Focal Bathys MG: Wireless Audio Without Compromise
Mass-market models dominate the world of wireless headphones, and only a handful of companies dare to go against the current and experiment. Focal, the French company famous for its audio perfectionism, recently unveiled the Focal Bathys MG — premium wireless headphones that promise a sound experience previously only found in wired models.
Design and Comfort
It only takes one look at Bathys MG to see it’s a premium product, its aesthetic inspired by the brand’s flagship models like the Clear MG. As if to drive this point home right at first glance, Bathys’s chestnut metallic finish is elegantly understated, reminiscent of antique bronze more than wood.
The headphone’s magnesium and aluminum housing ensures its longevity while remaining lightweight; the headband and earpads are made of genuine leather and memory foam to provide maximum comfort even during longer listening sessions. Bathys MG weighs slightly more than most wireless models, but it’s 350 g of serious high-tier hardware.
What else do we have? A glowing Focal logo on the earcups that can be tuned down or turned off completely via the dedicated Focal & Naim app. The Y-shaped yokes that look criminally stylish and guarantee a secure fit. The right earcup that houses all the controls save for the noise-cancellation switch, which migrated to the opposite side of the headphone.
The only Bathys MG feature that might seem odd is the 1.2-meter cable that just isn’t fit for home use. But that’s easily solved by using a different cable — and beyond that, this headphone lacks in terms of lacking.
Sound Quality
In Bathys MG, sound reproduction is handled by 40mm drivers of pure magnesium with an M-shaped dome — the legacy of the wired Clear MG model. Unlike the original Bathys, which used an aluminum-magnesium alloy, pure magnesium is lighter and has better damping properties, resulting in a clearer and more dynamic sound.
The new model’s sound signature is neutral-warm, with an emphasis on detail and spaciousness. The bass is just powerful enough not to overshadow the midrange, and the high frequencies are pleasantly smooth. And any of that can be tweaked thanks to the Focal & Naim app’s five-band equalizer that allows for reasonably precise adjustments.
Bathys MG supports SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive codecs. And if you want to experience truly lossless sound, use the USB-DAC mode to go up to 24-bit/192kHz. That’s when you’ll hear all the subtle rustles of a studio recording and all the peculiarities of the audio mix.
Noise Cancellation
To ensure the headphones excel at eliminating ambient noise, Focal engineers equipped Bathys MG with four pairs of microphones. Users can choose between three noise cancellation modes:
- Silent: For maximum isolation.
- Soft: For home or office environments.
- Transparent: For having conversations without taking off the headphones.
In Silent mode, even the drone of an airplane is significantly muffled, but nearby voices can still faintly seep through. This mode’s performance is similar to Sony WH-1000XM6’s and is more than enough for comfortable listening in noisy environments. The Transparent mode, on the contrary, allows you to hear airport announcements or keep up a conversation with a colleague without bothering to take off the headphones.
Thankfully, Focal decided against overloading this model with features, and the Focal & Naim app is simple and intuitive. It allows you to control ANC, EQ, logo backlighting, and battery all on one screen. The headphones also support multipoint connection and voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, all just one button press away.
Battery Life
Bathys MG’s battery life is impressive: up to 30 hours with ANC on in Bluetooth mode, 35 hours via the 3.5mm jack, and 42 hours in USB-DAC mode. A quick 15-minute charge provides 5 hours of playtime, and a full charge takes about an hour and a half.
Important: The headphones require battery power even in wired mode, because the built-in amplifier is always active.
Final Thoughts
Thanks to its long playback time, high-quality noise cancellation, and clean and detailed sound, Focal Bathys MG offers complete immersion into the world of music. The fact that this model is genuinely comfortable to wear even during long flights or work sessions only adds to that, making Bathys MG a prime choice for those who seek wired quality in wireless models.
The appearance of Focal’s new model is something to write home about, too. It’s strikingly different from popular wireless headphones from Apple or Sony — it’s new, unique, and classy. Just the way we like it.
Brand: Focal
Headphone type: wireless
The lowest frequency, Hz: 15
Focal Bathys MG does raise the bar for all wireless headphones. If you’ve been searching for a wireless model with no compromises on sound quality and comfort, congratulations: this is the one.
