Focal Bathys

Hi-fi Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancelling

The Focal Bathys is a high-end wireless headphone that brings together active noise cancelling and drivers made in France by Focal. The sound stays refined over Bluetooth, USB-C or jack, on the move, at the office or at home. With 30 hours of battery life, noise cancelling included, it lasts several days of listening between charges.

Hi-fi sound from aluminium-magnesium drivers

Each earcup holds a 40 mm full-range driver. Its aluminium-magnesium alloy dome has Focal's signature "M" profile. Aluminium stiffens the diaphragm and reduces distortion, while magnesium damps resonances and keeps the treble smooth. These drivers are made in Focal's workshops in France, using a technology patented by the brand. The result is a hi-fi Bluetooth headphone with controlled bass and clear vocals, and a frequency response of 15 Hz to 22 kHz. In the app, a 5-band equaliser and the Mimi hearing test tailor the sound to your taste or your hearing.

Active noise cancelling: three modes for every environment

This active noise cancelling headphone relies on eight microphones that analyse ambient noise in order to reduce it. Silent mode gives the strongest attenuation, for planes, trains or noisy places. Soft mode lightly reduces noise in calm settings, at home or at the office. Transparent mode lets outside sound through so you can talk without taking the headphone off. On calls, two microphones dedicated to the voice (Clear Voice Capture technology) make conversations clearer.

Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, USB-DAC mode and jack input

Wirelessly, the Bathys uses Bluetooth 5.1 multipoint. It stays connected to two devices at once and switches between them automatically, for example from a tablet to a phone when a call comes in. It supports aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC and SBC, and picks the best codec available on its own. aptX Adaptive also brings low latency, useful for video and gaming. Connected over USB-C to a computer or smartphone, the headphone becomes a USB DAC and receives a PCM signal up to 24-bit/192 kHz, without Bluetooth compression. It also has a 3.5 mm jack input. Because it goes through the internal amplification, it only works when the battery is charged.

Battery life, charging and the Focal & Naim app

The lithium-ion battery lasts 30 hours over Bluetooth with noise cancelling, 35 hours on jack and 42 hours in USB-DAC mode. A full charge takes about 1 h 30 with a 5 V / 2 A charger, and 15 minutes of fast charging add about 5 hours of listening. The closed-back headphone weighs 350 g and fits in the supplied carrying case. The Focal & Naim app, used over Bluetooth, brings together the equaliser, the Mimi test, the choice of voice assistant (Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, triggered by a button on the right earcup), battery level, the indicator light setting and firmware updates. Settings are stored in the headphone and stay active in USB-DAC and jack modes.

Specifications

• Type: closed-back Bluetooth headphone with active noise cancelling
• Drivers: 40 mm, aluminium-magnesium "M"-profile dome, made in France
• Frequency response: 15 Hz - 22 kHz (+/- 3 dB)
• Active noise cancelling: Silent, Soft and Transparent modes
• Microphones: 8, including 2 dedicated to calls (Clear Voice Capture)
• Bluetooth: 5.1 multipoint (2 devices at once, 8 devices remembered), 15 m range in open space
• Bluetooth codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC
• USB-DAC mode: PCM up to 24-bit/192 kHz (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 and 192 kHz, 176.4 kHz not supported)
• Connections: USB-C, 3.5 mm jack
• Battery life: 30 h over Bluetooth with noise cancelling, 35 h on jack, 42 h in USB-DAC mode
• Battery: 1060 mAh lithium-ion, full charge in about 1 h 30, fast charging (15 min for about 5 h of listening)
• Power supply: 5 V - 2 A (charger not included)
• Voice assistants: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
• App: Focal & Naim (5-band equaliser, Mimi hearing test, updates)
• Weight: 350 g
• Finishes: Deep Black, Dune
• Included accessories: carrying case (24 x 21 x 7 cm), 1.2 m 3.5 mm jack cable, 1.2 m USB-C cable