ANC: Yes
Bluetooth: 5.1, aptX Adaptive
Battery life: 30 hours
App: Yes
Weight: 350g
The Focal Bathys boast supreme comfort and a wider soundstage than their rivals, making them idea for long-form listening. The app is also excellent, as are ANC and build quality. First class in every sense of the word.
For
- Spacious, clear sound
- Full-bodied balance
- Beautiful design
- USB-C listening
Against
- Plasticky buttons
- Pricier than B&W
ANC: Yes
Bluetooth: 5.2, aptX Adaptive
Battery life: 30 hours
App: Yes
Weight: 320g
B&W's Px8 are the more lifestyle-looking pair – their leather elements are luxurious, and the build quality second to none. They match the Bathys for ANC, noise-cancelling and features, but sound quality isn't quite on the same level.
For
- Outstanding clarity
- Fast and punchy presentation
- Lovely build
- Impressive comfort
Against
- Limp sound at lower volumes
- Erratic Wear on/off function
With headphones, going wireless used to mean inferior sound quality. But as shown by the Apple AirPods Max, Mark Levinson No.5909 and Bowers & Wilkins Px8, wireless cans can deliver superb sonics.
Now there's another pair of headphones to add to that list: the Focal Bathys. The French firm's latest pair (pronounced "Bath-ees") are even more expensive than the Bowers & Wilkins Px8, but are they better? Here we'll compare the two, category by category, and see which pair are more deserving of your hard-earned.
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: at a glance
- Both have high prices, but Focal Bathys are a little pricier
- Bathys are more comfortable with bigger earpads; Px8 look more luxurious
- Both have equally excellent noise-cancelling
- Bathys sound more open and spacious, and are better for long listening sessions
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: price
The B&W Px8 are part of a new breed of wireless over-ear headphones whose sights are firmly set on the high-end. Like the others already mentioned, they're made of premium materials, boast an array of advanced features and give pride of place to sound quality. As such, they cost a bomb. £599 / $699 / AU$1150, in this case.
But just as the Px8 price eclipses that of the AirPods Max, so the Focal Bathys pulls some similar oneupmanship on the Px8. The Bathys' price? £699 / $799 / AU$1199.
That makes both pairs a lot pricier than the more consumer-friendly Sony WH-1000XM5, Bose 700 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless. But as we'll see, each pair more than justifies its price.
**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8**
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: design
When it comes to design, the B&W Px8 leave no stone unturned. Like plenty of other B&W devices, they're luxurious without being showy, more of a Bentley than a stretch Hummer.
The key ingredient setting the Px8 apart from the cheaper B&W Px7 S2 is the Nappa leather found on the headband, earcups and earpads. This is soft to the touch, adding a real luxurious feel. Combined with the cast aluminium arm structure – with its precision engineering – it makes for a quality pair of headphones.
The Focal Bathys look a bit more serious, if a bit less dapper. But they're still pretty special for a pair wireless cans. They share their wired siblings’ sizeable ovular ear cups, and their 'Swiss cheese' hole details around a central circular Focal badge.
Their colour options are also a bit more conservative – black or silver, compared to the Px8's black or tan.
It's just a shame their buttons feel a bit plasticky and cheap. That's not what you expect from headphones of this calibre.
For pure build quality, the Px8 edge it. Though it's worth noting that the Bathys are a little more comfortable, thanks to their more generous earpads.
**Winner: Bowers & Wilkins Px8**
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: features
So, specs. On the inside, the B&W Px8 are much the same as the Px7 S2, except they use a different cone material for their drivers – this gives them less distortion and more transparency.
Other than that, it's business as usual, with Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive compatibility, four microphones for noise-cancelling plus another two for voice pick-up in phone calls and 30 hours of battery life. They charge via USB-C and tip the scales at 320g.
They also play nice with B&W's recently revamped mobile app, which can now channel music streaming services without you having to open their apps separately. Plus it lets you adjust the equaliser settings for your B&W headphones.
Not to be outdone, the Focal Bathys app lets you customise the EQ settings, adjust the noise cancelling and choose which voice assistant to use. It also shows your battery status and which Bluetooth codecs you're using, and you can use it to light up the Focal logo on your cans (and if so, how brightly). But there's no baked-in support for music streaming services.
Speaking of Bluetooth codecs, the Bathys also support aptX Adaptive, and if you prefer to listen wired, they come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and cable. But like the Px8, the headphones need power to work even in wired mode.
They're heavier than the Px8, at 350g. And battery? A Px8-matching 30 hours, though of course this depends on which Bluetooth codec you use and how loudly you set the volume.
**Winner: Draw**
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: noise-cancelling
On the noise-cancelling front, there's very little to separate the two pairs. Both are excellent.
The Px8 do a good job at nullifying background sound, though the odd sudden noise like a pneumatic drill does impede on your listening. But that will happen with almost all noise-cancelling headphones.
The Bathys' performance is equally accomplished, minimising a plane's engine sound to little more than a murmur. But it's worth noting that both pairs are bettered by cheaper rivals – the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, though these can't match the Px8 and Bathys for sound quality.
Speaking of which...
**Winner: Draw**
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: sound quality
It's not only in build quality that you can see where your money's going. These headphones sound superb, too.
The Px8 excel in terms of clarity and insight. Performance is a real step up from cheaper – though still far from 'cheap' – rivals from the likes of Sony, Bose and Sennheiser. They even make the Apple AirPods Max sound a little humdrum, which is no mean feat.
But they do struggle at lower volumes. Dial it down, and the energy and sparkle tend to tailor off. We've noticed a similar problem with B&W's speakers, so it's not exclusive to the Px8.
But their midrange is crisp and clear, with plenty of detail, and they hold their composure even when tracks get more complex and demanding.
The Bathys retain the same warm, full-bodied tonal balance that Focal's wired headphones have perfected so successfully. Their soundstage is spacious, and they boast plenty of dynamic subtlety and rhythmic ability. Their mids and lows in particular have a richness that makes for such a warm, welcoming sound.
The Px8 might be a little tighter in the low end, but they're less insightful, spacious and sprightly. It's close, but the Bathys' easygoing balance makes long listening sessions more enjoyable. Add in a more expressive midrange and greater fluidity in dynamics, and they just pip it.
**Winner: Focal Bathys**
Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: verdict
Well. Two excellent pairs of wireless headphones, two absolute treats for the eyes and ears. But which should you go for?
If your budget doesn't quite stretch to the Focal Bathys, you'll be more than satisfied with the B&W Px8. Their design is a class ahead, and they go toe-to-toe with the Bathys in terms of specs and noise-cancelling.
The Bathys are a little comfier though. And if you want a more spacious listen that lends itself to longer listening sessions – and you have the funds available – splash the cash, you won't regret it.
