Focal’s Bathys wireless headphones are truly stunning and if you buy an iPhone 15 you get an instant audio upgrade. That’s because the iPhone 15’s new USB-C connection means you can use your Bathys in wired mode, giving you direct access to the built-in 24-bit DAC. That’s ideal for listening to hi-res audio from the likes of Qobuz, and until now it was a feature you could only get on Android.
We rate the Bathys as the best headphones in terms of sound and give them four and a half stars out of five in our review. And we specifically highlighted the USB-C DAC mode, which we gave the full five stars. In a head-to-head comparison with the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, we said that “what you think is best will largely come down to whether you prefer an integrated, detailed, comprehensive, refined listening experience (Bathys), or something that agility and an extra ounce of something extra.” dynamic build and presence over a fraction of the expanse (PX8) (but) it is a very closely run race”.
The USB-C DAC isn’t the only reason to consider a set of Bathys for your iPhone 15. But it is quite a big one. There are also some brand new features that have been added recently to make them even more attractive to audiophiles.
Bathys headphones now tailor to your hearing
This week, Focal also delivered two updates for the Bathys: a new color option it calls Dune and a major software update for all models. The updated Focal and Naim app, now in both the Apple and Android app stores, adds new EQ options and a brand new custom tuning feature.
The function is based on the Mimi hearing test. Mimi has the world’s largest database of digital listening profiles and uses these profiles to develop a custom listening profile based specifically on your hearing. That profile then uses advanced digital signal processing to boost frequencies you might otherwise miss, improving speech clarity and improving your overall audio experience. Unlike other hearing apps, Mimi not only analyzes your response to musical tones, but also to background noise. This means that the audio profiles are exceptionally extensive.
The main difference between Mimi and traditional EQ is that normal EQs don’t know what your ears look like, or what frequencies you lose as you get older and/or spend too much time at the front of gigs. By analyzing your hearing, custom tuning can boost the frequencies you need without also boosting the frequencies you don’t.
The new Focal Bathys Dune and the existing Bathys are both available from retailers with an RRP of £699.