Gadgets

The Focal Bathys is the company’s first wireless Hi-Fi ANC headphones

I love Focal headphones; they are hands down some of the best you can get anywhere and well worth your money. Focal has always been a premium audio brand, and if you’ve never tried a pair of the company’s high-end headphones, you’re missing out.

Now, the company is getting in on the wireless ANC market with its first Hi-Fi ANC headphones, the Focal Bathys. The Bathys uses Bluetooth 5.1, multipoint, or wired connections, thanks to its USB-DAC mode. Created with patented Focal technology, the Aluminum-Magnesium speaker drivers are made in France and deliver detailed, precise sound reproduction.

Here is a rundown of the Focal Bathys engineering, design, and innovative features.

Focal Bathys

Focal Bathys Feature Image Techaeris-min

Engineering

To meet the growing needs of the headphones market (wireless, portability, etc.), Focal spent over three years working to adapt its knowledge to the world of “active” headphones and to prove Focal can equip them with high-fidelity sound.

Bathys: the brand-new Focal headphones blend high-fidelity sound with Bluetooth® technologies and Active noise cancellation.

  • Drivers: Focal patented technology, Made in France
    • Aluminum/Magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome speaker drivers
  • USB-DAC mode – delivers a resolution of up to 24 bits / 192kHz for an uncompromising listening experience, thanks to the DAC and the integrated amplifier in the headphones.
  • Bluetooth 5.1 (multipoint): compatible with SBC, AAC, Apt-X™, and Apt-X™ Adaptive codecs provide an extensive choice of connectivity modes (Bluetooth®, Jack, USB).
  • Two modes of Noise canceling: “Silent” and “Soft modes based on your surroundings
  • Transparency Modes: allows you to hear sounds and voices around you when needed.
  • Voice Assistants: Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant, and the local assistant of the phone (Siri or Bixby, for ex), easily enable with a command on the right earcup.
    • It is also compatible with Google Fast Pair for a faster, more intuitive connection.
  • Clear Voice Capture: microphone technology
  • App for accessing more custom settings: equalizer, sound controls, etc.

Design

For the sound design, Focal worked with a sound designer to create all the sounds when pairing, connecting, switching ANC modes, etc. All the sounds you hear inside the headphones are unique to Focal, as they didn’t want to use the chipset’s very basic tones.

The Bathys design is inherited from Focal’s open- and closed-back headphones. Designed to be lighter, more compact, and with superior staying power, it is the ideal travel companion.

All the materials have been chosen to reduce the weight and provide great comfort to each head shape and size. These ergonomic headphones combine refined materials:

  • Magnesium yoke for increased lightness
  • Refined real leather and microfiber on headband resulting in outstanding comfort for any head shape
  • Aluminum on the headband for robust construction resulting in reliability and resistance on the move

The earcup reflects Focal’s distinctive headphones design code with its highly aesthetic curves.

Focal’s flame symbol is featured in the center of the earcup, incorporating a white backlight system to be activated if desired for an understated, chic visual effect.

Another standout feature of Bathys is its elegant and timeless Black Silver colorway.

Bathys fold flat to fit in its meticulously finished compact carrying case.

Innovation

Through Focal’s patented driver technology, Bathys delivers a pure hi-fi sound via 5.1 Bluetooth® multipoint or wired connection thanks to its USB-DAC mode. Add to that high-performance noise canceling technology, over 30 hours of battery life, high-grade materials, and a number of attractive features, Bathys is a great travel headphone.

  1. Driver technology
  2. Focal patent, exclusive driver technology
  3. Aluminum/Magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome speaker drivers
  4. Made in France – Manufactured in Saint-Étienne at the Focal workshops, the speaker drivers inside the Bathys headphones benefit from the expertise of a brand that constantly innovates to improve its products, providing the ideal solution regardless of how you want to listen.
  5. The same technology and driver construction as Focal high-end headphones (like flagship Utopia)
  • USB-DAC Mode
  • For people looking for the best audio quality, Focal integrated a DAC and amplifier inside.
  • Up to 24 bits 192 kHz, great dynamic and resolution
  • Equivalent to wired headphones with a separated small DAC.
  • Bluetooth active noise canceling headphones with a hi-fi sound.
  • Focal spent over three years working to adapt its knowledge to the world of “active” headphones and to prove they can equip them with high-fidelity sound.

You can find the Focal Bathys on the company’s website for US$799. That’s a bit more than some of the competition, but given that Focal makes some fantastic headphones, I have no doubt these are worth it.

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