my time than trying to make a pair of headphones happy. This got weird, but given my experiences with Focals, I contend it's accurate.
Indeed she always looks good and knows "her worth". I expect down the road, at least 100USD for new pads (Insane, when you consider that you could buy an ANker q35 headset for that price now with FLAC support mind you), and probably for the lifecycle of focal support for this headphone at least one battery replacement before they announce that the unit is no longer going to be supported. So, considering that, it is expensive future ewaste....when that battery is gone you cannot do passive listening (according to other reviews), your investment is gone. It does not sit right with me. I like the idea that I could wrap up a headphone I don't want to use for a while, then take it out years later, plug it in, and it is still just as good. At 300 dollars, it is still annoying, at 800 I think it deserves some serious questioning
ive heard focals have horrible quality control and drivers are fragile, is this true? whats your personal experience with the build quality compared to a beyerdynamic dt series?
@@smolbo1 Not in my experience. Nor in the experiences of other owners I've chatted with. Focals seem to be built and constructed well enough, but for me their pads have all had issues, from the Listens to Elegia to Stellia to Radiance. I have the ZMF pads for Focal and they're a heaven send (pricey but worth it). I wish Focal would commission either Dekoni or ZMF to make their pads for them. But as far as driver failure or clipping, never had an issue. I wonder if people don't realize what effects the pads have on the playback of a Focal.
From owning both the PX7 S2 and PX8, do you think the PX8 price is fair? I’ve heard mixed reviews and am deciding between the two…really interested in the PX8 but hesitant to buy them especially if the S2 is close.
@@ryanpowell2793 Price is subjective, what's reasonable to me can be completely unreasonable to someone else and that would be reasonable. But in terms of sound quality they're not far apart. The S2 has more bass emphasis, it's a bit looser in terms of control but to me sound a bit more organic or analog or what reminds me of listening to music on cassettes. The S2 has a more weight the PX8 is more neutral, tighter, more even in terms of its presentation (no noticeable over emphasis of a particular frequency). Where they differ significantly is in terms of comfort. The leather on the PX8 is just frigging amazing and does not get hot. The S2 is made of the spongey material that does get hot over time and can pinch a bit. ANC seems to be about the same. Both scale well on my sources. I think if comfort and effortless wearability and listening is your goal then you go with the PX8. If you don't mind some ear cup warmth and want some extra low end thud then I think you save the money and get the blue and gold S2 which is pretty slick in person.
Call me the "cheapest" audioman...but I am hooked on the KZ AZ09 Pro earhooks with my IEM's (e.g. S12, Olina, T3+, etc.). BT5.2, CVC, TWS+, plenty of codec support (AptX, AAC, SBC), and 6.5hrs/42hrs battery life. Own two set's, one in factory C-pin (QDC) and the other modded to B-pin (an easy mod to allows for perfect B-pin IEM coupling). The best part...these earhooks cost me only $26 ea. on deep discount about 1 year ago. Important distinction...only the KZ AZ09 "PRO" variant (along with its sister: CCA BTX) has the Qualcomm QCC3040 chipset. I only lose 15% battery in Power Mode (3 successive clicks to left earhook button) to provide the S12's sufficient power to shine.
If I need ANC/Ambient...then a set of EarFunFree Pro 2's fit the bill ($50 on Amazon) with a custom 10-band EQ using the Android "AirReps15 6x" to set the default custom tune (persists with or without app...do it once and the custom tune remains even after a power down/reset). The EEFP2 factory tune has way too much bass for my liking...but with the custom tune...fantastic.
IMHO.
Cheap options are nice 🤙
Sincerely, a Koss stan
Nice review! Been living with mine for little more than a week. I have found some things that can maybe be fixed through a firmware update: I set mine to "LED Off" after being left alone for an extended period of time the light comes on after it wakes up from sleep, which stays on and need to be manually turned off again. There is also a need for more granular control (like you mentioned) especially in the lower volume levels. There is also a slight static noise in passthrough mode (not noticeable unless you are somewhere completely silent.) As for the annoying voice assistant prompt, go into the app and click on the settings icon in the top right corner, and set it to "local" and it will use whatever assistant on your device (google assistant for android and siri for ios) when clicking the assistant button.
The anc is fine for me as I’m hear for the sound that I prefer from these
This video proves how sound and preferences are subjective, personal.
You don't seem all that high on them... and the many other videos I've watched say something very different.
I have the Sennheiser Momentum 4s and really love them, as they check off all the features I want and need, while still providing above-average ANC sound across a variety of genres.
But when I put on the Bathys... it's remarkable to hear the difference. The immersive nature, staging width, layering, etc... is leaps and bounds ahead of my M4s. And to that point, significantly better than the Sony XM5s.
