Subj : Focal's new headphones take different approaches to immersive aud To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Tue May 07 2024 10:15:05 Focal's new headphones take different approaches to immersive audio Date: Tue, 07 May 2024 09:00:10 +0000 Description: The Azurys pair sport an closed-ear design to isolate sound while the Hadenys is open-ear enabling better immersion. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Luxury audio brand Focal is returning to its roots by launching two new pairs of wired headphones: the Hadenys and the Azurys. At a glance, they appear to be direct follow-ups to the Bathys wireless headphones from 2022. The upcoming models house the same 40mm M-shaped dome speaker drivers, so you can at least expect similar audio quality, if not identical output. We praised the Bathys for its stunning musical clarity, depth, and space. All three even have comparable designs sporting genuine leather, a headphone with breathable woven fabric, and cups covered in a honeycomb grill. Each device has its own style, however, the Azurys is the most similar to the previous model. (Image credit: Focal) You see, the Azurys is a closed-ear pair of headphones. For those who don't know, a closed-ear design means the device is better at blocking outside noise. Sound from other sources wont leak in and the content youre listening to wont leak out. This makes the Azurys the best option for use in an office or other noisy environments. Its important to mention that neither pair supports active noise canceling, according to a company representative. They dont have the feature, meaning outside sound may interrupt your music to some extent. Although with the closed-off design, its effects shouldnt be too impactful. These headphones are more adept at handling bass as well. Like the Bathys, it has the same frequency response, ranging from 15Hz to 22kHz. The Azurys comes with a 4 ft long (1.25m) cable featuring a remote control button and microphone for calls. Open-ear option The Hadenys are quite different in that they are open-ear headphones . This pair offers a better immersive listening experience since open-ear designs can better replicate natural sound. So if you really want to dive into that new jazz or hip-hop album and listen to all the intricacies in the production, the Hadenys are the superior choice. However, youll only be able to enjoy the high audio quality at home. The problem with open-ear is the fact they offer little to no sound isolation. Outside noise will disturb music playback, plus everyone around is going to hear what youre listening to. Their frequency response isnt as wide, ranging from 25Hz to 22kHz, although most listeners probably wont even notice the difference. Focals Hadenys clocks in at 294g while the latter weighs 306g. Its not a massive gulf, but it makes the model more comfortable to wear. The audio cable is longer too measuring six feet total with the same control button and mic. (Image credit: Focal) Both headphones launch in June. An exact date was not given. The Hadenys will retail for $699/599/699 and the Azurys will cost $549 470/549. If you want something more budget-friendly, check out TechRadar's list of the best cheap headphones for 2024 . You might also like The best noise cancelling headphones 2024, chosen by experts for all budgets FiiO has squeezed in 20 balanced armature speakers inside its new custom in-ear monitors for 3D printed hi-res audio bliss Beats reveals cheaper Solo Buds earbuds, plus Beats Solo 4 headphones with Spatial Audio and 50-hour battery life ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/headphones/focals-new-headphones-take-differen t-approaches-towards-immersive-audio --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .