Focal Bathys MG Review: For the Connoisseurs

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The Focal Bathys MG deliver a beautifully refined, detailed sound that rewards careful listeners - but the upgrade over the original Bathys is subtle, and the $1,499 price tag demands serious commitment from all but the most dedicated audiophiles.

The Good

1. Exceptional audio detail and wide soundstage
2. Premium build with genuine leather, magnesium, and aluminium
3. Physical buttons done right

The Not So Good

1. Very expensive at $1,499
2. ANC lags well behind Sony and Bose rivals
3. Marginal improvement over the original Bathys

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I first reviewed the Focal Bathys back in 2022. I proceeded to compare them against the Bowers & Wilkins Px8, AirPods Max, and, bizarrely, the Sony XM4.

I say “bizarrely” because Sony’s greatest-ever headphones (and, in my opinion, the greatest ANC headphones ever made) were somewhat south of Focal’s premium offering. But it was an interesting comparison, because, as I asked back then, why would you spend well over twice as much on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones?

The answer was simple. If you were an audiophile (or had aspirations of becoming one) and wanted a great pair of wireless ANC headphones for your travels, the Bathys delivered. In spades.

Last year, Focal introduced the Bathys MG, a near-identical-looking pair of cans to the originals. The difference? A higher price tag – and better audio.

I’m very late to the party with this review, but I get enough requests on my YouTube channel to deliver an opinion on the Bathys MG that I feel obliged to do so.

Bathys MG vs Bathys

Let’s start with that price, because it is totally unavoidable. The original Bathys can still be purchased for around $849/£699. The Bathys MG are a trouser-filling $1,499/£999. It’s not quite Bang & Olufsen money, but it’s not far off.

What’s changed? Well, the main focus is the driver technology used in the Bathys MG. It’s made from pure magnesium as opposed to the aluminium/magnesium combination in the old pair. It’s also capable of delivering a 10Hz–22kHz frequency response (versus 15Hz–22kHz on the Bathys).

Bluetooth has been increased from 5.1… to 5.2. And Focal tells us that while the number of mics remains at eight, their quality for ANC and voice calls is “advanced”.

There are some new colour choices, too, but everything else is identical – the weight, 30-hour battery life, codec support, DAC, and most of the materials used. The case has had a mild tweak, mind.

Design and comfort

When paying as much for a pair of headphones as you do the Bathys MG, you want them to be well made, at the very least.

They are, thankfully.

You get a genuine leather headband, magnesium yokes, and an aluminium frame. Just like the original Bathys, the MG feel substantial, purposeful, and expensive.

Those looks? I know they’re problematic for some, but I don’t sit within that camp, and I really like what Focal has done with the Bathys range. They look and feel premium, and unlike any other pair of headphones on the market. Equally, if you know, you know.

The only thing I would say is that the chunkiness means they do stick out from your head a fair bit if you’re follicly-challenged. Despite this, they are among the most comfortable ‘big’ headphones I’ve tested. They’re weighty, but reassuringly so, and that cushioning feels incredibly premium. Are they lighter than the original? No, but they feel a touch lighter thanks to the switch in cushioning.

Focal understands that real headphone fans want proper buttons, not fiddly touch controls, which is why the Bathys MG are adorned with the former. They’re clicky, switchy, and in just the right places. Bravo.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what the DAC option is on the power switch, it’s to enable the pure digital signal required for 24-bit/192kHz lossless audio over USB-C. It feels more theatrical than anything else – I’m not sure why the headphones can’t just switch to DAC mode automatically when you plug them in.

The case is too big to be called “convenient”, but it is at least well made and very protective. And, yes, it looks slightly different to the Bathys case.

If you’re also weighing up other premium headphone options, check out our AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6 comparison for more.

Audio

Listening to the Bathys MG in isolation, they sound wonderful. It’s a refined sound; the low end doesn’t fill your chest, but it’s rounded, clean, and respectful of the rest of the mix.

Focal seems to place most emphasis on the midrange and top end. Both result in extremely detailed playback and a rich, wide soundstage. There’s just a tonne of fidelity going on that you don’t get in regular ANC headphones. For me, it’s a little too rich at times, but a tweak of the 5-band EQ (it would be nice to have more) in the app can sort that.

Obviously, feed the Bathys MG some lossless audio, and they open up even more. But I’m not convinced that’s how most owners would listen to them; the Bathys MG will be bought primarily by people who have wired setups at home, and who will gravitate towards those cans for such listening.[focal-bathys-mg-closeup.jpg]

The biggest question I had was: what’s so special about the MG in terms of audio performance over the original Bathys?

I’ll say this upfront: you need to have a good pair of ears to spot the key differences. A/B test them without that kind of analytical listening, and you won’t hear a night-and-day difference. Because there isn’t one.

The Bathys MG simply sound more alive – that’s the best way I can describe it as someone who isn’t an audiophile (and who has no aspirations to be one). Kick drums have more weight, and those mids and highs have been tempered a little. It’s a slightly more satisfying sound for yours truly.

But you do need a good pair of ears to hear the difference.

Noise cancelling and mics

If you weren’t aware, most ANC headphones use the drivers to perform the noise cancelling. That means they have to do so alongside the audio reproduction.

It also means that some compromises need to be made.

Bowers & Wilkins are up front about this. They want their headphones to sound as good as possible, which is why the ANC plays second fiddle. And it shows. But it’s fine, because… well, go and have a listen to any pair of Bowers headphones.

Focal appears to approach their cans in the same way. The Bathys MG have good-enough ANC. It’s nowhere near as good as the Sony XM6, AirPods Max, or <insert any pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones here>. But it’s enough. And that’s fine.

The same goes for the transparency mode. When you want to let the world in with the Bathys MG, they’ll do so, but it all sounds a bit muffled.

I’ve A/B tested both of these features against the original Bathys, and I can’t detect any noticeable differences, I’m afraid. But, again, it doesn’t really matter. They’re good enough.

As for call quality, you’ll need to watch my YouTube version of this review to hear my famous (infamous?) mic test.

Curious how the Sony XM6 stacks up on ANC? Read our Sony WH-1000X ColleXion review for a deep dive.

Conclusion

The Bathys MG are a grown-up pair of headphones with looks that will slice opinion straight down the middle.

You need good ears and a leaning towards audiophilia (?!) to truly appreciate what you’re getting, sound-wise, for that monstrous price. But if you sit in that camp, you’ll be very pleased indeed.

Thinking of upgrading from the original Bathys? I’m not sure it’s worth it. Unless you have really good ears.

Shop the Focal Bathys MG below!