Just a good example of how everyone is different, as is there taste.
The granularity can be improved with a software update ?
Chances are Bathys will be a very big hit for Focal, mostly at the expense of Apple which doesn’t appear to have a new erosion of AirPods Max coming out before Christmas. The Max beats Bathys in ANC and passthrough but the dynamic range of Bathys makes the Max sound a bit dull in comparison.
Premium ANC headphones are no longer a meme. Pass it on.
@@SuperReview What is a meme?
A miserable pile of secrets.
@@SuperReview That’s pretty heavy fare for headphones. Sure,y they can’t be that bad, even at half the price.
@@GadZookz My 100 dollar Olinas beat my MW65 wireless which I did buy on discount but are 500 dollars normally.
And they beat them by quite a bit as well.
Love these but won't get them.
Learnt from my Master & Dynamics cans that purchasing a brand from overseas in my country is a bad idea since when things go wrong you can't replace anything.
Woof.
I Tryed the xm3’s and xm4’s and was terribly disappointed. I have 4 pairs of xm2’s. With the app I can get a great response with the xm2’s. Couldn’t get a good response out of the further versions. I give up on Sonys Bluetooth headphones. Sad but true. I have a studio and 22 years of audio production experience and I need a decent on the go headset. Does the focal have a DAC based eq ?
Yes, but not as much control as the Sony EQ.
@@SuperReview would like to see the control options on video
I am not a fan of the Sony or Bose ANC headphones. Both have way too much clamp for me. I got the Sennheiser PXC 550 (OG) and have not looked back. I am tempted to get the Focal set. Mainly because ever since I got the Focal Clear Pro (Non-MG version) I have been a fan.
Hey.. Me too I'm having the pxc 550 og too.
Wear and tear is cropping up and looking at bathys at the moment
Bathys (Ba-This) as in bathysphere, meaning deep and quiet; per Focal. 🤗
aside from other issues, the headband is a deal breaker for me. anything over many hundreds of dollars better be ultra comfy...
thanks for all of the reviews by the way. keep up the good work.
I enjoy the Shure aonic 50. The parametric eq on those is great. No need to upgrade for me.
Are you trying to compare them with others?
Only sound 😊cheers
How for these compare sound wise to the Mark Levinson 5909 Bluetooth headphones 🎧 overall?
Here in Australia, the Bathys is on sale for $415, ~$65 more than the retail price of the XM5 so I guess it is a no-brainer in terms of which to buy if one is in the market for a Bluetooth ANC.
That is a pretty killer price for a Bathys.
I had been accepting the sound of my QC35 for wireless listening... but I had been looking for a more neutral & detailed substitute. I did not found it yet. All I have tried was not good enough (I was exited about the Dali hype, but when I did try them the sound level was really low). In the last two years some new contenders got to the market and make me think if I should listen some of them. I am thinking about the Bathys and about the Master&Dynamic MW65. To give you some context I listen my music on a Topping DX7 Pro and I am user of Focal Elegia (no eq but needs some), Dan Clark AEON 2 Noir (I eq down a weird bump un the bass, but I like the details). Do you think with the Bathys I would get as detailed sound as in the Noir, but with a more neutral sound? What about soundstage? Thanks in advance!!
No, I don't think the Bathys competes with the Noir on sound quality, the Bathys is a more mellow, rounded sound vs. the DCA's sharp, plucky treble.
It would be interesting to compare it to the Ananda Bluetooth.
Great review! … and I’m happy to hear of your acquired interest in this headphone category because I personally believe it’s the future. Also because your reviews tend to be aimed at audiophiles, I can well imagine a future shootout that would include the newest Bt headphones aimed at audiophiles, and that you didn’t include here. I’m speaking of Sennheiser, B&W, Kef, and possibly the Bt codecs that each support, and how accurately the Bt implementation matches these headphones’ optional wired implementations. 2023 will be a very interesting year for Bluetooth, and I’ll be looking forward to your reviews… while I save up for my next headcan purchase…
For three times the price of the Sony XM5s, I would buy them, especially because they are made by FOCAL and are their first ANC headphones.
Explain.
How would you compare the detail and layering to the clears? I'm sure it's not quite there, but is it a massive step down?
Pretty big difference IMO.
@@SuperReview yikes. I guess a qudelix 5k and my Noires is the best option
@@SuperReview And the Utopia you’d probably say the same 😉
@@cassiecat7038 Yeah, apart from the way they do bass, not much in common between Bathys and Focal's open back headphones.
Why didn't you include other options in the conculsion? Always useful if you're saying if you're only option is the Sony then OK, but what if it's not your only option?
