FOCAL Bathys review -- BETTER than Apple AirPods Max? (& more) 

PLEASE READ *before commenting*! 1) All comments here are moderated by a third party 2) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome 3) No URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please CORRECTION: the Focal Bathys sell for €799 (and not €699). Apologies.

What I love about your videos, even if I'm not in the market for whatever product is being reviewed, is that I'll always get some nice, new-to-me tunes out of it when the intermissions come up. ♥️

CORRECTION: the Focal Bathys sell for €799 (and not €699). Apologies.

Now add B&W PX8 to the mix!

You need to do a FOCAL Bathys vs. B&W Px8 which are closer priced. This would be very helpful to decide which higher price one to go with.

Bathy's v PX8, that's the shoot out we want to see

Love your review style. It is honest and well articulated. You also somehow make it both raw and well polished. Just the right balance of objective and subjective, and we really get the sense of how these make you feel. With audio equipment that is really what it is all about; how it makes you feel. Thank you. Subscribed.

Another great video. Stay well...keep 'em coming!

Thanks for your detailed and well-rounded information. Clear pronunciation and a sympathetic voice.

Amazing review Mr. Darko!!

Great review. Lots of very useful information and plenty of killer camera/video shots! Really makes the beauty of this headphone stand out nicely.

Love the video. Super excited to see more mobile audio content

Excellent review as I listen to you wearing the Bathys. I absolutely love them and sent the Bowers and Wilkins PX8 back for the Bathys. I think they look fantastic on you.

I enjoy your reviews. Thanks

I love how I get great advice about gear and learn about amazing music at the same time. Keep it up.

Thanks a lot for your video I really enjoyed it. It did help me a lot

Great video John, thank you!

Thanks for this - next closed-back I buy will be these bad boys. Just got the Clears and my life is forever changed lol. I really appreciate that Focal took everything into account here - controls/features, aesthetic, comfort, and of course sound/ANC quality. Nothing was compromised, and it still comes in at a fair (albeit expensive) price. Leave it to Focal to set a new standard for the audio market :)

Thank you very much for this video. Your way of adressing your audience is really good. Thanks

I Love My Focal Elegias, But I Do Love The Lighted Logo Feature On These Bathys - Very Nice!!!

Love these reviews. Darko audio are the very best on the web IMHO.

🙏 man you do a lot of work/ effort in your reviews👍

As an owner of Focal loudspeakers and wired headphones, I’m planning on buying the Bathys. I love the Focal sound. To me, their sound signature of detail and crispness is amazing.

Good work as always. Hope your health is continually improving.

Thanks. I was looking for a Bathys vs AirPod Max review.

How do the Bathys compare to the Bowers & Wilkins PX8? NOT the PX7 S2, but the PX8.

John, thanks for this thorough analysis of the Bathys. Cheers Jeff

would love to see your thoughts on B&W PX8 VS. Focal Bathys

Thanks again John for an excellent review, and your mention of the music you use in your assessments. My “Darko Audio” playlist in Apple Music is growing with each review and provides hours of music that I wouldn’t otherwise have experienced.

I am a Focal Utopia owner and I have had my Bathys for 2 weeks and I must say I am in love with them. Thanks for the fantastic review. Always top drawer content from you John.

It’s Bathys Day! I was one of the ones who asked about the Bathys although I don’t remember adopting John’s tone of voice. I always like the way John integrates the music he listens to with his sound quality impressions. It helps to solidify the descriptions of his sound impressions

Thank you for this nice video. I dont see myself wearing this kind of product (nor any other all ear headphones) in the street. But your videos are always very pleasant. So I did enjoy. Take care. E

I love "Bathysphere." Can't believe you mentioned it.

