I know that these headphones do hi res music through dac mode through usbc but if I use the jack cable to connect to an external dac will I still hear hi res audio?
I believe the jack connects to an ADC to get converted from the analogue signal to a digital signal which the onboard DSP processes and then outputs to the built in Amp along with the ANC waveform.
So youâd essentially be adding three more things to the chain. Will you notice a difference? Probably not. But Iâd just stick with DAC mode if you want to get the most out of them. I definitely noticed a difference between DAC mode an Bluetooth.
The headphone jack is just there for compatibility imo, not sound quality. Itâs good for things that donât support BT or USB DAC mode, but I personally didnât think HP Jack mode sounded better than USB.
Hope this helps!
Thank you for the info! The reason I asked is because I have an iPhone so I didnât know if I should just get the adapter or an otg for usb c. I appreciate the help.
Just got a pair. I have a pretty large head and had to send back the AirPod Max headphones to Apple, as they were just too painful. I did everything I could to stretch them out but to no avail.
These may be more flexible over the long run.
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Just tried them out. I was afraid they would be too tight for my large head, but so far so good.
My first impression of SQ was that these were not as good as what I usually listen to. They sounded a bit veiled in ANC modes.
Then I realized that they are a small fraction of the price of what I normally listen to (Utopia OG and Raal SR1a). LOL, so I have to cut them some slack, and evaluate them on price/performance, rather than on an absolute basis.
Update:
Perhaps it is âbrain burnâ kicking in, or also burn-in of the drivers, as the veil mentioned above seems to be lifting and SQ is improving a lot. I am getting fond of them.
Have a flight coming up, so will see how they perform in the wild. I will not be using them wired as I have other great solutions for that.
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I tried them yesterday wired (via Lightning-to-USB-c cable) vs. Bluetooth, both from my iPhone.
Sound is definitely different - the Bluetooth sounds more âairyâ, but also less solid, while the wired / DAC performance is actually quite good - solid and impactful.
I definitely prefer the wired performance, and will likely use it more frequently, but I like the Bluetooth option, as well.
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Focal Bathys Bluetooth Active Noise Cancelling HiFi Wireless Headphones
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So I purchased these for travel. I have TOTL headphones for listening at home and office. I started off comparing how these sounded compared to my Utopias and SR1as - totally unfair particularly as I listen to those in a silent, stable environment.
Today I took my first flight with the Bathys: the plane bouncing around, people talking, the flight attendant announcing, and they performed admirably with enough ANC via bluetooth and enough SQ to make me smile (listening to Keith Jarrettâs European concerts). The fit was not uncomfortable either. For the purpose acquired and the cost, these are keepers. I have not used them wired, and probably wonât as I have better alternatives.
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Iâve been using my Bathys now for several weeks and Iâm completely happy with them. For me, itâs the DAC mode thatâs the secret weapon. Instead of going from iPhone to CCK to a portable DAC to my existing headphones, I cut the DAC out of the chain making it so much less cumbersome. In fact, I could use an OTG cable and cut out the CCK, but I found the sound quality just a little bit inferior with the OTG. And then for commuting podcasts, etc., wireless is more than fine.
Fact of the matter is, the built-in DAC and its simplified chain freed me to sell my Astell & Kern SE180, which was a separate carry, and my Focal Celestees, which were dedicated to the A&K. And all with little, if any, diminution in sound quality. My 63-year-old ears couldnât tell the difference, and I did hours of A/B comparisons.
I really think the Bathys fits a niche for people who want the convenience of wireless but want to preserve that lifeline to 24/192 audiophile sound on the go without the need to switch out different headphones for different uses.
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I think they sound terrific for the price too!
100% - I just did my first trip with them for a quick weekend getaway and they were excellent on the plane and super reliable all throughout. Not having to charge them at all for an entire travel session is a huge plus.
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Hi, which OTG cable did you use? Thanks
We sent over a Bathys to Linus and his team and they took a look at it on Short Circuit. Check out their measurements (done with @Resolve ) along with thoughts on the Bathys!
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That caption is incredible.
hah, I WISH that was rent in Vancouver.
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@Resolve as you were at the Focal factory and could to speak to them personally, I have three questions that you might be able to answer:
This guy claims that the 1kHz dip may be there because of an âalways onâ cross-feed implementation. Would you say he is right?
The other question: Can I drive the Bathys with a balanced cable? I couldnât find any information about that possibility. I know that it would be a double amplification because of the amp inside the cup but I would like to know.
Also: Were you able to âcorrectâ the 1kHz dip with the EQ or do you use the EQ and if so, whatâs your EQ adjustment? (I guess you would want to dial down the bass because it might be a bit too much?)
Thanks in advance!
So Iâve also heard that about the crossfeed thing. Whatâs interesting is that if thatâs the case, it is extremely minor or is uniquely to do with the ANC. Nothing in my testing indicated crossfeed to a meaningfully audible level. Now, to be clear, when cranking a tone loudly, I could hear it on my other ear, however that could also just be the tone coming from the other cup. In measured results, when R side was playing at normal volumes, L side was around -60dB. So⌠this doesnât rule out crossfeed, but it does suggest that if its there, itâs very subtle at most.
As for driving it with a balanced cable⌠no I would not do that. Nor would you have any reason to. Do not think of the Bathys as a passive headphone you drive with 3.5mm into a fancy amp. This is an always active headphone, even in that mode. That connection is there for convenience only, like on a plane that doesnât have USB for example.
For EQ adjustment, I have a manual profile that I use with EQ APO and it sounds amazing. But I also wouldnât worry about the 900hz dip all that much as while it is audible, itâs not nearly as audible as it looks on the graph. I wouldnât try to âfixâ it with the 5 band EQ in the app for example.
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I couldnât measure cross-feed or any phase change behavior with the Bathys on my rig, so I am going to say nope to that theory.
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Happy New Year!
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Wireless ANC Headphones vs. Focal Bathys HiFi Bluetooth ANC Headphones!
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I think he may have intended it to read âskip a weekâs rent, buy theseâ 