Focal Bathys Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Black/Silver

The Focal Bathys is Focal's first wireless headphone with active noise cancelling, representing the French manufacturer's entry into the premium Bluetooth headphone segment. Focal is well established in audiophile circles for its wired headphones (including the Clear MG, Celestee, Stellia and Utopia), and the Bathys carries forward the same design ethos: a focus on driver engineering, premium materials, and an unapologetically audiophile approach to sound.

Driver and Sound

At the heart of the Bathys is a 40mm Aluminium-Magnesium M-shaped dome driver, a patented Focal design made in France. According to Focal, the aluminium increases the rigidity of the dome and reduces distortion, while the magnesium adds damping. The result is a sound character that reviewers describe as spacious, clear and full-bodied, with a balanced tuning that retains strong vocal presence. What Hi-Fi? awarded the Bathys five stars, praising its "compellingly big, spacious, clear sound" and "pleasingly full-bodied balance".

Wireless and Wired Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity supports aptX Adaptive (a low-latency codec that also suits gaming), aptX, AAC and SBC. Multipoint pairing allows the headphones to switch automatically between two connected devices, and up to eight devices can be stored in the pairing list. A 3.5mm analogue input and a USB-C port are both provided for wired use. The USB-C connection goes beyond charging: the Bathys includes an integrated USB-DAC mode capable of 24-bit/192kHz playback, offering a genuine hi-res wired listening mode without any additional hardware. A 1.2m 3.5mm jack cable and a 1.2m USB-C cable are supplied in the box.

Active Noise Cancellation

The ANC system offers two noise-cancelling modes, selectable via the Focal and Naim companion app: Soft, for light attenuation in quieter environments such as an office where some awareness is useful, and Silent, for optimal attenuation in noisy environments such as an aircraft cabin. A Transparent mode passes through ambient sound so you can hold a conversation without removing the headphones. Eight microphones are fitted in total, with two dedicated to calls using Focal's Clear Voice Capture technology. Voice assistant integration covers both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, with Google Fast Pair supported for quick pairing on Android devices.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is rated at 30 hours in Bluetooth mode with ANC active, 35 hours via the 3.5mm wired input, and 42 hours when using the USB-DAC connection. Fast charging provides five hours of listening from a 15-minute charge, and a full charge takes around 1.5 hours from a 2A USB charger (not supplied). The headphones require power to function in either wired mode, which is worth noting before travelling without a charging cable.

Build and Design

The Bathys shares the family aesthetic of Focal's wired headphone range: large ear cups with a perforated housing around the driver, a backlit Focal logo at the centre of each cup, easily replaceable ear pads, and a headband finished in real leather and microfibre. The yokes are magnesium for lightness and the mechanical construction is aluminium for durability on the move. This Black/Silver finish is the original Bathys colourway, pairing black leather with silver metalwork; Focal has since moved the Bathys to Deep Black and Dune finishes. The ear cups fold flat for travel and a rigid carry case is included. Total weight is 350g.