Just a note on the PX8. There's a new firmware version available that I still need to test, so what I've said here in this review may not reflect the state of that product anymore. We should think of these as 'live' products, and so any statements or judgments about them reflect merely how they perform at a given moment in time, not of their performance in perpetuity, and I think any future reviews we do of ANC products needs to include that disclaimer.
Though graphs are helpful, you still have to rely on what you actually really hear. Not one review I found of the PX8 stated it was bass heavy and many preferred it to the Focal Bathys. The PX8 having a fuller thicker up front sound. The Focals have a wider spatial sound and still sounding great. I originally was looking at the Bathys but after many reviews of both the PX8 and Bathys, I was more drawn to the PX8's. Now you give me a sense of caution with the PX8's. So many reviewers loved the PX7 S2 and when they reviewed the PX8, they clearly said it was an upgrade in built quality and the upgraded driver that is based on their 700 series speakers. I do believe your observations however and know everyone has different taste.
Interesting! I've been eyeing the Bathys but my tastes would like the thicker and filler sound. The B&W PI7 S2 earbuds sound excellent in clarity and detail but are way too trebly and not very thick and full in the bass, so I'm surprised to read that the PX8 are more lush.
Not sure this has been mentioned here already, but the ML 5909 is the only one of the 3 headphones that can be used fully passively, ie the headphone doesn't need to be on. This is quite important not only for an obvious reason (no battery draining), but run passively sound quality is audibly better and, among other things, lessens the hot treble heard on bluetooth mode. Wish you'd also mede a quick mention of the accessories and the build quality of these. Otherwise, a very nice review.
@@naskrajuciszy It defeats the purpose if you're ONLY looking for a bluetooth headphone. The passive / wired mode is there for a reason, for people who want, at times, have a very good quality wired headphone which offers better sound quality. It was specifically designed this way. The ML 5909 is an audiophile headphone, and there are still plenty of people who value a great deal a good wired headphone while, at the same time, having a very good bluetooth headset.
I love passive headphones that don't need to be on. I have a pair of 5909s myself and I don't put them on at all. I just leave them at home and off I go, out of the house, knowing that they're back in the apartment, doing the hard work for me. Such a relief.
Having a passive mode is such an underrated feature for bluetooth headphones. There are so many times when that comes in handy whether thats running out of battery or wanting lower audio latency
So are we saying here that the B&W engineers don't know what they're doing, and they produced such a bad headphone??? I don't know about you, but without referring to measurements, the PX8 sounded very much top-tier to me from a musician's perspective.
That's the trouble with reference graphs in general. I understand the need to have a sort of 'baseline' for comparisons sake, but that baseline is in and of itself a subjective accumulation. Gotta try headphones on yourself unfortunately.
I've tried both the PX8 and the Bathys - I loved them both for different reasons - but ultimately got the px8 - I'm surprised how much dislike the px8 got in this review given how highly praised it is in most others (and on my head).
I watched this video with Px8s. I have Px7, Px8, Aonic50, XM4, and XM5...and that is just over the ears.... Px8 treble is pretty stepped on, but the midrange is just so good that I miss it when I go back to the Aonic50, which I like more than the XM5. Ill pick up the bathy's soon I think.
Graphs lol.. seen so many over the years.. almost never an indication of anything.. bought badly reviewed audio gear due to graphs that i love.. bought highly reviewed audio gear based on graphs and I hate.. I have over 20 pairs of headphones.. Denon ah9200 my favourite.. I'm loving the px8. I used to eq until I realised I was making all headphones sound the same.. now I like a mix.. px8 gets me off my chair.. fun and engaging sound with good detail.. highly recommend..
I got the Bathys and you’re right. It depends on the fit. The headphones fit my head at max size and the treble was extremely harsh for me even after equing. Had to return it even though I loved the way it looked :(
For some reason my mic interface was doing weird things for this video - I'll need to look into that - but that's why the audio gets weird in certain spots. Sorry for that.
Hey Resolve, this is not really in context to this video, but why is there such a big difference of the measurements from Oratory1990 and yours on the Aeon 2 Noire, especially in the midrange? On Oratory's measurement the Noire basically is dead-on harman target in the upper midrange/presence region, but on yours there are quite big dips shown there. The Aeon Closed X actually looks worse than the Aeon 2 Noire on Oratory's measurements, while it's pretty much the opposite judging from your measurements.
@@rene837 yeah it's most likely just unit variation. The DCAs often have fairly strong FR variation due to the style of pads that are used, which is something that's difficult to control acoustically.
@@ResolveReviews Thanks for your answer! That's such a shame really. I had a Noire 2 for testing at home after I had seen the graphs from Oratory but my DT 770 80Ohm sounded more balanced and was easier to listen to without EQ and that is really saying something. Guess I will have to keep searching for a closed-back that is worth it for me without EQ, I just can't rectify buying such an expensive headphone if I always have to use EQ to enjoy it... Another thing: Do you know measurements of the LCD-XC 2021 that compare the leather and pleather pads you can choose when buying it? The XC also is on my "watchlist" and I can't seem to find good graphs. I think the one you have at home and made measurements with are fitted with the leather pads, right?
High price doesn't mean good sound bang & olufsen is more an fashion brand vs sound focused I demoed them an there the worse of all the higher priced sets even worse then the px8 that is just a bass machine
Thanks as always for taking he time to make the measurements and show such detailed data, with ANC on and off, etc. Must admit I really like the PX8, and the Bathys, having tried both. Just goes to show how much people vary, and how we don't always 'enjoy' the same shaped FR curve. People have to try things for themselves imo.
This invalidates any reviews tho. If we are all different then reviews don't matter, Raw FR doesn't matter. Nothing matters really. You basically have to go and listen to all of them (which is realistically is not possible).
@@MrGuardianX I mean, pretty much. If you can try headphones at a store or canjam it's better than any review and I'm sure most reviewers would agree. This is a very subjective hobby, Resolve thinks the Fr of PX8 is shot. Yet tons of people online try PX8, Bathys and others, yet pick PX8. I've come accross this a lot - Crinnacle gives a Stellia a B grade, yet people in stores (ive seen first hand) adore them.
I would strongly recommend auditioning both between the Focal and the ML5909. I was able to trial both for 30 days and ended up going with the ML5909 but it was a close call. Ultimately I preferred the energetic sound of ML to the more relaxed sound of the Bathys. For the reviewer, I am curious to see your thoughts on ML5909s true powered off passive mode!
I also kept the 5909 after researching many cans in the higher price category. I love their sound and function in ANC mode and appreciate their "true powered off passive mode" when I get to my destination, and I want to use my high-end portable DAC/amp (ifi Gryphon w/MQA. Note: full MQA will not pass through Bathys full time ANC/DSP as it is non-MQA compliant. Bad decision for Focal not to offer passive mode.). I was also lucky to find the 5909 at Crutchfield for open box price of $799, so it was a true no-brainer for me. Cheers!
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@Benesyed interesting. I thought I might've purchased a defective unit. I absolutely love the look and the sound of these headphones but it is kinda annoying
I tried PX8 in a store and was very impressed. Yes they have too much deep bass, but the midrange and treble is extremely good for bluetooth headphones. Very clean, smooth, open and undistorted. Other reviewers have praised how female vocals sound, which I didn't think much of until I heard the PX8 myself. When I tried listening to Iri I was taken aback by how good her voice sounded. The frequency balance could be better, but every other aspect of the sound impressed me, being a clear tier above headphones like Bose QC Ultra (which I compared against directly). For example, the QC Ultra sounded hard and tonally grey in music like Judas Priest Painkiller. The PX8 more than justified their price difference in pure audio quality in that song. I'm not buying them because bluetooth headphones feel disposable in a way wired headphones aren't. But I came back to this review after hearing the headphones myself and I think more subjectivity would improve the channel. Given of course that you have the hearing and ability to describe it in a relatable manner.
Recently tried the PX8, PX7 S2, H95, Momentum 4, and the Sony XM5. Sadly Focal and Mark Levinson are hard to come by here. Eventually went for the PX7 S2 because it was €100 off and only a very slight difference in sound quality compared to the PX8 to my non-audiophile ears. I didn't find that worth twice the price. I also considered looks, EQ, codecs (Android user) and possibility to use it wired. I really enjoyed the H95 as well, but it has a very different sound and I like the B&W sound better for most of the genres I listen to. I do find there's really 3 ranges now. First is top ANC but meh audio, which is where the Sony and Bose and everything below go. Then there's HQ audio with decent ANC, which are headphones like reviewed in this vid. And then there is just wired top tier, usually amped. Between the levels the difference is quite big imo. I don't understand how some (usually tech, not audio) websites can say the Sony compares in sound quality. I'm coming from a work provided QC35 and the jump to second level is very noticeable. However all BT headphones still sound like toys compared to e.g. the Susvara that the demo guy had me try after I was done. If you don't care about price then I'd go for the PX8 or (probably, because I can't try it) the Bathys.
Got a Bathys largely based on this video. PX8 was *hilariously* hyped sounding, almost in Bose territory. Especially in DAC mode using FLACs Bathys opens up a lot more detail than what I'm used to and I'm adoring it.
If y'all judge headphones based on what reviews and graphs tell you, you're sorely missing out. Also Bathys and 5909's ANC performance is subpar, given today's tech. And back to SOUND, those two sound "weak" on too many mainstream music, so the preference in this video doesn't necessarily apply to those music. THAT explains why many consumers that do NOT rely on these BS graphs and actually focus on MUSIC, prefer PX8, and nothing is wrong with that. That the type of music you listen to determines which is the best headphone, not the Harman curve, should be highlighted in comparisons like this. Unfortunately, too many fanatic viewers take the reviewer's word for it and all too easily makes terrible buying mistakes.