I have the XM5 the Panda the Momentum 4 and the Airpods Max and had the Ananda BT. (Ignoring wired and true wireless). Ask away in case it helps with your Bathys decision in any way: The sound quality winner: The Momentum 4 even with APTX ( thus missing AptxHD/Aptx lossless for now). The Anc winner: the XM5 and Airpods. The biggest waste: The Drop Panda. The shallowness earcups: The Xm5. The quickest degrading/dirt gathering case : the XM5. The lightest : Xm5. The most premium feeling but heaviest: Airpods Max. The second most premium feeling: Momentum 4 The highest bitrate codec stably streaming: The Xm5 with LDAC manually set to 990Kbps. The battery that already died in less than a year with no company support: The Pandas. The best imaging Momentum 4. The most natural timbre: The momentum4 The softest most comfortable best sealing earpads: The Momentum 4. The most breathable feeling/lowest heat: The Airpods Max The best transparency mode: The airpods max. Best background noise cancelling in the mics so that others hear my voice easily: The Xm5 and Airpods Max The goofiest still can't answer a call all the time: Momentum 4 but it's probably my own user error haha The one I reach for the most: Momentum 4. Something about the sound and those soft plush earpads The one whose sound quality will improve a lot if you have the new 2023 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 plus chip that supports the new Aptx Lossless codec such as the 2022 Asus Rog 6 or any flagship android in 2023: Momentum 4 and Focal Bathys What sounds better: Almost any wired headset over $300 if you even have a cheap dac Amp such as the bang for buck dual dac Fiio Btr5 or 7 Bathys vs Momentum 4 sound quality over Bluetooth on the same codec: many have noted the Bathys is way better than the airpods max in terms of sound quality. I conclude it sounds better than the Momentum 4 (Ignoring price differences) as well as the Momentum 4 sounds better than the Xm5 and Airpods Max. The bass winner: Sony Xm5 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 The clearest sounding withiut siblance or eq: Momentum 4 even with only Aptx (not Aptx lossless or Aptx HD enabled) and Airpods Max even though it's AAC The easiest to lock in the highest bandwidth codec: Sony Xm5 since you can EASILY TURN ON DEVELOPER OPTIONS and lock LDAC 990Kbps as long as your device can push it without stuttering. HINT TURN OFF POWER SAVING AND turn on overdrive if you have it on your android. P.s. For reference on sound conclusions above here are my wired cans: I have an HE1000SE, HD800, Clear with a D90 A90 stack so I am knee deep in the addiction/hobby.

Excellent Review

Just wanted to say I watched the outdoor shot of the Focal store about 6 times...for some reason. Outdoor shots around town, love it

Great review , I have the bathys and I’m very happy with them , I like the dac mode wired to my iPhone , Would I say the dac mode beats the Bluetooth mode , blows it out the water , night and day !!!! Well slightly better but Bluetooth is getting closer and closer which can only be good news

Thanks Mr. Darko. I’m not currently a big headphone person - but I’m really enjoying this series and curious to try.

Great review, and agree with all as a Bathys and sony owner. Dac mode for me has had fair amount of use in office as I travel to work, and do notice a good improvement in sq once switched. It's a good "ace" for us niche peeps. Soft setting in NC is niche as well but helpful in office.

The DAC via USB isn’t missing the point. It IS the point. Wired lossless active noise cancelling? The Sony and Apple can’t do that.

I know you’re not a wireless headphones channel, but the PX8 is the natural final piece to this puzzle.

What a roundup. Thanks for all your good work. With Focal and Apple you've already covered my potential candidates. Now I have to go out and try them for myself. 😀

The Other Space rocks, thanks for sharing him with us

Curious to hear what you think about the PX8, no pun intended. 🙂

Thanks for the great review, I’m thinking about the focal / Mark Levinson of which one should I go for, I’m more towards the sounds of focal as I’m used to their utopia car audio speakers, and yes I do agreed focal clarity is good too, crystal clear for me.

Nice review! Would be awesome to see B&On H95 vs Bowers & Wilkins PX8 vs FOCAL Bathys

Your thoughts on these Focal are very similar to mine. I’ve heard the Mark Levinson but I ended up purchasing the Focal. I really enjoy them. Thanks for the review!!

Look forward for your comparison against Bower & Wilkins PX8

Great review. I bought a pair from Amazon. I really appreciate your comparisons.

Great! Thanks a lot!

The Beloved is an excellent Band. Thank you for mentioning them.

Excellent review. Will you be reviewing the ML 5909?

This was a great review.

Hey john, great review as always! Are you gonna try out the new kef Mu7?

Loving these wireless headphone series. Please do the B&W PI7 as well!

Excellent review as always! If we forget the advantage of wireless, do you think that the Celestee with a Questyle M15 dac has better sound than the Bathys connected in dac mode?

Cool video , I tried to listen to these at the weekend in Selfridges in London unfortunately they wouldn’t connect to my Sony WM1Z via Bluetooth, however I had no problem with the new Bowers & Wilkins P8. Try and go and have a listen to one you will be very surprised with the sound quality, it’s a great fun sounding headphone. I will have to go to a audio shop and have a long listening session to compare the Bathys against the PX8.

Thanks for this detailed review. Could you please comment on a comparison on the BOSE QC model?

Great review! (as usual) Sorry for the side question, but since you have close access to a Naim dealer, how about a review of the Supernait3?

