this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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My Focal Bathys vs AirPods Max uneducated review (alien.top)
submitted 1 year ago by damnmyeye@alien.top to c/headphones@hi-fi.community
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Background: I’ve had the Bathys for a week and the AirPods Max for a year. I edit reality tv as my job. I listen to music from Apple Music Lossless

AirPods Max are the better ANC(make flying so much better)and watching movies on my laptop or iPad(I’ve got a dope bath tub and love watching movies while enjoying a bubble bath, come at me). The surround sound is dope and I can barely hear the tub filling up.

Bathys just sound beautiful! You hear new details in music you’ve never heard before(I heard a crackle in Stairway to Heaven that I thought was a mistake from the headphones. Nope it’s from the original recording just masked by worse headphones). These headphones make me want to listen to music all day long. And then you use DAC mode and it gets even better!! The anc seems to be ok but I haven’t tested it out and about .

The AirPods Max are great headphones. But my ears are open and I can’t go back to what I realize now was kind of fatiguing sounds from the max.

Size wise is another story the Bathys are comical in size. Like you look in the mirror and you just look kind of dumb. I noticed none of the Bathys images from focal show what these look like straight on. You look like a cyberman from doctor who.

I’m glad I have both headphones as they now serve different jobs. Max, movies and plane rides. Bathys, music music music.

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[–] tubularfool@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

So I got my Bathys today.

First impressions - a bit underwhelmed TBH and very glad I only spent about 60% of full retail.

Vs APM, the timber and sound of instruments and layers is definitely better but not dramatically so.

After an hour or so of quick, limited unscientific A/B testing from Tidal:

  1. APM wider soundstage and Bathys better imaging/placement
  2. APM deeper bass, better subbase but Bathys tighter bass
  3. APM much more comfortable and adjustable, I don't have an exceptionally big head but I am nearly maxing the band on the Focals out - I have so much room for adjustment in the APM
  4. APM cooler on the ears! Focals get warm quick due to clamp and pad material
  5. Volume steps on the Bathys are *dreadful* - no fine control from the device volume buttons at all. Hopefuly they fix this in a FW update.
  6. Bathys feel cheaper in terms of build, buttons and materials IMO
  7. Battery life undoubtable better for the Bathys assuming they live up to spec.

It will take a while to give them a fair shake and I know it can take a while to appreciate a new set of cans, but honestly leaning to selling them on as they are nowhere near better sounding enough Vs the APM to overlook the areas they are worse in.

[–] tubularfool@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am a big fan of my APM - they are an easy listen, comfortable, ANC is great and for an Apple Ecosystem user (phone, laptop etc) they are a joy to use.

I just ordered some Bathys last week in the sale here in NZ for around US$480 and should get my hands on them this week.

I had a brief listen in the store and they sounded great, but looking forward to giving them a proper assessment shortly. Indeed I see my use cases for the APM and the Focals very similar to yours.

I don't think I would have bought them full price, but with that discount, they became pretty attractive!

[–] Distinct-Pea-9553@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Nice! Where did you find them for that price? I paid $629 plus tax

[–] 7stringjazz@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It’s a common experience. They are simply better headphones. The ANC is tuned for music vs outright noise reduction so they are not as effective as the APMs in cutting noise. It’s quite the shock when going from APMs to the Bathys. I think they are the way forward in BT headphones. Enjoy.

[–] Appropriate-Eyes@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m glad you enjoy em but I’m just sick of battery powered nonsense. In my experience, they crap out every 4 months like clockwork.

[–] jettsd@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't know what your buying but I've never had anything battery related due that fast. I got the bathys recently so I can't speak for those yet but I've been using galaxy buds 2 pro at work for close to a year and they haven't gotten any worse at all.

[–] Appropriate-Eyes@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It’s mostly been Sony stuff. Their XM3/4 buds died on me every 4-5 months. I got the XM4 replaced under warranty twice then the third pair died on me 6 months in out of warranty and I just gave up. Currently on the AirPods Pro 2 for TWS stuff.

[–] jettsd@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I just got the bathys myself! For wireless headphones they are amazing. I still find myself dailying my verums ones at home though at least while in my computer. Anywhere else though! Bathys all the way