I actually sold off an Empyrean and Arya because I prefer the Bowers and Wilkins. And my Radiance is likely to be sold as well. I think it ultimately comes down to preference and what a listener thinks audio reproductions should sound like to them. For me most of my formative years in listening to music were on cassettes and I guess I just am nostalgic for that warmer/darker sound quality. The PX8 has made a lot of stuff I previously wasn't enjoying, enjoyable again. I don't find them boomy in the least but if you're used to listening to cleaner, cooler Planars than yeah, they're comparatively boomy. I find their timbre pleasing, I think the driver control is there for the money, effortless connections, the ANC works great, and I just get more enjoyment from my listening sessions. I can recognize the technical superiority of other headphones but I don't know, at the end of the day if I'm not enjoying the playback what's the point? And I think I just end up on the spectrum of not wanting details and separation at the cost of cohesion in the mix. Anyway, dissenting opinion committed to record lol. If you like hip hop, rock, r&b, soul, funk, the PX8 is a great time and extremely comfortable to boot.
How dare you enjoy deviation from the Harman curve...which is literally just what the average person likes as documented by a for profit audio company. The whole audiophile industry is a joke.
Hey Ninjastix, you very much described my experience on Px8 as well. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the listening experience more. Simply more fun and engaging. Decided to go against my snobbish self and kept that one as I was having more fun. As they say, to each their own! Indeed, very comfortable. And less ostentatious than beautiful but showy Bathys.
@@raphaelmeillat8527 Had both PX8 and Bathys before I returned the. PX8 has much higher quality of materials. The Bathys looks flashy, but the trim is all cheap plastics. With some EQ (slight bass reduction) I really enjoyed the PX8, but the headband is too small for my head.
I scoured HeadFi and read through most of the threads on the B&W PX8, the ML5909and the Bathys. I went in thinking that I was going to purchase the ML 5909s, but everything seemed to point to the B&W. I purchased them and, like you, I find them thoroughly enjoyable. They are very comfortable, provided more than adequate ANC for 2 plane trips and the battery life was really excellent. I respect FR curves, but hearing is believing. I have the Radiance, The DCA Aeon 2s and the SennHD8XX for my wired listening.
Depends on your setup but TBH the Bathys play in mid-hifi, They won't take out the Clear MG obviously but they approach the Radiance, and if soundstage isn't super important with you they'll pretty much beat out most wired equipment underneath their price, its kinda crazy to see how much focus Focal put into these headphones. I recommend them trying them out in a shop if you have the opportunity and A/B-ing them with some wired headphones you might enjoy.
Sound demos are very handy for comparative listening, for example you'll be able to hear if one headphone has more bass over another model, I don't think many people are under the illusion that what you hear through your headphones at home is similar to the real thing.
I owe all three of these headphones and strongly disagree. The PX8 are the best sounding by far of the group. The Harman curve is a baseline, not gospel. The Focals are utterly anemic in the low end and any amount of eq causes harsh clipping. They also have some basic bluetooth issues that mars the overall experience. The ML are good but don't really stand out. They're also the most expensive. With all three within reach, I always go for the PX8, followed closely by BO H95, then the Bose NC700 which I prefer over Sony's offerings.
My guy the Bathy’s are not anemic in the Bass, you just have a preference for Bass monsters which I can see in 3 headphones you picked out. The Bathy’s Bass absolutely slaps.
@@jasonblaise6786 this just shows that not everyone has the same definition of "sound quality" and therefore the Bathys being superior is just one opinion. It's not universal truth.
It's already been mentioned in another comment, but I also miss the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 in this comparison. I had initially ordered the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, but they had far too much bass for my taste - exactly as described in the review here - so I ended up sending them back. I didn't try the Focal Bathys because I wasn't particularly impressed with a pair of wired Focal Elear headphones I owned for a while (although they don't really do anything wrong, I just didn't like their sound signature). I also find the design of the Focal headphones too flashy to walk around in public with them. When I found the B&O H95 at a good price at a German retailer, with the option to try them out for 60 days, I gave them a try. I was very skeptical after my experience with the Bowers & Wilkins, but the B&O surprised me very much (positively). The only criticism I would have is the strange interpretation of the equalizer in the B&O app. But to be honest, I don't really need an equalizer for the B&O H95. Long story short: I've kept it and I'm happy with my decision.
This is strange because I've just watched a guy, focal nut, say the PX8, and his girlfriend who is a singer say the PX8 is just awesome..Being in hifi for nearly 40 years and having listened to everything up to and including £1000000 systems measurements tell you only about 1/10 of the story..!!!!
someone on RUclips, regardless of reputation / background / experience, is simply stating opinion. Should trust your own ears. I'm sure bashers and fans of B&W alike are just trusting what they hear. B&W knows what they are doing, and certainly there are a lot of people who like their sound, despite negative reviews heavily influenced by their measurements and how they assume "good sound quality" should look on their beloved graphs.
I just bought mine px8, and it's good, I'm in love! I just had one question, is it better to take a streaming service like qobuz or will my deezer hi-fi be enough??
Yeah this is the only video px8s kinda got shit on. Not sure why. Ive liked them more than any other headphone ive tried for my particular tastes. Subjective i suppose
I own the ML 5909 (black) and purchased them before the Bathys were available. I agree with most of the assessment of these headphones. I would add that these sound very good (better) in USB DAC mode when paired with decent equipment, like the iFi Gryphon. Before the recent software update, the ANC was surely not worth the asking price, and it is just now OK (borderline meh). I also own Focal Clear MG and Audeze LCD-X headphones.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
I had to return my ML5909 because they kept pausing while listening to phone and IPad. There sending a replacement anyone have a problem with there ML.
I’ve heard that. At least they took care of you. That what levinson used to do 30 yrs ago when they ruled hi end audio and Madrigal owned them. Harman seems to be on the ball. 👍
Thank you for this I needed this review. It would have been nice to see the objective sound comparison with air pods max in the mix. I just bought the bathy's and have felt the the upper mid range to be a bit short and bright for me. I was considering trading them in for the px8 but it sounds like that wouldn't be the greatest either. I'm just curious now on the air pod max
I have listened to both of them at my audio dealer for comparison. I liked the PX8 much more. Maybe on the tuning side they don't meet Andrew's preferences in how a headphone should sound, but for me and my metal and rock they sound best in the realm of wireless headphones. Btw. I am not an ANC user. Otherwise I do have Focal floor loudspeakers and headphones, but here and for me it was surprisingly the PX8. They just enchanted my ears. Give them a trial and compare for yourself. At the end it is absolutely subjective and a question of what music you listen to
I own a pair of the AirPods Max and I own the PX8. I compared them with the Focal Radiance and the DCA Aeon 2s. The AirPods Max are good, but the SQ is inferior to that of the PX8, with only the ANC being superior on the Apple product.
Whichever of these you buy, just make sure to get the most use out of them because as with any battery powered device, this has a finite lifetime. I don’t know if the batteries can be replaced once they’re dead. But by that time, its wireless tech would already be obsolete. And maybe its wired connector too. 😂
Finite lifetime with the original batteries, sure... But I think most brands, even the ones asking close to a grand for their product, simply use run of the mill lithium polymer battery packs. I noticed the batteries on my EXT-W37 (underdog) headphones were wearing out after a couple of years, so I simply took them apart, noticed the lipo's and found that I had enough space to replace the original 500mAh per side with the 1000 mAh drop-in replacements for the Sony XM's. Even the connector fitted on the tiny PCB, no soldering required! It doubled the lifespan and I easily get 40-50 hours of play out of them :-) My point is, spend some time investigating how the cans were built, maybe even contact the manufacturer (you have the right to repair your own stuff!) and you're back in business for years to come. That said, wireless still relies on digital signals and protocols, so expanding the lifespan with a few battery upgrades doesn't guarantee compatibility with the future. Wired (usually) is analog, and as long as we hear analog, wired is here to stay.
Not a single one of these compares to the XM3/4/5 in terms of ANC, or the Sennheiser HD 820, Audeze Empyrean and Focal Clear in terms of sound quality.
but, it's already possible to transfer bit perfect sound (44kHz/16bit) thru BT (lossless compression), and it'll be only easier in the future when BT throughput increased even more (now it's up to 2Mbps)
I had the Mark Levinson at home for a couple of days before returning them. Moving my head even slightly caused odd scratching noises and changes to the sound. So that was a showstopper. I now have the Focal Bathys and am very happy with them, no complaints.
@inach9832 Yes, absolutely. Sound quality and usability is top notch. Two small problems: If you connect the headphones to two devices simultaneously, the sound quality suffers (small clicks and glitches seem to appear). And the ear pads start to deteriorate now - but I'm a heavy user, I use them in home office every day. Other than that, still very happy.
I'm really confused about people here being angry about graphs? Andrew mentions that he's hearing the things that the rig is measuring. This has always been a very objective channel. If you're not a fan of that, why would you be here? Plus, it's very known that closed backs (i.e all of these) are wildly dependent on the HRTF as well as the acoustic impedance. So what you're hearing is not necessarily equivalent to what's being measured. That's not to say either is wrong lol.
Thank you for confirming my choice for the Focal Bathys!:-) couldn’t be happier with the purchase, they sound great, super comfortable and I have the freedom of wireless( so can move around) top product!
Interesting review, thanks for that. I have listened to many of these and for me, which is subjective, the PX8 were impressive. I preferred them to Bathys but that’s just me, they’re not ordinary in sound at all. I’ve hooked it up to my home Amp with hi-def music through an Arcam cd player and it is beautifully clean and clear, and relaxing sound, which I can listen to all day. But that may just be me
I ordered a pair of Bathys from you all just a couple weeks ago largely off the back of DMS' video and I am absolutely loving them. Mostly using them in the USB mode so far and they've pretty much been the perfect solution for the office for me. I'm even listening to this video through the Bathys at the office right now!