Great info and thank you for it, can you tell me what platform are you listening to music, spotify, deezer ? whats the best for the bluetooth headphones?

Bowers and Wilkins PX8 Vs Focal Bathys 🔥🔥

Darko Audio Thanks Much!

Phenomenon review!! I’m not afraid to admit I watched it 3 times 😂 and every time there was a new information nugget for me. Rich content! I’m in the market for new headphones and after your review I’m thinking about the Bathys Focal. Hoping the price drops lol

I have 'Bathysphere' on my Smog mixtape, nice shoutout. What an artist Callahan is.

So several years I thought there's nothing better in bluetooth ANC segment than sony and bose. So glad I was wrong, looking forward for more reviews! Thank you for this great video!

“Audio Clothing”. Love that term.

Another great video John 👍👍. A couple of things spring to mind. Are we going to get to the stage where Bluetooth audio improves beyond LDAC to become lossless? If so, will any/all of these headphones be able to cope with a new codec if/when released, by way of a software upgrade? Secondly, I'd also be a bit self-conscious in the Focals in certain situations. I have a pair of high-end IEMs and they're so much more convenient for travelling than headphones, unless you're carrying a bag. I'd like a box the same size as the Bluetooth adapter I plug mine into (Fiio BTR3K👍), but equipped with the smarts to perform noise cancelling. I wish someone would come out with this.

Thank you for the video. I recently bought the B&W PX7 S2 (the Focal Bathys was among my options for ANC headphones) and I am leaving some of my impressions below in case somebody finds it useful. John is right about the PX7 S2 being a little inconsistent or glitchy with the Bluetooth connection, particularly when hopping from one device to another (usually resolved by turning off and back on the headphones). Sound is pretty much on point as described in the WH1000XM5 vs PX7 S2 video; I just reduce the bass by 2.5 dB in the app, the trebble might be a little too splashy for some (decreasing the trebble a couple of dBs might help, or if available some extra 1 or 2 dB in the 6-7 kHz region for those not bothered by energetic trebble), and some might find the sound a little shouty in the 4 kHz region. The dynamic range is very good, punchy and physical when demanded (much better than the Bose NC700 I used in the past which are quite dull sounding). Soundstage and imaging are good for wireless ANC headphones, but imaging in particular is still not comparable with some wired counterparts. Fit and comfort are good for me with small ears and wearing glasses, your mileage may vary. Isolation is good, ANC performance is adequate (still some way to go to catch up with Bose NC700). This might be unfair because it was an in-store environment, but I have sampled the Airpods Max a couple of times and sound-wise, they lack energy in the 3-6 kHz region (acoustic guitars for example sound off, just dark and bright at the same time) and are not very detailed. The ANC and transparency modes in the Airpods Max are phenomenal, but I do prefer the PX7 S2 because of their more balanced sound. I was considering the Focal Bathys to be my stand-alone closed-back headphones (replacing my Focal Elegia and adding wireless ANC capabilities), but the aesthetics did not win me over. John again is on point here with headphones being fashion statements. So I end up with two headphones that I like aesthetically more, than one that can replace them both.

I feel the same way about the bulkiness of the Audeze LCD-XC. Could never imagine leaving the house for a walk with those. Great review.

out the box, with some slight EQ adjustments, the MB01 are the best

I'd be interested in your opinion on the B&W PX8 when you get to demo a pair.

As always, an excellent video, John. I have already made my decision regarding noise cancelling headphones: Sennheiser Momentum 4. I am fully aware that you can not cover every single relevant headphone that is being released, and I recognise that for this specific video, the price tags for the headphones in question is well above the Momentum 4, but since Sennheiser is such a well known brand, and the headphones have generally been well received, I am surprised that they have not been mentioned...not even in the comment section (only twice so far). Have they accidentally slipped under the radar?

100% understand your point on looks. Just got a pair of air pods pro 2 as I didn't feel comfortable with a large overhead headphone in public

I think the DAC mode is aimed at folks who might use the Bathys as a replacement for the wired headphones/dongle DAC/Schiit stack combo that some people use at the office or in a secondary listening area.

Woody richness 7:02 that cracked me up! 🤣 Thanks for another great review.

OK, first thing, your channel is brilliant,accurate and joyful to hear your detailed description, on headphones.... different ears different opinion's but nevertheless I'm on agreement but I didn't rate my old px7s sound as I do the lovely rounded px7 s2s signature, interestingly the next step up in comparison is the Bathys or px8s , double the price! so this could actually point out how good the 350 price range is, I also have the Dali io-6s which might be a cat among the pigeons in terms of there neutral ability and sheer scale of detail but maybe slightly clinical for some but a much different sound to the Bowers's warmth and Richness the Dali's sound more fun with certain music and slightly addictive dare I say! Definitely worth a review!

