Bathys, the benchmark Bluetooth mobile headset according to Focal

Apple does not have the privilege of premium Bluetooth mobile headphones, especially when hi-fi brands get involved. Neither HiFiman nor Bowers & Wilkins have been deprived of offering their model, as evidenced by the arrival of the PX8 a few days ago. Another manufacturer will now join this very select club, and it is none other than Focal with its brand new Bathys.

Some, like us, were yearning for Focal’s return to the world of portable Bluetooth headphones after a Listen Wireless model that was so attractive in terms of sound performance/price ratio. The emotional memory that he leaves us will unfortunately last for a while, because the Bathys is not addressed to the peasant. Focal having acquired a premium and even luxury image in recent years, its new headphones are a continuation of its latest hi-fi headphones, the entry ticket for which is €700 (corresponding to the launch price of the Elegia). Although it is a portable headset, the Bathys is thus launched at 800 €, which makes it one of the most expensive Bluetooth models with active noise reduction on the market, much more than the AirPods Max , alongside B&W’s PX8.

Behind this curious name of Bathys hides a helmet that promises nothing less than to be the new master stallion of the genre, a very great ambition that affects all aspects. This begins, unsurprisingly, with the work on the design and the finishes, which are intended to be of high quality: metal base on a major part of the helmet with an aluminum arch and magnesium hinges, microfiber coating on the part in contact with the helmet. user at the level of the arch, leather for the rest. This combination promises great comfort, which we have already been able to largely verify by our first contact with the product. We remain for the moment with some reservations about the weight (350 g) and especially the slightly tight deployment of the arch for the tallest people.

After more than three years of development, the Bathys signs a number of firsts for Focal in terms of functionality and connectivity. Firstly, it offers three means of connection: multipoint Bluetooth with support for SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive wireless codecs, a 3.5 mm mini-jack input; and finally another wired connection via its USB-C port (with 192 kHz/24-bit transmission).

A nice little bonus, the Bathys announces native support for Alexa and Google Assistant assistants, as well as the simplified pairing function Google Fast Pair. The now essential active noise reduction function is indeed present on this new model, specifically developed by Focal for the Bathys, and promises, according to the manufacturer, an attenuation of up to 30 dB in certain frequency areas, particularly in bass. This function, as well as the environment listening mode and hands-free kit, are based on no less than eight integrated microphones.

Management and advanced settings are left to the care of the brand new Focal mobile app, developed specifically for the enthronement of the Bathys. It includes, among other things, what to sculpt the frequency response or adjust the level of noise reduction. Of course, let’s not forget the sound, Focal’s main hobbyhorse, which moreover promises us “a detailed and dynamic sound, with a deep bass, soft highs and extreme precision”. The heavy load of this mission rests in particular on the two 40 mm aluminum/magnesium “M” dome loudspeakers designed by Focal, which can be found, but in an alternative version where the salad bowl and the size of the magnet have been slightly modified to lighten the helmet.

No warm-ups for Focal since the Bathys is now on the market at a price, we remind you, of 800 €. The challenge promises to be truly daunting for the French manufacturer, who will not only have to catch up on the Bluetooth headset market, but also do flawlessly on all points to justify the investment requested… and quite simply to achieve to exist in a market with competitors that are already very well established. That the curious are reassured, you will just have to wait a few days to have the end of the story at the end of its complete test on Digital.