I have not tried other headphones but I am happy with px8, you can also tweak bass/treble in app for example, also there was update to 3.0 soft version of headphones which you didn't probably had when recording this video. They improvied audio quality with that update
I thoroughly reject the premise of using Bluetooth ANC headphones for critical listening! They are a convenience item and that is the focus. Are they convenient, reliable and flexible? Is their level of playback acceptable? Also, they’re designed for portability. Any review that doesn’t thoroughly use them in that application and in a noisy environment is derelict. I live in a major city with plenty of sub sonic background noise that affects both frequency extremes. It tends to attenuate both bass and treble extremes even with ANC activated. I’ve found some boost in these areas to be normalized when listening with subsonic backgrounds. I’ve also found that, for me, headphones with strong ANC introduce some negative artifacts into the sound due to processing.
good for you .-. , some of us want to be able to do critical listening on the go. Actually wanting progress.. imagine that. P.s - The Focals have the same sound regardless of ANC mode used, which is impressive, so no artifacts or any of that.
This analysis is a million times better than some self-proclaimed audiophile wanker using soundbites to pretend he knows what he's talking about. I really appreciate this guy showing us the data, relating it to real experience and admitting to the limitations, like how it fits around the ear, the attitude of the driver with respect to the ear, and so on. Best review I've seen. Well done!
Interesting video. For what it’s worth, compared these headphones and chose to go for Px8. Didn’t find what you’re describing. And sound can easily be tweaked here and there through app. But I appreciate their strong bass and detailed mids and treble. Not expecting them to beat my audiophile headphones but plenty good on the go, and yes…no wires!!! Anyway, comes to show that depending on personal playlists and expectations, outcome can vary greatly! Cheers!
I too chose the PX8, I think the SQ is really quite good to my ears. I've A-B'ed them with the Focal Radiance and I don't hear details that are being compressed or masked or lost listening to FLAC files both via wire and BT (using the FiiO BTR5 for the Radiance).
I also went for the PX8 and I can hear great detail on the symbals on uptown funk, so I don't really understand the comment. Both on Aptx HD and wired.
I'm in the market for a headphone, and this the only review where px8 wasn't praised for sound quality. these things are subjective, sure.. but I'm inclined to think that maybe the px8 doesn't fit him as well as the other cans?perhaps just not compatible with his head shape & ears? idk
Sound is opinionated, I tried them in this review and a great many more and my initial preference is the B&W PX8‘s. I still haven’t purchased any but have a few months till my flight to The States from Europe. The B&W €599 are also now going for a whopping €200 less the the Focal Bathys €799. Choices choices
While there is a lot of useful info in this video and I appreciate the time and thought that went into it, it is still quite frustrating. To start, is FR the only sound criteria that matters? Isn't it the easiest thing to adjust? It's quite the contradiction to criticize the 5909 for having limited equalization in the app and wishing Treble could be adjusted, thus implying FR issues CAN BE improved or fixed but then come down on the 5909 for the 10K boost! The app may not have EQ but there are many other ways to do it: Wavelet, Poweramp EQ (my personal choice) and Galaxies built in EQ just to name 3. On the other hand what about Soundstage, Transparency, instrument seperation and other areas of SQ? Turning to build quality and design it would be good to know what materials each one uses - type of leather, how much plastic, etc. Then there is the different control scheme. To me it's a big strike against the PX8 for making you choose to control ANC mode or the Virtual Assistant but not both. The last thing that comes to mind is the reports I've seen on the Bathys having issues with sound leakage.
I read that a new firmware for the PX8 has been released recently, which according to the description improves the sound. "3.0.0" can you say something about that?
uHH Where are the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 headphones???? All I want is a 5909 vs H95 comparison and noone anywhere does it -- you were SO CLOSE! ugh, oh well.
I‘m always suspicious when Harman releases a so-called high end headphone. Is it just a JBL or Samsung dressed up? It would be interesting if somebody did a teardown and comparison.
I went with Focal last week and have been happy. The built in DAC is pretty cool and the music compared to my HIFIMAN Sundera's is more relaxed and warm.
Who knows, maybe it was my Bluetooth codec but to me the Bathys just sounded like Sonys or something. They didn't really particularly stand out in the way that focal's wired passive headphones do
Interesting... I have a really diverse set of headphones since engineers are always chasing that next best thing. For me the Mark Levinson 5909's were extremely good (sound) and competed well with some of my higher end headphones. On the lower end I also have the Airpods Max and find that the ML's did a very good job of coming close to the Airpods on ANC. I do have to admit that I like to use the ML's wired but for walk-around duty with Bluetooth they are excellent. It could be that since I am older my high frequency hearing capability is blunted more than yours so I don't have the same treble frequency issue you mention. Thanks for the well thought out review.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@@MrJ.31 That sucks. My go to Sony XM3’s (gym and running) did that and difficulty pairing, but they’ve been beaten up and they’re old. Call or email levinson. Someone said to reset them. I’m Looking at the 5909s. Yikes.
@Georgia Fan Yeah it was a software issue. I did a few factory resets on the headphone and cleared out and reinstalled the app and once everything was updated and paired again it started working no problem and haven't had any issues since. I love that sucker. I've had the pleasure of trying a bunch of ANC headphones and the 5909 really was the best of the bunch for me. Just the sound quality alone is kinda like a mix of the best qualities that the B&W PX8 and Focal Bathys have to offer. Just my personal opinion. And I have to agree with you on the Sony XM5's. Those things are fantastic and definitely my favorite BT headphone in the $500 and under range
Why aren't there any respectable reviews of the Yamaha YH-L700A (besides from some tech channels who all seem to find it to be too shy in the low end)?
I'm surprised you found the sound on the Px8, so objectionable. Fortunately, I don't listen to frequency charts. I listen to the music presented by the headphone. I had the opportunity to extensively listen to the Bathys and Px8. The Bathys are excellent as you suggest. They have a wider sound stage. BUT, the Px8, to my ears sounded better, with a warmth and intimacy missing in the Bathys. I have not heard the ML, but I wouldn't actually be willing to spend $1,000, so it would be academic at best. I have to wonder if the pair of Px8 you received had some issue with them? Or, if 11 months later, B&W has updated them to be more in line with the Bathys? Either way, for my money, I simply couldn't be happier with the Px8. Everyone's ears are different, of course. Mine chose the Px8 and I'm very very happy they did! I just received the Px8 on Friday. They are the newest Royal Burgundy color, so very new from B7W and perhaps some things have changed under the hood?
These types of comments make no sense to me “I don’t listen to frequency response charts” you think that’s all he did? He is just objectively measuring and showing what he’s hearing. This type of hand waving of an educated opinion that doesn’t fit yours is very bizarre.
@@MrAkella33 Bizarre? I find it odd that these frequency charts were used as a basis to suggest there is anything wrong with the PX8. I guess we can agree to disagree. Most reviewers applaud the incredibly well balanced sound. As do I.
@@Rodghost1 I don’t think you watched the video at all. Resolve obviously listened to these headphones to critique them you understand that right? Where is this idea coming from that’s he’s solely basing his opinion on the frequency response? What a strange accusation to make against a channel that literally specializes in headphone reviews and impressions
@@MrAkella33 I watched the ENTIRE video. And I stand by my comments. I never suggested he solely based his opinion on frequency graphs. But I stand by by comment that I don't listen to frequency charts. I listen to music and to my ears, over all the many Bluetooth OTE headphones I've owned, the Px8 are sonically, the best I've yet owned. I'm not sure what your stake is here. Do you even own a pair of Px8? Have you listened to them extensively? Also note, that the reviewer didn't bother to comment back to me, so he clearly wasn't too bothered.
@@Rodghost1 I just don’t understand your criticism of the video, if you agree with my points than what is Resolve doing that’s wrong? Then that means your comment about “not listening to frequency responses” has nothing to do with the video I don’t have a stake in anything, I was just coming back to this video after listening to them against other headphones in my local audio shop and saw your comment. I just don’t understand what you are trying to imply with what seemed to be a very straight forward, criticism of the headphone. He gave both an objective and his subjective opinions about it. Why is that a bad thing?
My subjective impressions follow pretty well the measurements. The PX8 unfortunately is the Sony style of sound, too much bass-masked. ML treble is too sharp most of the time, but with LDAC it pulls ahead overall. The Bathys still has a slightly hard sound, and hits a bit too hard, like over-driven. Likely makes sense to wait for the next version of all these. Looks like this is the first generation of wireless headphones targeting to reach (relative) audiophile SQ. Once the competition on that has started, hopefully it will get better and better.
Focal has become a brand non-grata in my audio system. I have tried a number of them from the Elear to most recently the Stellia. They are all some of the worst sounding headphones I have listened to.
which one should i buy px8 or focal bathys for music, light causal gaming(story mode only like breath of the wild or ori and the will of the wisps or last of us or uncharted) and i watch movies a lot
As always from the Headphone Show, an interesting review/comparison. As attested to by you, as well as the many, excellent comments below, sound - how we perceive and enjoy it - is ultimately subjective. Whilst a frequency response can give you some idea of the warmth, coolness or characteristic of a headphone, it tells you nothing about separation, soundstage, detail retrieval, etc. I also found your comments about where these stand in the market place against other types, particularly wired models, both interesting and simultaneously irrelevant. From my own circumstances, I see it like this... I want the very best sound quality so I'll have open-back phones. However, my main hi-fi system is in my lounge (BTW, I'm writing from the UK where houses are half the size!) and my wife doesn't want to hear my music when she's watching TV. OK, closed back then (Compromise 1). But during the day, I work from my kitchen table which is out of reach from my hi-fi so I get my music from ,my phone or laptop. OK, so a closed back and a USB DAC/amp (Compromise 2)? But when I'm not working from home, I do commute or travel by public transport, so I'll also need ANC and portability (Compromise 3). Whilst these do not have the supposed sound quality of equivalent priced wired headphones, that is because they have to do so much more. Do I buy a £400 closed back, a £150 DAC/amp and £350 ANC or one pair at £900 that does everything rather well? And that's the gap these models are trying to fill. As ANC headphones, yes, they are expensive. As a headphone suitable for every occasion and perhaps with fewer compromises, do they offer value for money? Very probably.