Thanks for recording such a thorough review. If I was an android user I'd be strongly tempted by the Bathys. System integration is probably going to keep me with my Airpods Max (which I love) but strong competition is only a good thing.

I'm a focal fan over b&w home speakers. So l am not surprised by your assessment

Great video as always - If you are looking for high end Bluetooth i would love to hear your thoughts on B&O H95 headphones

First time watcher, great video! Love the "touch and feel" part of the review that most reviewers completely miss. One note! I couldn't find any references to the music, such as the banger @5:30. In case i just it wasnt just I who missed it, and there are no references, i would recommend listing songs used in the description!

Hi… loving your reviews. Thank you. Re headphones I can’t find much mention of Kef Mu7 . I’ve got the Sony mx5, the sennheiser momentum 4 and the kefs all in the room now….. in my opinion, ( not heard the bathys yet..) the kefs do lack features but the sound quality seems to stand out in terms of clarity from the kefs. Would love to hear your, or anyone else’s feelings re the Mu7. It’s had very little marketing exposure and I guess that’s purely down to feature set, or lack of. I like these, best regards all.

Hi, are you going to review the KEF MU7 anytime soon Darko? I have pre-ordered and I have high hopes for this headset, not to mention it comes with 3.5mm cable which makes it still useable when the battery dies lol

Great review, thx. I got my Bathys last week and love it. And I agree with your perception of it. I should say that personally if I am going to wear a headphone outside, the style of the Bathys is a plus.

Cannot wait for the review of Airpods Max 2

Love your subjective takes on audio man.I honestly can’t wait until Focal releases a Bluetooth version of the Stellea

Yes, yes they are. Love mine.

could you rewiew the Bang & Olufsen H95 and see if the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 is better?😀

Would love to hear the comparison of the 5909, the PX8, and the new T+A Solitaire T coming out in a week or so (~$1800), and you're right there in Germany!

I am a big fan of Sony XH-1000XM5 especially for ANC. I really look forward to try the Focal Bathys.

Very good review and more insightful than most reviews of the Focal Bathys. However, I was surprised you said you recently had the B&W headphones, but it was not the newer PX8. I would be you interested in hearing your comparison with the PX8 vs the Bathys which is $100 less in the Focal.

I think it’s a great video, John. Whenever it comes to wireless/bluetooth headphones, you will need to choose everyday comfort versus sound quality, which in my opinion so much you can improve with physical limitations on the closed back design.

Just purchased a pair today on the strength of your review. I have a NAIM Uniti Headphone Edition and don't have any high-end headphones yet. These fit the "Wait until I can afford those" category. Managed to get them during a 50% off Sale here in Australia so only paid $649:00AUD (Not the full $1349:00AUD RRP). Looking forward to trying them out after your great review.

Please do a review/comparison with the B&W PX8!!

Hello all, thanks for another great video John. Much appreciated. Does the community have a view of the Focal Bathys Vs Focal Clestee+Mojo2 . Most listening will be done at home. Open backs are not an option. Thanks.

Fantatic deep dive analysis and comparison, any chance we can see a match up with the KEF MU7? Tossing between the Bathys and MU7..

fantastic review we are all waiting for that of the new Bowser & wilkins px8 fantastic review we are all waiting for that of the new Bowser & wilkins px8 😎👍

Darko doesn’t miss!

Nice video , love the look of those Missions behind you.

Thank you for the video 😊 Really enjoyed it and since you have a good Go on Bluetooth Headphones I would love to see a review on the new T + A Solitaire Bluetooth , I am sure there's a T + A Dealer in Berlin aswell or they might send you on Request 🎧🎶 Bye, Chris 🖖🏾

Hi John, I recently bought the Momentum 4 but I wasn‘t really pleased with their fit, for me the cups are much too warm, I therefore went ahead and listened to the PX8 and Bathys. The PX8 didn‘t convince me soundwise (in comparison to the Momentum 4) but felt a lot cooler to my ears. Also the Bathys feel cooler + soundwise they are my cup of tea. Regarding ANC my experience was different from yours, though. Between the 3 of them the Momentum 4 have the best ANC, followed by the B&W PX8, the Bathys rank last for me. I even thought that the passive isolation is worse than that of the PX8.