Focal’s Bathys wireless headphones are seriously stunning and if you’re getting an iPhone 15, they’ll give you 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 instant access to their built-in 24-bit DAC. That’s ideal for Hi-Res audio listening 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 for sound, awarding 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 to. In a direct comparison with the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, we said that “which you think is best will largely come down to whether you prefer an integrated, detailed, expansive, refined listen (Bathys), or something boasting agility and an extra ounce of dynamic build and oomph over a fractional modicum of expanse (PX8) [but] it’s 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’s a pretty big one. There are also some brand new features that have recently been added to make them even more attractive to audiophiles.
Bathys headphones now tune to your hearing
This week, Focal also delivered two updates to the Bathys: a new color option it calls Dune and a major software update for all models. The updated Focal and Naim app, which is in both Apple and Android app stores now, adds new EQ options and a brand new custom tuning feature.
The feature is based on the Mimi hearing test. Mimi has the world’s largest database of digital hearing profiles and it uses those profiles to develop a custom listening profile based specifically on your hearing. That profile then uses advanced digital signal processing to boost frequencies you may otherwise miss, improve the clarity of speech and enhance your overall audio experience. Unlike other hearing apps Mimi doesn’t just analyse your response to musical tones, but also to background noise. That means its audio profiles are exceptionally comprehensive.
The key difference between Mimi and traditional EQ is that normal EQs don’t know what your ears look like, or what frequencies you might be losing as you get older and/or spend too much time down the front at gigs. By analysing your hearing, custom tuning can boost the frequencies you need enhanced without also boosting the ones you don’t.
The new Focal Bathys Dune and the existing Bathys are both available from retailers with a suggested price of £699.