Bathys (pronounced, batis) comes from the word “bathyscaphe”, the first submarine exploration vehicle. The embodiment of calm, depth and absolute silence, this vessel is the inspiration behind the name of Focal's very first headphones with active noise reduction.

A Potted History, just a quick one.

The FNRS-2 was the first bathyscaphe, a free-diving, self-propelled deep-sea submersible and was conceived by Auguste Piccard in 1937 and was finally finished in 1948, after a brief interruption by World War II. Auguste Piccard, inventor of the bathyscaphe, composed the name using the Ancient Greek words βαθύς (bathús), meaning "deep", and σκάφος (skáphos), meaning "vessel, ship").

Introducing the new Focal Bathys headphones…

Making all the right connections.

Right then, joining the dots, this can be done in one of 2 ways, the most common will be the wireless bluetooth connection. This is the latest 5.1 version of this (nothing to do with home cinema btw). It's a marked improvement over previous versions and offers better sound quality.

The other way and some would say , "the hi-fi way" is the wired USB DAC method, which uses the built in DAC with a resolution of up to 24 bit 192khz.

Built like a ship, a submersible one.

The Bathys use a aluminium/magnesium in the drive units which are assembled in France, the headband cushion is made from leather for comfort and the yoke that holds the headphones is made from aluminium/magnesium. This all results in a headphone that feels and sounds like a premium, high end headphone, and yet is priced at a fair £699*.

Sealed in and shut tight.

Noise!!! Yes, that stuff that gets in the way of your quiet listening moments or even an important phone call while out and about, whether it's land or air, Focal's proprietary active noise cancellation does a grand job of cocooning you from the outside world.

We love the sound it makes when switching between on and off, a very positive kahthlunk is the only way to describe it, and it offers three noise cancellation modes, ‘Silent’, ‘Soft’ or ‘Transparency’ & an adjustable EQ, all accessed from the Naim Focal app.

“This is the way”, well Chromey we thought it was “the Hifi way”, but if you insist.

The depth of quality! (I know I can't help it)

Brilliant. Simples.

With or without the noise cancellation applied in bluetooth mode the Bathys sound full and rounded, bass notes don't boom for no reason at all, like a lot of "outdoor, on the go headphones tend to do"; plus a sweet treble that doesn't scream at you.

Use the "the hi-fi way" which is the use of the internal DAC with a USB cable, you are upping the ante with the quality of your music. Quieter backgrounds, with space between the instruments, an instant upgrade from the wireless option, giving you a truly hi-fi experience akin to high end headphones we know and love at Audio T, like the Focal Utopias or the ever popular Sennheiser HD800.

What’s in the box?

Although being the first Focal headphone to boast bluetooth, included in the box is a 1.2m 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack cable, so headphone enthusiasts can still wire up to their amplifier of choice and enjoy the Bathys with no wireless compression. Also included is USB-C Cable for use of the onboard DAC (also 1.2m), and a luxurious carry case for keeping your headphones safe when not in use.

On a final note, our version of the bathyscaphes potted history isn’t a long one but boy, is it steeped in history, adventure and romance, so why wouldn’t Focal use it as an inspiration and design for the Bathys headphones.

Want to experience a pair of Focal Bathys headphones? Head over to our store on Bridge Street in Manchester and we will be glad to submerge you in sound (I really can't help myself).

Disclaimer: In spite of their namesake, The Bathys headphones are not to be used under water! 😉

Thanks for reading,

Munir, James, Mike & David - Audio T Manchester

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