Wireless has always been the direction headphones have been heading. If it is not the True Wireless category of earphones that continues to evolve year over year, it’s the more comfortable and natural sounding over-ear category that has been tip-toeing towards audiophile acceptance. Recently one of HiFi’s biggest brands took their own leap of faith into the wireless frontier with the over-ear Focal Bathys model, which sports a ton of bells and whistles from the category including active noise cancelling and a transparency mode.
The latest updates to the model now include a new color called “dune” and an on-app hearing test intended to personally tailor the sound of your headphone to a more linear response of the listener’s perception of things. The new color and app are available starting September 15th and the Focal Bathys headphone still retails for the launch price of $699. More specs below from the press release.
“September 15, 2023 – Since their unveiling in October 2022, the Bathys headphones from Focal have continued to grow in popularity among customers and the international press alike. Never a brand to rest on its laurels, this leading light in the French sound sector is now enhancing its first Bluetooth® noise cancelling headphones, with the launch of its new Dune finish as well as introducing an extra feature allowing users to adapt Bathys sound to their hearing.
BATHYS DUNE: STEP INTO THE LIGHT
Focal has designed a luminous finish to join the Bathys collection, in contrast with the existing Black Silver finish and catering to its customers’ differing tastes. Applied to the headphones in their entirety, the carrying case and the cables, the Dune finish is inspired by quarry minerals, Greek landscapes and desert sands – in short, delicate spaces flooded with light. It combines a beige color with silver details (grilles, rings, etc.) for an elegant, mellow and harmonious finish. The neutral beige shade is easy to pair with any color of outfit. Replicating the approach taken in the Black Silver version, Bathys Dune combines refined materials (magnesium on the yokes, genuine leather on the headband, etc.), delivers impressive comfort and features an optional backlit flame in the center of the earcups.
NEW: HEADPHONES SOUND THAT ADAPTS TO THE USER’S HEARING
In its quest to offer its customers the very best, the Focal teams have incorporated a new feature into the headphones: the Mimi hearing test. Available via the Focal & Naim app, this allows users to configure the sound delivered by Bathys according to their hearing, thereby allowing them to enjoy the Focal sound regardless of their test results. In other words: Bathys adapts to everyone’s hearing. Those with the Black Silver version now also have access to this test, by simply updating the Focal & Naim app.
PURE HIGH-FIDELITY SOUND & FEATURES
Behind the Dune and Black Silver finishes lie the same performance and features: outstanding sound for a pair of wireless headphones. Benefiting from Focal’s expertise in sound and high-end headphone production, Bathys delivers pure Hi-Fi sound, via a Bluetooth® 5.1 multi-point or wired connection thanks to the integrated USB-DAC mode and its resolution reaching 24bits/192kHz. Made in France, the speaker drivers comprise an aluminum/magnesium dome for deep bass, mellow treble and crystal-clear vocals. This Hi-Fi sound is enhanced by perfect soundproofing: the noise-cancelling technology includes an optimized ‘Silent’ mode for journeys in noisy environments (planes, trains, etc.) and a ‘Soft’ mode to help users concentrate at home. There is no shortage of other features, either: voice assistants, adjustable EQ, connectivity (Bluetooth®, Jack, USB), 30-hour battery life (5 extra hours available in 15 minutes thanks to its fast-charging function), and much more.”
More info: Focal Bathys