Skip rent, buy these! - Focal Bathys
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Description
Visit brilliant.org to get started learning STEM for free, and the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription. Focal is a fancy French headphone company that usually makes extremely expensive "audiophile" audio equipment, but these new "affordable" headphones are meant for the "average" person. Does Adam think these will break into the mainstream, or are these still not a great investment for the average Joe?
Promos
Check out the Focal Bathys at Headphones.com: geni.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Want us to unbox something? Make a suggestion at lmg.gg ► SUBSCRIBE ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Instagram: @shortcircuityt TikTok: @linustech Facebook: @ShortCircuitYT CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 I don't think he's actually French 0:48 Box and unboxing 3:09 Design impressions 4:25 Pricing thoughts and expectations 5:55 Buttons and IO 8:13 Sponsor - Brilliant 8:48 Fit and feel 10:00 Listening experience and Labs testing 12:40 ANC Labs test results 14:11 App experience and EQ 16:41 Overall thoughts and competitors 17:59 Outro
The video opens with a lighthearted host intro, setting the tone for a detailed examination of the Focal Bathys, a premium yet relatively affordable wireless headphone option from a brand known for its high-end audiophile gear. The host outlines the Bathys positioning as a mainstream-friendly product that still aims for high fidelity, noting the inclusion of a USB DAC and a design language that favors French craftsmanship. Early in the unboxing, the package contents are shown, including a premium hard-shell case and a sturdy, minimal cable setup. The host then dives into the design cues, materials, and build quality, highlighting the leather headband, soft padding, and the distinctive ergonomic driver arrangement. He emphasizes the goal of balancing luxury aesthetics with practical usability, while teasing the performance discussions to come. The pricing context is introduced, with Bathys priced around $800, positioning them against other luxury and flagship models and setting expectations for audio quality, ANC effectiveness, and overall user experience vs convenience.
Topics · audio · technology
Questions answered
- Do the Focal Bathys include LDAC, and what codecs are supported by default?
- No LDAC support is listed; default codecs include SBC and AAC, with Apdex Adaptive mentioned as a backwards-compatible feature.
- What kind of inputs and physical controls do the Bathys offer?
- They provide a USB-C DAC input, a 3.5 mm jack, and multiple physical controls including volume, a multi-function button, and a dedicated ANC button on the left ear cup.