I did the same. The PX8 felt processed and compressed. It was an almost instant preference to the Bathys from the low end alone. I am finding setting the eq to bend upward for the higher spectrum. I was listening to both using aptx hd. When I tried using the apple Bluetooth variety, both sounded aweful. However from an iPhone listening through usb in dac mode sounded a lot like aptx hd. My coworker bought the Bathys for that reason. I on the other hand will be using aptx hd primarily and I thought they sounded great.
One of the main reasons I chose the 5909 over the Bathys is that the Bathys doesn't have a true passive mode, while the 5909 does, so I can use the 5909 with an external DAC (e.g. a Chord Mojo 2). I'd wager that the 5909 connected passively to a good DAC sounds better than the Bathys.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
Thanks Resolve. Glad to see you are taking the time to do this. Use to be there was only Sony and Bose but now there are so many to chose from and some of them are poor value prospects at half the cost. For SQ, the best I have heard so far are the Bathys and the Spirit S3 which doesn’t have ANC. Hope you will be able to review the M&D MW75 at some point.
M&D now there's a name I haven't seen in a while. I wonder if they still even sell the original passive closed back that Tyll raved about back in the day
I have 3 requirements for BT headphones - comfort, sound & ANC. Worn out & about / commuting. In my experience the PX8 (007) are stellar. Discrete but very sleek & stylish. Comfortable even with glasses. Adequate ANC, quite impressive actually. Perky, beefy, solid sound. No complaints for external use. I also own ML - too bulky for outside and inadequate ANC (for my requirements). Happy to use at home. Haven’t heard the Focal. Difficult review for Resolve, as he indicated. People’s mileage will vary.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
Were these tests taken right out of the box? Typically sound tests should only be conducted after breaking the headphones in-normally over several weeks
I tried the PX8’s after reading endless reviews about how incredible they were and thought the pair I had must be broken. Sent them back for another pair. Exactly the same. Muddy, congested and dull. Beautifully made but otherwise horribly overpriced.
Same thing happened to me, but with Bathys. But I didn't suspect them to be broken, obviously. It's just a matter of whether it matches your preference.
Mark Levinson takes it for me for the most important things: 1. They are tuned to the Harman curve. This has been widely researched and tested to be the most balanced and pleasant-sounding signature. At some point, all other headphone companies referred to this research for tuning guides. 2. BOTH aptx adaptive and ldac supported. Ensures that pretty much any source for hi-fi sound is covered. Both Bathys and PX8 supports aptx adaptive only. 3. ONLY the ML No 5909 allows for "true" passive listening. So doesn't need to be powered on to use. Ran out of batteries? No problem, just use the cables and listen away. 4. ANC performance is just right. Not going to be world beaters, but compared to other high-end models, more than enough and is definitely in the top 1 or 2. 5. Mic for calls is superb. Clean and clear. But in saying that, it does not put you in a vacuum, which you wouldn't want anyway, unless you want to sound muffled. Those 5 points mostly covers majority of the use cases. Different users, different uses though, so points above might not even matter for some but majority will pick a wireless headphone past the $500 mark based on the nuances and what can get them "more". ML No 5909 definitely ticks all of the boxes and a bit more future-proofed. Remember even when the batteries fail and/or start losing their charge, the ML will still work.say what you must, but that already makes the ML a better investment albeit with a little bit more cash outlay at the start. As for looks and comfort, any of these three will do it for me. Although, not really sure why the silver ring gets called out for the ML but not the light-up led logo on the Focal. Certainly that'd call more attention? And kinda makes it look like a gaming headset? Perhaps wasn't called out since it can be turned off? 😁
You said it all. I’m an old levinson fan and have a lot of their hifi gear from 30 years ago. I AB’d the 5909s and they blew me away. ANC is as good as Apple AirPods Max. Btw, even my old Sony XM3’s allow me to run them wired to my dac and it’s helpful, like the levinsons. Sony makes a good below $500 wireless (XM5). The 5909s as you said, Harman curve, Idac support, good battery. I think I know where I’m going. Thanks for the input. 👍
If you do a blind test with random average consumers, 90% will tell you that the sound quality of the px8 is the best. Of course, sound quality is not necessarily that subjective and the graphs clearly show people wrong, but there is just something with the in-your-face type of punchy lively sound that the px8 can bring. The bathys might be more analytical but I found them straight up boring.
Just to add to Benesyed's comment below, the aspect that's missing from this review is to assess wired as well as bluetooth sound quality. That's because the ideal is to have a headphone that can be used in both modes. When on the move, the upper end of sound quality is arguably less important than when at home and able to concentrate fully. The John Darko review of the Mark Levinsons found that the wired sound quality was competitive with more expensive headphones and it would have been good to hear your view on this aspect. Please consider that in future reviews if possible. Many thanks.
Sound quality is subjective. And not one of all those headphones produces great sound by Bluetooth. A phone isn’t capable to transfer good sound quality so you get yourself a cheaper headphone that you like and your fine.
as someone with a small head. I love the PX8 but mostly cuz they’d fall off my head so easily if they didn’t have the clamping force they have. Like Airpods max are so loose on me.
So wrong. The BW px8 are truly the worst and pure disappointment. And sound quality should be #1 priority! After trying out a long list of headphones, to me the ML5909 were the choice. Simply pleasant in any way. After watching gazillions of YT vids on what are the best headphones, being constantly misled by the "Top 10" by RUclipsrs, its a 100% "don't listen to others" anymore, make your own ears and brain work and find out for yourself. Only You, the listener can decide what you like! Or do you ever go to a restaurant and have some random person decide, what food is best for you and what you should order?
The price for the unit he reviewed is the $799 that he quoted, but he should've mentioned that he was testing the PX8 007 Edition. The standard edition is, like you said, $699.
Didn't expect ANC headphone to be stellar. But for me, they have to be good enough to be daylied, be comfortable for hours and the ANC should make me forget my surroundings. I guess two of those do that.
Good, detailed review. The PX8 is not that bad, bass heavy but the rest of the frequencies are decent and it`s very pleasing to listen to... I think the Focal is the one for me but I am gonna wait for the Airpods Max 2 and see if they improved the sound quality.
My first try on px8 was few months ago, and i could not believe i was listening to the well named b&w headphones...the sound profile was soooo weird and unpleasant that i actually suspected that someone custom EQed it before. Later did i got notice that unlike most headphones, the eq customization of the px8 "follows" the headphone instead of the app(aka the phone) that you used to custom it. Despite i didnt try it again to confirm this info, i really hope that some weird customization has been done to that demo i listened to, because that experience was really surprisingly unpleasant.
I really do not think about or really use ANC. It is not even a thought when purchasing headphones.My idea of noice cancelling is to turn up the volume until you do not hear the surround environment. The main quality I use when choosing a headphone is the sound quality (clear distinct sound). I have tried and returned many a headphone due to not liking how they sound. I also like the headphone to fit tight around my head and not loose. And I love them to be able to get loud. I am not loading with money so the headphones I have are the Sennheiser HD 6602, Sony MDR 7506, Focal Elegia, and the Focal Bathys. I also have not expensive IEMs. My 2 cents worth.
Just a note on the PX8. There's a new firmware version available that I still need to test, so what I've said here in this review may not reflect the state of that product anymore. We should think of these as 'live' products, and so any statements or judgments about them reflect merely how they perform at a given moment in time, not of their performance in perpetuity, and I think any future reviews we do of ANC products needs to include that disclaimer.
Though graphs are helpful, you still have to rely on what you actually really hear. Not one review I found of the PX8 stated it was bass heavy and many preferred it to the Focal Bathys. The PX8 having a fuller thicker up front sound. The Focals have a wider spatial sound and still sounding great. I originally was looking at the Bathys but after many reviews of both the PX8 and Bathys, I was more drawn to the PX8's. Now you give me a sense of caution with the PX8's. So many reviewers loved the PX7 S2 and when they reviewed the PX8, they clearly said it was an upgrade in built quality and the upgraded driver that is based on their 700 series speakers. I do believe your observations however and know everyone has different taste.
Interesting! I've been eyeing the Bathys but my tastes would like the thicker and filler sound. The B&W PI7 S2 earbuds sound excellent in clarity and detail but are way too trebly and not very thick and full in the bass, so I'm surprised to read that the PX8 are more lush.
Not sure this has been mentioned here already, but the ML 5909 is the only one of the 3 headphones that can be used fully passively, ie the headphone doesn't need to be on. This is quite important not only for an obvious reason (no battery draining), but run passively sound quality is audibly better and, among other things, lessens the hot treble heard on bluetooth mode. Wish you'd also mede a quick mention of the accessories and the build quality of these. Otherwise, a very nice review.
Using them passively with a cavle defeats the whole purpose
@@naskrajuciszy It defeats the purpose if you're ONLY looking for a bluetooth headphone. The passive / wired mode is there for a reason, for people who want, at times, have a very good quality wired headphone which offers better sound quality. It was specifically designed this way.
The ML 5909 is an audiophile headphone, and there are still plenty of people who value a great deal a good wired headphone while, at the same time, having a very good bluetooth headset.
I love passive headphones that don't need to be on. I have a pair of 5909s myself and I don't put them on at all. I just leave them at home and off I go, out of the house, knowing that they're back in the apartment, doing the hard work for me. Such a relief.
Having a passive mode is such an underrated feature for bluetooth headphones. There are so many times when that comes in handy whether thats running out of battery or wanting lower audio latency
@@naskrajuciszyno it doesn’t. It’s good to have anc etc when one needs but not have to be stranded with that functionality.
So are we saying here that the B&W engineers don't know what they're doing, and they produced such a bad headphone??? I don't know about you, but without referring to measurements, the PX8 sounded very much top-tier to me from a musician's perspective.
That's the trouble with reference graphs in general. I understand the need to have a sort of 'baseline' for comparisons sake, but that baseline is in and of itself a subjective accumulation.
Gotta try headphones on yourself unfortunately.
