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Focal’s headphones occupy the higher end of the market, which is to say that they don’t come cheap. The unusual aesthetics contribute to the line’s fantastic looks, and with rare exceptions (like Focal’s closed-back Celestee headphones), their sonic performance has received universal praise. The company’s first Bluetooth headphones with ANC, the Bathys (released in 2022), made a big impact in the consumer portable-headphone space, thanks to their excellent all-round performance. They are up there with the best Bluetooth headphones I’ve had the pleasure of listening to.
At the 2024 High End event in Munich, Germany, Focal unveiled its Hadenys and Azurys headphones ($749 and $599 respectively, all prices in USD), both of which borrow heavily from the highly successful Bathys ’phones. Of these, the $749 Hadenys headphones are passive cans employing the same 40mm (1.6″) aluminum/magnesium dynamic drivers as the Bathys, but in an open-backed acoustic alignment.
These wired headphones provide an opportunity to hear the transducers at the heart of the Bathys model, but without DSP-assisted equalization and the compromise of sealed rear enclosures. I may be a bit late to the party, but this sounds like an interesting proposition!
In the box
The Hadenys headphones are packaged in a white cardboard carton. Flipping open the magnetically latched lid reveals the slimline, color-matched, rigid carrying case containing the headphones. By color-matched, I mean it’s brown, since that’s the only color these headphones come in. I find the lack of color options to be a bit of a miss, but if—like me—you’re okay with brown, it’s not a big deal.
Unzipping the case, you’ll find the headphones neatly laid flat inside, thanks to their swiveling yokes. The inside of the case’s lid features a mesh pocket that handily accommodates the 1.8m (6′) cable (also brown). The cable must be unplugged for storage, and can be coiled and cinched using the captive Velcro tie to keep things tidy. Also included is a gold-plated 3.5mm-to-6.35mm (¼″) threaded adapter, for connection to equipment with a full-size headphone socket.
Use
Open-backed headphones are impractical to use in many situations, and these are intended for listening at home. That makes the included 6′ cable an appropriate length, but, materials-wise, it feels a little thin and less than premium. I appreciate that the cable is removable and easily replaceable, but I’d prefer that the single-sided entry point on the left ear cup had a twist-to-latch feature to keep the connector attached more securely. Note that the mini-TRS jack means that you won’t be able to drive these cans from a differential (aka balanced) headphone amp, although that isn’t a big deal given how efficient they are.
The Hadenys headphones feature magnesium yokes, and they have clearly been engineered to be lightweight. Weighing in at only 294gm (without the cable attached), they might surprise on first inspection, since they don’t offer the heft expected from a premium offering. However, your ears and neck will thank you after a prolonged listening session.
The low weight, memory-foam earpads and breathable fabric headband make these some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve tested. The earpads have inner dimensions of about 2.5″H × 1.5″W. This opening accommodates my larger-than-average ears with little room to shift around, but I was happy wearing the Hadenys headphones for hours on end. It’s nice to know that the earpads are easily removed and can be replaced if needed, extending the working life of the headphones.
With a nominal impedance of 26 ohms and a stated sensitivity of 100dB/mW (at 1kHz), the Hadenys headphones are easy to drive from essentially any source with a headphone jack.
Sound
Focal has achieved something quite extraordinary with these Hadenys headphones. On my first listen, I had to double-check my notes to confirm that I was indeed listening to a pair of open-backed headphones, because that’s not what they sounded like. What immediately caught my attention was that the sound had some weight—typically, I’ve found that open-backed designs tend to be anemic in the low end, or more forward-leaning. For Focal to bring real heft to the bass while maintaining such a high overall sensitivity is really impressive.
I began my in-depth listening with the title track of Tash Sultana’s 2016 EP, Notion (24-bit/48kHz FLAC, Mom+Pop Music / Qobuz). The song opens with a simple, strummed electric-guitar pattern, enhanced by a large reverb that suggests a cavernous space, which the Focal headphones portrayed excellently. During the first minute of the song, the accompanying lead-guitar lines imaged solidly to the left and right, widening the apparent soundstage way beyond my ears before the drums join in.