It's the only one I had.
@@SuperReview Lol fair enough :) I thought there might be others in that price bracket. Sorry :)
How does the Bathys compare with the AirPods Max?
Been too long since I heard the APM to say confidently.
Hi Mark, I am looking for a warm, smooth, natural, great VOCALS without getting peaky or harsh and mids or bass not too thick. S8, RSV and SA6 which one is better for the things I mentioned.
S8 has very laid back bass but vocals definitely can get peaky. I would count them out
I was thinking about buying these vs the focal clear professional vs the meze 109 (modded with foam like you did). In home use only and anc not important and wireless not important. Can you give a brief comparison in sound between the clear and the bathys and which of the 3 you prefer in sound quality only and why?
If you don't care about the BT or ANC or isolation, I wouldn't consider Bathys.
@@SuperReview What will you consider for the price range $400 up to $1000? I prefer anywhere from slightly elevated bass up to significant bass bump (as long as the sub bass matches or exceeds the midbass). I don't like neutral bass or rolled off bass. I prefer treble air extension (in the brilliance region) as I love my timeless and ie600 iems. But I can live with average treble air extension. I love a lot of details, imaging, and soundstage. Most important I want to feel the bass (slight to moderate rumble) and not necessarily only hear it. Thank you so much.
Nothing in headphones can really do what IEMs do with bass.
Can I Use My Fiio BTR7 to get LDAC via the 3.5 cable .
The sony xm5 look and feel like cheap plastic . I sent 2 pairs back on 2 different occasions thinking my Soundcore Q35 and Q45 sound better and look better and built better .
I will try to use my fiio btr7 to get LDAC on my Bathys
Sure, that should work. But TBH I don't think there's a difference to hear to justify the hassle.
Can't wait for Hexa review
The new (their just released flagship) Master & Dynamic MW75 is $599. Maybe a bit cheaper comparison?
the sony xm5 sounded good in bestbuy. did they plug it with usb-c or something? or maybe they chose the songs good for it?
Everyone's got different preferences.
How do they sound wired via 3.5mm?
The same.
I really love the sound of the bathys, but it's really uncomfortable for me. The clamping force is too strong.
Bummer!
How could give up blue tooth nc/ without checking sennheiser I just don’t get it !!
I recently was able to purchase a pair for $550 (used). I just thoroughly sanitize them and roll.. There's no way i would pay $800 or $700 for headphones.
Very hot take, but I think "high end" Bluetooth headphones are a waste of money in general, you are spending $700-800 on something that has a battery which will crap itself in a few years. IMO spending more than $400-500 on a Bluetooth headphone is a waste of money at this point in time.
Maybe in the future when we will get lossless over Bluetooth, and more user friendly/removable batteries then I'd consider something like the Bathys or an Airpods max.
Dude coming from someone who owns a high end pair of bluetooth cans that had a horrid battery out of box and is now nonexistant I agree with you 100%.
It's super nice if you are travelling a lot but just get a cheap pair. It's not worth it otherwise. 😂😂
amazing how almost all manufacturers decided to use non-replaceable batteries. amazing how all reviewers never take issue with that. disposable world...
We talked about this in the Q&A portion. I understand the reservation, but it's pretty low priority for me. (1) Because there's not an alternative, and (2) lithium batteries are typically rated for ~500 recharge cycles to retain 80% battery health, and a product like this is gonna get charged roughly once per week. That's about 10 years of charging before the battery capacity starts really feeling the effect. Versus a phone, which gets recharged daily, or TWS like AirPods which recharge every time you put them back in the case, a Bluetooth headphone like this really isn't subjected to the same charging abuse.
So of the many reasons I may or may not choose a Bluetooth headphone, that ranks pretty low on my considerations.
It works with no charge lol
@@deykno87 Then that literally defeats the purpose of going wireless.
Is it louder than xm5? I find xm5 volume is too weak.
Careful with your hearing my friend.
@@SuperReview Probably i already have some hearing lose :) Thanks for warning.
Time to check out the Bowers & Wilkins PX7s2 € 426 and the new PX8 but this one is to expensive compare with the PX7s2 the same with Focal Bathys to expensive compare with the PX7s2 if you only gif points for the SOUND, but why buy you a headphone in the first place?? Right. all the other stuff is luxery not sound.
My Moondrop Chu beat my wf xm4 it’s hard for me to go back to wireless
Sony's WF-1000XM4 are much better. They are the only wireless audio experience that I enjoyed (Even better with noise cancelation off).