I've tried both the PX8 and the Bathys - I loved them both for different reasons - but ultimately got the px8 - I'm surprised how much dislike the px8 got in this review given how highly praised it is in most others (and on my head).
sound is subjective, I also enjoy the PX8 the most from all anc headphones i have tried
I watched this video with Px8s. I have Px7, Px8, Aonic50, XM4, and XM5...and that is just over the ears.... Px8 treble is pretty stepped on, but the midrange is just so good that I miss it when I go back to the Aonic50, which I like more than the XM5. Ill pick up the bathy's soon I think.
The Focal are way better in my opinion than the PX8
this guy is not paid by B&W, many "reviewers" are
@@ThunderWindz i'm sure you can show us your sources for that claim...
I think the px8 sounds great.Its fun and musical.When using anc headphone,i rather have an extra oomph/bass and warmth
Graphs lol.. seen so many over the years.. almost never an indication of anything.. bought badly reviewed audio gear due to graphs that i love.. bought highly reviewed audio gear based on graphs and I hate.. I have over 20 pairs of headphones.. Denon ah9200 my favourite.. I'm loving the px8. I used to eq until I realised I was making all headphones sound the same.. now I like a mix.. px8 gets me off my chair.. fun and engaging sound with good detail.. highly recommend..
I got the Bathys and you’re right. It depends on the fit. The headphones fit my head at max size and the treble was extremely harsh for me even after equing. Had to return it even though I loved the way it looked :(
For some reason my mic interface was doing weird things for this video - I'll need to look into that - but that's why the audio gets weird in certain spots. Sorry for that.
Hey Resolve, this is not really in context to this video, but why is there such a big difference of the measurements from Oratory1990 and yours on the Aeon 2 Noire, especially in the midrange? On Oratory's measurement the Noire basically is dead-on harman target in the upper midrange/presence region, but on yours there are quite big dips shown there. The Aeon Closed X actually looks worse than the Aeon 2 Noire on Oratory's measurements, while it's pretty much the opposite judging from your measurements.
@@rene837 yeah it's most likely just unit variation. The DCAs often have fairly strong FR variation due to the style of pads that are used, which is something that's difficult to control acoustically.
@@ResolveReviews Thanks for your answer! That's such a shame really. I had a Noire 2 for testing at home after I had seen the graphs from Oratory but my DT 770 80Ohm sounded more balanced and was easier to listen to without EQ and that is really saying something. Guess I will have to keep searching for a closed-back that is worth it for me without EQ, I just can't rectify buying such an expensive headphone if I always have to use EQ to enjoy it...
Another thing: Do you know measurements of the LCD-XC 2021 that compare the leather and pleather pads you can choose when buying it? The XC also is on my "watchlist" and I can't seem to find good graphs. I think the one you have at home and made measurements with are fitted with the leather pads, right?
howcome nobody talks /tests audio technica products anymore
@@rene837 XC is tough without EQ IMO. But when you do EQ, it's technically very impressive for what it can do.
I think B&O Beoplay H95 should be part of this comparison.
It’s annoying how they are always dismissed just because of their price.
No normal heads can handle that clamp force tho, they are also just not good , the bass is boomy af
Also, master & dynamic MW75
High price doesn't mean good sound bang & olufsen is more an fashion brand vs sound focused I demoed them an there the worse of all the higher priced sets even worse then the px8 that is just a bass machine
Tried the BO H95 and they sound terrible. Returned them and went with the Px8 which are FAR superior in terms of balanced sound quality.
Thanks as always for taking he time to make the measurements and show such detailed data, with ANC on and off, etc. Must admit I really like the PX8, and the Bathys, having tried both. Just goes to show how much people vary, and how we don't always 'enjoy' the same shaped FR curve. People have to try things for themselves imo.
how abt getting the final ux headphone.
This invalidates any reviews tho. If we are all different then reviews don't matter, Raw FR doesn't matter. Nothing matters really. You basically have to go and listen to all of them (which is realistically is not possible).
@@MrGuardianX I mean, pretty much. If you can try headphones at a store or canjam it's better than any review and I'm sure most reviewers would agree. This is a very subjective hobby, Resolve thinks the Fr of PX8 is shot. Yet tons of people online try PX8, Bathys and others, yet pick PX8. I've come accross this a lot - Crinnacle gives a Stellia a B grade, yet people in stores (ive seen first hand) adore them.
PX8 sounds better than most headphones, compared them to xm5 and APM and they were much nicer in detail, bass and soundstage.
Xm5 is half the price, pretty bad comparison
Im on team Bowers and wilkins px8 here. Love them 😊
Do they support apple spacial audio head tracking?
No
@@danielmulligan2285 that’s not good
How do these compare to BeOplay H95?
You should really take a look at the Bang & Olufsen stuff, not great, but you can’t exclude the $900 B&O H95 from a list of expensive anc headphones.
sound demos are dumb. I hate thumbnails saying "HEAR HOW IT SOUNDS".
I would strongly recommend auditioning both between the Focal and the ML5909. I was able to trial both for 30 days and ended up going with the ML5909 but it was a close call. Ultimately I preferred the energetic sound of ML to the more relaxed sound of the Bathys.
For the reviewer, I am curious to see your thoughts on ML5909s true powered off passive mode!
I also kept the 5909 after researching many cans in the higher price category. I love their sound and function in ANC mode and appreciate their "true powered off passive mode" when I get to my destination, and I want to use my high-end portable DAC/amp (ifi Gryphon w/MQA. Note: full MQA will not pass through Bathys full time ANC/DSP as it is non-MQA compliant. Bad decision for Focal not to offer passive mode.). I was also lucky to find the 5909 at Crutchfield for open box price of $799, so it was a true no-brainer for me. Cheers!
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@@MrJ.31 yes once in a while this happens, I'm not sure why
@Benesyed interesting. I thought I might've purchased a defective unit. I absolutely love the look and the sound of these headphones but it is kinda annoying
@@MrJ.31 it's only happened to me with the on /off detection on. since I turned that off it hasn't been an issue
I tried PX8 in a store and was very impressed. Yes they have too much deep bass, but the midrange and treble is extremely good for bluetooth headphones. Very clean, smooth, open and undistorted. Other reviewers have praised how female vocals sound, which I didn't think much of until I heard the PX8 myself. When I tried listening to Iri I was taken aback by how good her voice sounded. The frequency balance could be better, but every other aspect of the sound impressed me, being a clear tier above headphones like Bose QC Ultra (which I compared against directly). For example, the QC Ultra sounded hard and tonally grey in music like Judas Priest Painkiller. The PX8 more than justified their price difference in pure audio quality in that song. I'm not buying them because bluetooth headphones feel disposable in a way wired headphones aren't. But I came back to this review after hearing the headphones myself and I think more subjectivity would improve the channel. Given of course that you have the hearing and ability to describe it in a relatable manner.
Recently tried the PX8, PX7 S2, H95, Momentum 4, and the Sony XM5. Sadly Focal and Mark Levinson are hard to come by here. Eventually went for the PX7 S2 because it was €100 off and only a very slight difference in sound quality compared to the PX8 to my non-audiophile ears. I didn't find that worth twice the price. I also considered looks, EQ, codecs (Android user) and possibility to use it wired. I really enjoyed the H95 as well, but it has a very different sound and I like the B&W sound better for most of the genres I listen to.
I do find there's really 3 ranges now. First is top ANC but meh audio, which is where the Sony and Bose and everything below go. Then there's HQ audio with decent ANC, which are headphones like reviewed in this vid. And then there is just wired top tier, usually amped. Between the levels the difference is quite big imo. I don't understand how some (usually tech, not audio) websites can say the Sony compares in sound quality. I'm coming from a work provided QC35 and the jump to second level is very noticeable. However all BT headphones still sound like toys compared to e.g. the Susvara that the demo guy had me try after I was done. If you don't care about price then I'd go for the PX8 or (probably, because I can't try it) the Bathys.
No B&O H95?
Got a Bathys largely based on this video. PX8 was *hilariously* hyped sounding, almost in Bose territory. Especially in DAC mode using FLACs Bathys opens up a lot more detail than what I'm used to and I'm adoring it.
The right choice indeed. Focal is amazing :D
@@orborbea9844 Got a Celestee and used Utopia too afterward. Sorry, wallet! xD
You should try the H95 beautiful sound.
Every bit of this comment sounds like meme.
If y'all judge headphones based on what reviews and graphs tell you, you're sorely missing out. Also Bathys and 5909's ANC performance is subpar, given today's tech. And back to SOUND, those two sound "weak" on too many mainstream music, so the preference in this video doesn't necessarily apply to those music. THAT explains why many consumers that do NOT rely on these BS graphs and actually focus on MUSIC, prefer PX8, and nothing is wrong with that. That the type of music you listen to determines which is the best headphone, not the Harman curve, should be highlighted in comparisons like this. Unfortunately, too many fanatic viewers take the reviewer's word for it and all too easily makes terrible buying mistakes.
I actually sold off an Empyrean and Arya because I prefer the Bowers and Wilkins. And my Radiance is likely to be sold as well. I think it ultimately comes down to preference and what a listener thinks audio reproductions should sound like to them. For me most of my formative years in listening to music were on cassettes and I guess I just am nostalgic for that warmer/darker sound quality. The PX8 has made a lot of stuff I previously wasn't enjoying, enjoyable again. I don't find them boomy in the least but if you're used to listening to cleaner, cooler Planars than yeah, they're comparatively boomy. I find their timbre pleasing, I think the driver control is there for the money, effortless connections, the ANC works great, and I just get more enjoyment from my listening sessions. I can recognize the technical superiority of other headphones but I don't know, at the end of the day if I'm not enjoying the playback what's the point? And I think I just end up on the spectrum of not wanting details and separation at the cost of cohesion in the mix. Anyway, dissenting opinion committed to record lol. If you like hip hop, rock, r&b, soul, funk, the PX8 is a great time and extremely comfortable to boot.
How dare you enjoy deviation from the Harman curve...which is literally just what the average person likes as documented by a for profit audio company. The whole audiophile industry is a joke.
Hey Ninjastix, you very much described my experience on Px8 as well. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the listening experience more. Simply more fun and engaging. Decided to go against my snobbish self and kept that one as I was having more fun. As they say, to each their own! Indeed, very comfortable. And less ostentatious than beautiful but showy Bathys.
@@raphaelmeillat8527 Had both PX8 and Bathys before I returned the. PX8 has much higher quality of materials. The Bathys looks flashy, but the trim is all cheap plastics. With some EQ (slight bass reduction) I really enjoyed the PX8, but the headband is too small for my head.
I scoured HeadFi and read through most of the threads on the B&W PX8, the ML5909and the Bathys.
I went in thinking that I was going to purchase the ML 5909s, but everything seemed to point to the B&W.
I purchased them and, like you, I find them thoroughly enjoyable. They are very comfortable, provided more than adequate ANC for 2 plane trips and the battery life was really excellent.
I respect FR curves, but hearing is believing.
I have the Radiance, The DCA Aeon 2s and the SennHD8XX for my wired listening.
Same story here, the PX8 have made me enjoy music that I had forgotten about in the past. I love them. Period
Master & Dynamic MW75 is missing from the list...
Sound quality wise, which passive phones roughly at the same level as the Bathys? Was thinking they're somewhere between Sundara and Elex?
Depends on your setup but TBH the Bathys play in mid-hifi, They won't take out the Clear MG obviously but they approach the Radiance, and if soundstage isn't super important with you they'll pretty much beat out most wired equipment underneath their price, its kinda crazy to see how much focus Focal put into these headphones. I recommend them trying them out in a shop if you have the opportunity and A/B-ing them with some wired headphones you might enjoy.
Sound demos are very handy for comparative listening, for example you'll be able to hear if one headphone has more bass over another model, I don't think many people are under the illusion that what you hear through your headphones at home is similar to the real thing.
Sound demos have their purpose. Being able to compare RELATIVE tuning yourself is much more useful than listening to someone talk about their opinion.
I owe all three of these headphones and strongly disagree. The PX8 are the best sounding by far of the group. The Harman curve is a baseline, not gospel. The Focals are utterly anemic in the low end and any amount of eq causes harsh clipping. They also have some basic bluetooth issues that mars the overall experience. The ML are good but don't really stand out. They're also the most expensive. With all three within reach, I always go for the PX8, followed closely by BO H95, then the Bose NC700 which I prefer over Sony's offerings.
My guy the Bathy’s are not anemic in the Bass, you just have a preference for Bass monsters which I can see in 3 headphones you picked out. The Bathy’s Bass absolutely slaps.
@@jasonblaise6786 this just shows that not everyone has the same definition of "sound quality" and therefore the Bathys being superior is just one opinion. It's not universal truth.
It's already been mentioned in another comment, but I also miss the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 in this comparison. I had initially ordered the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, but they had far too much bass for my taste - exactly as described in the review here - so I ended up sending them back. I didn't try the Focal Bathys because I wasn't particularly impressed with a pair of wired Focal Elear headphones I owned for a while (although they don't really do anything wrong, I just didn't like their sound signature). I also find the design of the Focal headphones too flashy to walk around in public with them. When I found the B&O H95 at a good price at a German retailer, with the option to try them out for 60 days, I gave them a try. I was very skeptical after my experience with the Bowers & Wilkins, but the B&O surprised me very much (positively). The only criticism I would have is the strange interpretation of the equalizer in the B&O app. But to be honest, I don't really need an equalizer for the B&O H95. Long story short: I've kept it and I'm happy with my decision.
This is strange because I've just watched a guy, focal nut, say the PX8, and his girlfriend who is a singer say the PX8 is just awesome..Being in hifi for nearly 40 years and having listened to everything up to and including £1000000 systems measurements tell you only about 1/10 of the story..!!!!
someone on RUclips, regardless of reputation / background / experience, is simply stating opinion. Should trust your own ears. I'm sure bashers and fans of B&W alike are just trusting what they hear. B&W knows what they are doing, and certainly there are a lot of people who like their sound, despite negative reviews heavily influenced by their measurements and how they assume "good sound quality" should look on their beloved graphs.
I just bought mine px8, and it's good, I'm in love! I just had one question, is it better to take a streaming service like qobuz or will my deezer hi-fi be enough??
deezer hi-fi is fine. So is Apple Music lossless.
Yeah this is the only video px8s kinda got shit on. Not sure why. Ive liked them more than any other headphone ive tried for my particular tastes. Subjective i suppose
I own the ML 5909 (black) and purchased them before the Bathys were available. I agree with most of the assessment of these headphones. I would add that these sound very good (better) in USB DAC mode when paired with decent equipment, like the iFi Gryphon. Before the recent software update, the ANC was surely not worth the asking price, and it is just now OK (borderline meh). I also own Focal Clear MG and Audeze LCD-X headphones.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@@MrJ.31 I've not at all using my Samsung Android device. I've actually been impressed with the clarity and range.
I had to return my ML5909 because they kept pausing while listening to phone and IPad. There sending a replacement anyone have a problem with there ML.
I’ve heard that. At least they took care of you. That what levinson used to do 30 yrs ago when they ruled hi end audio and Madrigal owned them. Harman seems to be on the ball. 👍
Thank you for this I needed this review. It would have been nice to see the objective sound comparison with air pods max in the mix.
I just bought the bathy's and have felt the the upper mid range to be a bit short and bright for me. I was considering trading them in for the px8 but it sounds like that wouldn't be the greatest either. I'm just curious now on the air pod max
I have listened to both of them at my audio dealer for comparison. I liked the PX8 much more. Maybe on the tuning side they don't meet Andrew's preferences in how a headphone should sound, but for me and my metal and rock they sound best in the realm of wireless headphones. Btw. I am not an ANC user.
Otherwise I do have Focal floor loudspeakers and headphones, but here and for me it was surprisingly the PX8. They just enchanted my ears.
Give them a trial and compare for yourself. At the end it is absolutely subjective and a question of what music you listen to
I own a pair of the AirPods Max and I own the PX8. I compared them with the Focal Radiance and the DCA Aeon 2s.
The AirPods Max are good, but the SQ is inferior to that of the PX8, with only the ANC being superior on the Apple product.
Whichever of these you buy, just make sure to get the most use out of them because as with any battery powered device, this has a finite lifetime. I don’t know if the batteries can be replaced once they’re dead. But by that time, its wireless tech would already be obsolete. And maybe its wired connector too. 😂
Finite lifetime with the original batteries, sure... But I think most brands, even the ones asking close to a grand for their product, simply use run of the mill lithium polymer battery packs. I noticed the batteries on my EXT-W37 (underdog) headphones were wearing out after a couple of years, so I simply took them apart, noticed the lipo's and found that I had enough space to replace the original 500mAh per side with the 1000 mAh drop-in replacements for the Sony XM's. Even the connector fitted on the tiny PCB, no soldering required! It doubled the lifespan and I easily get 40-50 hours of play out of them :-)
My point is, spend some time investigating how the cans were built, maybe even contact the manufacturer (you have the right to repair your own stuff!) and you're back in business for years to come.
That said, wireless still relies on digital signals and protocols, so expanding the lifespan with a few battery upgrades doesn't guarantee compatibility with the future. Wired (usually) is analog, and as long as we hear analog, wired is here to stay.
Not a single one of these compares to the XM3/4/5 in terms of ANC, or the Sennheiser HD 820, Audeze Empyrean and Focal Clear in terms of sound quality.
😂. L
but, it's already possible to transfer bit perfect sound (44kHz/16bit) thru BT (lossless compression), and it'll be only easier in the future when BT throughput increased even more (now it's up to 2Mbps)
I had the Mark Levinson at home for a couple of days before returning them. Moving my head even slightly caused odd scratching noises and changes to the sound. So that was a showstopper.
I now have the Focal Bathys and am very happy with them, no complaints.
Still happy with Batys?
@inach9832 Yes, absolutely. Sound quality and usability is top notch. Two small problems: If you connect the headphones to two devices simultaneously, the sound quality suffers (small clicks and glitches seem to appear). And the ear pads start to deteriorate now - but I'm a heavy user, I use them in home office every day.
Other than that, still very happy.
I'm really confused about people here being angry about graphs? Andrew mentions that he's hearing the things that the rig is measuring. This has always been a very objective channel. If you're not a fan of that, why would you be here?
Plus, it's very known that closed backs (i.e all of these) are wildly dependent on the HRTF as well as the acoustic impedance. So what you're hearing is not necessarily equivalent to what's being measured. That's not to say either is wrong lol.
Thank you for confirming my choice for the Focal Bathys!:-) couldn’t be happier with the purchase, they sound great, super comfortable and I have the freedom of wireless( so can move around) top product!
are many people having issues with the headband on 5909s pulling loose? Also how are the buttons?
Interesting review, thanks for that.
I have listened to many of these and for me, which is subjective, the PX8 were impressive. I preferred them to Bathys but that’s just me, they’re not ordinary in sound at all.
I’ve hooked it up to my home Amp with hi-def music through an Arcam cd player and it is beautifully clean and clear, and relaxing sound, which I can listen to all day. But that may just be me
I ordered a pair of Bathys from you all just a couple weeks ago largely off the back of DMS' video and I am absolutely loving them. Mostly using them in the USB mode so far and they've pretty much been the perfect solution for the office for me. I'm even listening to this video through the Bathys at the office right now!
Nice to hear. Does the USB sac mode work with an iphone ? Have read that apparently it’s only enabled with an iPad with using iOS cheers
Focal Bathys, the $700 pair of Bluetooth headphones that doesn't support LDAC or even aptX HD, lmao.
dali io-12 ANC is also pretty mehhhhh if anyone is wondering. But everything else is perfect.
Sound demos suck bro.
I have not tried other headphones but I am happy with px8, you can also tweak bass/treble in app for example, also there was update to 3.0 soft version of headphones which you didn't probably had when recording this video. They improvied audio quality with that update
The built-in Dac on the Bathys is absolutely incredible. My reference point for wireless headphones is the xm5 Momentum 4 and the drop Panda
The fact that the ML is by far the most expensive and is the only pair of headphones with audible hiss, is kind of angering.
what an odd segment of the market, a place where you spend lcdx money to get something that sounds completely incomparable but has anc
Anybody here in the comments section anyone own bower and wilkins headphones? Whats your thoughts on the sound compared to others in same price range?