The kick drum brings weight to the track, and these headphones conveyed that bass depth convincingly, without overhang. A bass pad fills out the lower register, underpinning the track until Sultana’s vocals are finally introduced. The vocals occupy the same space as that repeated rhythm guitar pattern, but remained clear and distinct with adequate separation throughout as the layers of instrumentation ebb and flow. The song’s haunting quality was well presented by the Hadenys ’phones, but I did feel a slight lack of airiness (in the region above 10kHz) that persisted in my other program selections.
“Rū Ana Te Whenua” by Alien Weaponry, from the band’s 2018 album Tū (16/44.1 FLAC, Napalm Records / Qobuz), is an intense track and a dense mix, with plenty going on. From the opening sound of running water and mob vocals to the dense resonance of the floor toms and the raspy cutting edge of the layered, heavy-chugging rhythm guitars, there’s a lot to pay attention to. With the introduction of layers of synthesizers, rapid kick-drum patterns, and other sound effects, it’s like being caught in the middle of an intense battle. With combinations of these elements happening at the same time, the Focals managed to keep it all together somewhat cohesively, although I feel that planar-magnetic headphones like Audeze’s LCD-5s would be better for this kind of detail retrieval.
Comparison
My longstanding reference open-backed headphones are the venerable Sennheiser HD 600s. I love almost everything about these classic ’phones, from their comfort to their refined tonality, which is really only let down by their lackluster bass performance. This was a limitation I always attributed to the open-backed design, but the Hadenys headphones convinced me that well-proportioned bass can be delivered in this passive, open-backed format.
Switching between the Focals and Sennheisers, the lower output volume of the latter—particularly when connecting directly to my AudioQuest Dragonfly Black DAC—made it quite apparent that the 300-ohm HD 600s are harder to drive. I volume-matched the playback levels subjectively using pink noise for my comparisons, listening through a THX AAA 789 headphone amplifier.
“Latingroove” by Tiago Andree (Highway Chronicles, 24/44.1 FLAC, Tiago Andree Records / Qobuz) showcases Andree’s absurd talent for slapping, popping, and ripping on the bass guitar. Featuring a lot of highly dynamic, attack-laden bass-playing, placed in the center of a stereo presentation of Latin percussion captured with lifelike transients, this makes for a great test track.
The Focals presented a wider stereo field, and delivered the percussion on the track with more authority than the HD 600s. There was more bass and more punch, which means Andree’s slaps and thumps on the bass guitar were showcased as clearly as the pops and snaps. It’s no surprise that, in comparison, the Sennheisers couldn’t compete on those low notes. But they compared favorably for neutrality and clarity through the midrange, with similar transient abilities. The area where my old faithfuls still shone through was in the superior presence in the “air” region of the frequency response: the Sennheisers felt more open and revealing up top, particularly when the piano and horns were in the mix.
Conclusion
Focal’s Hadenys headphones get most everything right. They are among the best-sounding dynamic-driver open-backed headphones I’ve heard. They’re neutral enough for critical listening—or even for professional mixing—but still feel fairly laid back in their delivery.
These wired headphones have a low impedance and are sensitive enough to use with any source, and are lightweight and incredibly comfortable. They also appear to be well built, have great ergonomics, and come with a functional, well-designed travel case. Consider me a fan.
. . . AJ Wykes
Associated Equipment
- Laptop: Apple MacBook Pro (2019)
- Phone: Apple iPhone 15
- DAC/headphone amplifier: AudioQuest Dragonfly Black v1.5, iFi Audio Hip-dac
- Amplifier: THX AAA 789
- Headphones: Sennheiser HD 600
Focal Hadenys headphones
Price: $749
Warranty: Three years, parts and labor
Focal
BP 374, 108 rue de l’Avenir
42353 La Talaudière Cedex
France
Phone: +33 477-43-57-00
Focal Naim America
313 rue Marion
Repentigny, QC J5Z 4W8
Canada
Phone: 1-800-663-9352
Website: www.focal.com