It would have been nice if FOCAL could have been the first to make a great bluetooth headphone that could continue to work after the battery is gone, so as to not be called an 800usd e-waste item. If Focal was like Sennheiser, and supported products for decades, I'd feel better about it, but they are more like many companies that seem eager to revamp model lines in order to boost sales, and even when they had a home run (Focal Clears) they discontinued them, wtf? Just how long do we think they will support a device like this? More to the point, how many people actually replace batteries in their phones? Most just get another phone. uhhh.... Don't mind me, I just liked the idea that someday if got tired of my wired headphone I could put it in the closet for years, then give it to someone in the family to enjoy, or sell it off and know that person will enjoy it. Tired thinking from a bygone age.
Hifiman Deva/Deva Pro? They can be Bluetooth, USB C and traditionally connected through dual 3.5mm sockets (as well as having a detachable/upgradeable bluetooth module). They are decent sounding, albeit they are open-backed and do not have ANC.
@@SteveHuffer Yes, and if they could do that with something like the Arya or even Ananda that would be even better. The Ananda BT had promise but suffers with different issues.
I PREFER SENNHESIER MOMENTUM M4 SOUNDING TO THE BATHYS❤
How much Bass do you want.
Momentum 4: *YES*
One very unrelated but relevant question...
How do you guys have so much money?
It's the currency and income differences. You'd afford to buy headphones on a monthly basis with a regular job in the US and the EU. Unfortunately, the current political and economic order is designed to screw poorer and developed countries.
@@aihkas makes sense..
I have a job.. it's not flashy but it's fine..
However I have to plan 2-3 mnths in advance if I have to purchase a 100$ product !!
I've always been baffled and frustrated at how people seem to buy 500-1000$ products every month!!!
Especially since I share the same passion for audiophilia..
Is a BMW worth twice that of a Ford? Not a relevant question as we live in diminishing returns. Chances are to get 10 or 20% increase you may easily pay twice.
True.
Master&dynamic mw75....no plastic.....more luxery🤗👍
Moondrop Alice better than all tws sound wise?
Just open them and solder cable directly to the drivers....bypassing all the electronics....
I expect it won't sound great. Seems they're applying some DSP to the signal to get the frequency response they do, if you bypass the DSP... probably sounds bad.
Of cos. Much better than Sony anyway. Not expensive at all.
If you EQ the XM5 properly it stands up there with any overpriced headphone. Sony Clearbass is the bomb! Detail retrieval good enough to exceed capabilities of 192khz 24 bit u compressed audio!
I really tried.
MORE bass?? Sony XM headphones are always way too bassy, to the extent that it drowns out the lower mids. Fortunately there’s more separation and clarity in my XM5’s compared to my XM4’s, but I still EQ the bass down. And that makes it a headphone I can, just barely, enjoy on its own merits while traveling, rather than most other noise canceling sets I’ve tried that sounds good only “for a Bluetooth headphone.”
I certainly prefer the XM5 sound to the AirPods Max (and I love the swipe controls - easy and intuitive) and while the B&W PX7 has an exciting sound I love, B&W cans always just clamp too tightly on the ears and top of my head.
Nope, they're far better than 2 x. Maybe 4-6.
Show your math.
@@SuperReview I smashed the two together until parts started flying and one Bathys got through five XM5's and was still functioning.
But seriously, when it comes to sound the XM5 does nothing a $30 SuperLux can't do better where as Bathys would be okay as just a wired headphone.
I had them and was not impressed at all and sold them last week. There were connection problems. Not impressed at all with the noise cancelling. Plastic cheap feel about them. Far too expensive for what they are.
This headphone (Bathys) is overrated, overhyped, and TBH the frequency response is unforgivable. I don't know why audiophiles don't seem to care about the horrendous dips in the FR and there are a lot of apologists of this clearly inferior measurable performance. And listening tests clearly show these dips, if one's REALLY listening and not hyping. Reputable speaker makers seems to release mediocre headphones... Focal and B&W, yes you. It would have been ok if you're not asking exorbitant prices for your underperforming "flagships".
@SuperReview Personally, I think my KSC75’s are better than all of them. $25
Facts.
But if you're on a plane, gonna feel bad.
🙄
Too bad it looks like a drain
Incredibly, mistaking it for a drain is not a problem I've had.
Not for that much money
I’ve never heard such severe criticism of the Sony XM5’s. 😯
A lot of people like them, take my opinion for what it is, but IMO they're a very good electronic device that happens to sound pretty bad but do everything else well.
@@SuperReview Please be assured, I’m not arguing with you. It’s just so unusual for any reviewer to criticize the sound of the XM5. I’ve never heard them, so I don’t have an opinion, but I consider your reviews to be thorough and consistently honest.