I thoroughly reject the premise of using Bluetooth ANC headphones for critical listening! They are a convenience item and that is the focus. Are they convenient, reliable and flexible? Is their level of playback acceptable?
Also, they’re designed for portability. Any review that doesn’t thoroughly use them in that application and in a noisy environment is derelict. I live in a major city with plenty of sub sonic background noise that affects both frequency extremes. It tends to attenuate both bass and treble extremes even with ANC activated. I’ve found some boost in these areas to be normalized when listening with subsonic backgrounds. I’ve also found that, for me, headphones with strong ANC introduce some negative artifacts into the sound due to processing.
good for you .-. , some of us want to be able to do critical listening on the go. Actually wanting progress.. imagine that.
P.s - The Focals have the same sound regardless of ANC mode used, which is impressive, so no artifacts or any of that.
This analysis is a million times better than some self-proclaimed audiophile wanker using soundbites to pretend he knows what he's talking about. I really appreciate this guy showing us the data, relating it to real experience and admitting to the limitations, like how it fits around the ear, the attitude of the driver with respect to the ear, and so on. Best review I've seen. Well done!
Can you please do a review and comparison of EDIFIER STAX SPIRIT S3?
Interesting video. For what it’s worth, compared these headphones and chose to go for Px8. Didn’t find what you’re describing. And sound can easily be tweaked here and there through app. But I appreciate their strong bass and detailed mids and treble. Not expecting them to beat my audiophile headphones but plenty good on the go, and yes…no wires!!! Anyway, comes to show that depending on personal playlists and expectations, outcome can vary greatly! Cheers!
I too chose the PX8, I think the SQ is really quite good to my ears. I've A-B'ed them with the Focal Radiance and I don't hear details that are being compressed or masked or lost listening to FLAC files both via wire and BT (using the FiiO BTR5 for the Radiance).
I also went for the PX8 and I can hear great detail on the symbals on uptown funk, so I don't really understand the comment. Both on Aptx HD and wired.
I'm in the market for a headphone, and this the only review where px8 wasn't praised for sound quality.
these things are subjective, sure.. but I'm inclined to think that maybe the px8 doesn't fit him as well as the other cans?perhaps just not compatible with his head shape & ears? idk
Sound is opinionated, I tried them in this review and a great many more and my initial preference is the B&W PX8‘s.
I still haven’t purchased any but have a few months till my flight to The States from Europe.
The B&W €599 are also now going for a whopping €200 less the the Focal Bathys €799.
Choices choices
While there is a lot of useful info in this video and I appreciate the time and thought that went into it, it is still quite frustrating.
To start, is FR the only sound criteria that matters? Isn't it the easiest thing to adjust? It's quite the contradiction to criticize the 5909 for having limited equalization in the app and wishing Treble could be adjusted, thus implying FR issues CAN BE improved or fixed but then come down on the 5909 for the 10K boost! The app may not have EQ but there are many other ways to do it: Wavelet, Poweramp EQ (my personal choice) and Galaxies built in EQ just to name 3. On the other hand what about Soundstage, Transparency, instrument seperation and other areas of SQ?
Turning to build quality and design it would be good to know what materials each one uses - type of leather, how much plastic, etc.
Then there is the different control scheme. To me it's a big strike against the PX8 for making you choose to control ANC mode or the Virtual Assistant but not both.
The last thing that comes to mind is the reports I've seen on the Bathys having issues with sound leakage.
I read that a new firmware for the PX8 has been released recently, which according to the description improves the sound. "3.0.0" can you say something about that?
uHH Where are the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 headphones???? All I want is a 5909 vs H95 comparison and noone anywhere does it -- you were SO CLOSE! ugh, oh well.
I‘m always suspicious when Harman releases a so-called high end headphone. Is it just a JBL or Samsung dressed up? It would be interesting if somebody did a teardown and comparison.
I went with Focal last week and have been happy. The built in DAC is pretty cool and the music compared to my HIFIMAN Sundera's is more relaxed and warm.
Who knows, maybe it was my Bluetooth codec but to me the Bathys just sounded like Sonys or something. They didn't really particularly stand out in the way that focal's wired passive headphones do
Really clear and well articulated review, as always. Nice one, Resolve. Thanks for your continued work in this area!
Interesting...
I have a really diverse set of headphones since engineers are always chasing that next best thing. For me the Mark Levinson 5909's were extremely good (sound) and competed well with some of my higher end headphones. On the lower end I also have the Airpods Max and find that the ML's did a very good job of coming close to the Airpods on ANC. I do have to admit that I like to use the ML's wired but for walk-around duty with Bluetooth they are excellent. It could be that since I am older my high frequency hearing capability is blunted more than yours so I don't have the same treble frequency issue you mention. Thanks for the well thought out review.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@@MrJ.31 No, I have not had any problems like that.
@@MrJ.31 That sucks. My go to Sony XM3’s (gym and running) did that and difficulty pairing, but they’ve been beaten up and they’re old. Call or email levinson. Someone said to reset them. I’m Looking at the 5909s. Yikes.
@Georgia Fan Yeah it was a software issue. I did a few factory resets on the headphone and cleared out and reinstalled the app and once everything was updated and paired again it started working no problem and haven't had any issues since. I love that sucker. I've had the pleasure of trying a bunch of ANC headphones and the 5909 really was the best of the bunch for me. Just the sound quality alone is kinda like a mix of the best qualities that the B&W PX8 and Focal Bathys have to offer. Just my personal opinion. And I have to agree with you on the Sony XM5's. Those things are fantastic and definitely my favorite BT headphone in the $500 and under range
B&O still too scared to send their H95 to more hardcore headphone reviewers...
These headphones have DSP so it baffling why the headphone makers can't offer parametric or at least a 12 band eq in the app.
Why aren't there any respectable reviews of the Yamaha YH-L700A (besides from some tech channels who all seem to find it to be too shy in the low end)?
I'm surprised you found the sound on the Px8, so objectionable. Fortunately, I don't listen to frequency charts. I listen to the music presented by the headphone. I had the opportunity to extensively listen to the Bathys and Px8. The Bathys are excellent as you suggest. They have a wider sound stage. BUT, the Px8, to my ears sounded better, with a warmth and intimacy missing in the Bathys. I have not heard the ML, but I wouldn't actually be willing to spend $1,000, so it would be academic at best. I have to wonder if the pair of Px8 you received had some issue with them? Or, if 11 months later, B&W has updated them to be more in line with the Bathys? Either way, for my money, I simply couldn't be happier with the Px8. Everyone's ears are different, of course. Mine chose the Px8 and I'm very very happy they did!
I just received the Px8 on Friday. They are the newest Royal Burgundy color, so very new from B7W and perhaps some things have changed under the hood?
These types of comments make no sense to me
“I don’t listen to frequency response charts” you think that’s all he did? He is just objectively measuring and showing what he’s hearing. This type of hand waving of an educated opinion that doesn’t fit yours is very bizarre.
@@MrAkella33 Bizarre? I find it odd that these frequency charts were used as a basis to suggest there is anything wrong with the PX8. I guess we can agree to disagree. Most reviewers applaud the incredibly well balanced sound. As do I.
@@Rodghost1 I don’t think you watched the video at all. Resolve obviously listened to these headphones to critique them you understand that right? Where is this idea coming from that’s he’s solely basing his opinion on the frequency response? What a strange accusation to make against a channel that literally specializes in headphone reviews and impressions
@@MrAkella33 I watched the ENTIRE video. And I stand by my comments. I never suggested he solely based his opinion on frequency graphs. But I stand by by comment that I don't listen to frequency charts. I listen to music and to my ears, over all the many Bluetooth OTE headphones I've owned, the Px8 are sonically, the best I've yet owned. I'm not sure what your stake is here. Do you even own a pair of Px8? Have you listened to them extensively? Also note, that the reviewer didn't bother to comment back to me, so he clearly wasn't too bothered.
@@Rodghost1 I just don’t understand your criticism of the video, if you agree with my points than what is Resolve doing that’s wrong? Then that means your comment about “not listening to frequency responses” has nothing to do with the video
I don’t have a stake in anything, I was just coming back to this video after listening to them against other headphones in my local audio shop and saw your comment. I just don’t understand what you are trying to imply with what seemed to be a very straight forward, criticism of the headphone. He gave both an objective and his subjective opinions about it. Why is that a bad thing?
My subjective impressions follow pretty well the measurements. The PX8 unfortunately is the Sony style of sound, too much bass-masked. ML treble is too sharp most of the time, but with LDAC it pulls ahead overall. The Bathys still has a slightly hard sound, and hits a bit too hard, like over-driven. Likely makes sense to wait for the next version of all these. Looks like this is the first generation of wireless headphones targeting to reach (relative) audiophile SQ. Once the competition on that has started, hopefully it will get better and better.
outside Resolve looks like a completely different person than inside Resolve
might be the lack of the hat and the addition of the sunglasses
Focal has become a brand non-grata in my audio system. I have tried a number of them from the Elear to most recently the Stellia. They are all some of the worst sounding headphones I have listened to.
😂. L
which one should i buy px8 or focal bathys for music, light causal gaming(story mode only like breath of the wild or ori and the will of the wisps or last of us or uncharted) and i watch movies a lot
The sound signature is different. It is really up to your preference.
Bang & Olufsen HX would be nice to have reviewed too, thanks!
As always from the Headphone Show, an interesting review/comparison. As attested to by you, as well as the many, excellent comments below, sound - how we perceive and enjoy it - is ultimately subjective. Whilst a frequency response can give you some idea of the warmth, coolness or characteristic of a headphone, it tells you nothing about separation, soundstage, detail retrieval, etc.
I also found your comments about where these stand in the market place against other types, particularly wired models, both interesting and simultaneously irrelevant. From my own circumstances, I see it like this...
I want the very best sound quality so I'll have open-back phones. However, my main hi-fi system is in my lounge (BTW, I'm writing from the UK where houses are half the size!) and my wife doesn't want to hear my music when she's watching TV. OK, closed back then (Compromise 1). But during the day, I work from my kitchen table which is out of reach from my hi-fi so I get my music from ,my phone or laptop. OK, so a closed back and a USB DAC/amp (Compromise 2)? But when I'm not working from home, I do commute or travel by public transport, so I'll also need ANC and portability (Compromise 3).
Whilst these do not have the supposed sound quality of equivalent priced wired headphones, that is because they have to do so much more. Do I buy a £400 closed back, a £150 DAC/amp and £350 ANC or one pair at £900 that does everything rather well? And that's the gap these models are trying to fill. As ANC headphones, yes, they are expensive. As a headphone suitable for every occasion and perhaps with fewer compromises, do they offer value for money? Very probably.
Great video, recently purchased the Bathys after comparing it with the PX8 in the store, I agree with your assessments!
I did the same. The PX8 felt processed and compressed. It was an almost instant preference to the Bathys from the low end alone. I am finding setting the eq to bend upward for the higher spectrum. I was listening to both using aptx hd. When I tried using the apple Bluetooth variety, both sounded aweful. However from an iPhone listening through usb in dac mode sounded a lot like aptx hd. My coworker bought the Bathys for that reason. I on the other hand will be using aptx hd primarily and I thought they sounded great.
What store carries both models to try?
One of the main reasons I chose the 5909 over the Bathys is that the Bathys doesn't have a true passive mode, while the 5909 does, so I can use the 5909 with an external DAC (e.g. a Chord Mojo 2). I'd wager that the 5909 connected passively to a good DAC sounds better than the Bathys.
did you receive your 5909? what are your impressions and comparisons?
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
@@MrJ.31 try to reset the headphone
Thanks Resolve. Glad to see you are taking the time to do this. Use to be there was only Sony and Bose but now there are so many to chose from and some of them are poor value prospects at half the cost. For SQ, the best I have heard so far are the Bathys and the Spirit S3 which doesn’t have ANC. Hope you will be able to review the M&D MW75 at some point.
Yeah I need to check out the M&D stuff and also the B&O stuff - all the ampersand headphones!
Yes. Because Sony and Bose are more price friendly and to be honest I've never heard better noise canceling out of the Sonys.
@@easterbunnybrandon1796 For the longest time there were no alternatives at any price. 🙂
M&D now there's a name I haven't seen in a while. I wonder if they still even sell the original passive closed back that Tyll raved about back in the day
@@metal571 From what is on their website, it looks like they only make wireless products these days. Definitely still not a bargain brand.
I have 3 requirements for BT headphones - comfort, sound & ANC. Worn out & about / commuting. In my experience the PX8 (007) are stellar. Discrete but very sleek & stylish. Comfortable even with glasses. Adequate ANC, quite impressive actually. Perky, beefy, solid sound. No complaints for external use. I also own ML - too bulky for outside and inadequate ANC (for my requirements). Happy to use at home. Haven’t heard the Focal. Difficult review for Resolve, as he indicated. People’s mileage will vary.
Do you happen to have any connection issues with your ML like random unpairing or turning off during phonecalls? My ML does this sometimes so I was curious if you had similar issues
No, only use ML at home in stable environment. Never for calls. Didn’t get on well out & about because of ‘poor’ ANC.
Were these tests taken right out of the box? Typically sound tests should only be conducted after breaking the headphones in-normally over several weeks
I wonder too. My Bathys sounded definitely different after around 50 hours burn in. Much cleaner bass.
Don't expect reviewers to diligently do that. Making YT reviews is a business more than a hobby.
Bathys suck. Don't do it.
I tried the PX8’s after reading endless reviews about how incredible they were and thought the pair I had must be broken. Sent them back for another pair. Exactly the same. Muddy, congested and dull. Beautifully made but otherwise horribly overpriced.
Same thing happened to me, but with Bathys. But I didn't suspect them to be broken, obviously. It's just a matter of whether it matches your preference.
Thanks for the review. Any chance you're going to review or compare the Bang and Olufsen H95s?
Don't count on it.
Mark Levinson takes it for me for the most important things:
1. They are tuned to the Harman curve. This has been widely researched and tested to be the most balanced and pleasant-sounding signature. At some point, all other headphone companies referred to this research for tuning guides.
2. BOTH aptx adaptive and ldac supported. Ensures that pretty much any source for hi-fi sound is covered. Both Bathys and PX8 supports aptx adaptive only.
3. ONLY the ML No 5909 allows for "true" passive listening. So doesn't need to be powered on to use. Ran out of batteries? No problem, just use the cables and listen away.
4. ANC performance is just right. Not going to be world beaters, but compared to other high-end models, more than enough and is definitely in the top 1 or 2.
5. Mic for calls is superb. Clean and clear. But in saying that, it does not put you in a vacuum, which you wouldn't want anyway, unless you want to sound muffled.
Those 5 points mostly covers majority of the use cases. Different users, different uses though, so points above might not even matter for some but majority will pick a wireless headphone past the $500 mark based on the nuances and what can get them "more". ML No 5909 definitely ticks all of the boxes and a bit more future-proofed. Remember even when the batteries fail and/or start losing their charge, the ML will still work.say what you must, but that already makes the ML a better investment albeit with a little bit more cash outlay at the start. As for looks and comfort, any of these three will do it for me. Although, not really sure why the silver ring gets called out for the ML but not the light-up led logo on the Focal. Certainly that'd call more attention? And kinda makes it look like a gaming headset? Perhaps wasn't called out since it can be turned off? 😁
You said it all. I’m an old levinson fan and have a lot of their hifi gear from 30 years ago. I AB’d the 5909s and they blew me away. ANC is as good as Apple AirPods Max. Btw, even my old Sony XM3’s allow me to run them wired to my dac and it’s helpful, like the levinsons. Sony makes a good below $500 wireless (XM5). The 5909s as you said, Harman curve, Idac support, good battery. I think I know where I’m going. Thanks for the input. 👍
How's the app for the ml is custom EQing possible?
No LDAC on the Bathys - this is a dealbreaker if you use a Samsung phone.
Exactly. I would like a pair of wireless ANC headphones to use with my Fiio M11. At $799 the Bathys should be compatible with all codecs.
Thanks for the excellent review. Although I preferred the 5909.
The high end ANC headphone market is getting more interesting. Nice to see some more options available!
Just to annoy you with another "but what about X" comment, wHeRe Is ThE N90Q?????
If you do a blind test with random average consumers, 90% will tell you that the sound quality of the px8 is the best.
Of course, sound quality is not necessarily that subjective and the graphs clearly show people wrong, but there is just something with the in-your-face type of punchy lively sound that the px8 can bring.
The bathys might be more analytical but I found them straight up boring.
Just to add to Benesyed's comment below, the aspect that's missing from this review is to assess wired as well as bluetooth sound quality. That's because the ideal is to have a headphone that can be used in both modes. When on the move, the upper end of sound quality is arguably less important than when at home and able to concentrate fully. The John Darko review of the Mark Levinsons found that the wired sound quality was competitive with more expensive headphones and it would have been good to hear your view on this aspect. Please consider that in future reviews if possible. Many thanks.
Anyone with a Bathys can comment on how the ANC works outside with wind noises? How does it work on a bike?
Definately don't wear these on a bike for your own safety and others. Use airpods pro or another earbud with great transparency.
blowers and milkers
Sound quality is subjective. And not one of all those headphones produces great sound by Bluetooth. A phone isn’t capable to transfer good sound quality so you get yourself a cheaper headphone that you like and your fine.
Why beoplay h95 its not in the list???
as someone with a small head. I love the PX8 but mostly cuz they’d fall off my head so easily if they didn’t have the clamping force they have. Like Airpods max are so loose on me.
So wrong. The BW px8 are truly the worst and pure disappointment. And sound quality should be #1 priority! After trying out a long list of headphones, to me the ML5909 were the choice. Simply pleasant in any way. After watching gazillions of YT vids on what are the best headphones, being constantly misled by the "Top 10" by RUclipsrs, its a 100% "don't listen to others" anymore, make your own ears and brain work and find out for yourself. Only You, the listener can decide what you like! Or do you ever go to a restaurant and have some random person decide, what food is best for you and what you should order?
Slight correction to your intro, the PX8 starts at $699.
The price for the unit he reviewed is the $799 that he quoted, but he should've mentioned that he was testing the PX8 007 Edition. The standard edition is, like you said, $699.
Didn't expect ANC headphone to be stellar. But for me, they have to be good enough to be daylied, be comfortable for hours and the ANC should make me forget my surroundings. I guess two of those do that.
Good, detailed review.
The PX8 is not that bad, bass heavy but the rest of the frequencies are decent and it`s very pleasing to listen to...
I think the Focal is the one for me but I am gonna wait for the Airpods Max 2 and see if they improved the sound quality.
My first try on px8 was few months ago, and i could not believe i was listening to the well named b&w headphones...the sound profile was soooo weird and unpleasant that i actually suspected that someone custom EQed it before. Later did i got notice that unlike most headphones, the eq customization of the px8 "follows" the headphone instead of the app(aka the phone) that you used to custom it. Despite i didnt try it again to confirm this info, i really hope that some weird customization has been done to that demo i listened to, because that experience was really surprisingly unpleasant.
I really do not think about or really use ANC. It is not even a thought when purchasing headphones.My idea of noice cancelling is to turn up the volume until you do not hear the surround environment. The main quality I use when choosing a headphone is the sound quality (clear distinct sound). I have tried and returned many a headphone due to not liking how they sound. I also like the headphone to fit tight around my head and not loose. And I love them to be able to get loud. I am not loading with money so the headphones I have are the Sennheiser HD 6602, Sony MDR 7506, Focal Elegia, and the Focal Bathys. I also have not expensive IEMs. My 2 cents worth.