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Sennheiser HDB 630 vs Focal Bathys: Hi-Fi Wireless Listening
Hi-fi Bluetooth listening has been the talk of the town since the release of the Sennheiser HDB 630. What other headphones compete with the level of detail, depth, and features? Naturally, Focal has come up in these conversations, having held the crown for quite some time. This brings up the obvious question: how do the Sennheiser HDB 630 and Focal Bathys compare? When we put these two headphones side by side, we’re able to lay out all the finer details that make these headphones similar and different. If you’re looking to upgrade but want to make an informed choice, this comparison review is just for you. Both the Sennheiser HDB 630 and the Focal Bathys offer stunning quality for their price.
WHAT COMES IN THE BOX
SENNHEISER HDB 630
- HDB 630 closed-back headphones
- BTD 700 Bluetooth® USB C dongle
- 1.20 m USB-C audio and charging cable
- 1.20 m audio cable with 3.5 mm plug
- In-flight adapter
- Carrying case
FOCAL BATHYS
- Focal Bathys
- Rigid carrying case supplied
- 2 cables supplied: one 4ft (1.2m) Jack cable; one 4ft (1.2m) USB-C® cable
- Quick start guide
DESIGN & BUILD QUALITY
Starting with the build quality, Sennheiser and Focal take two different approaches. The Sennheiser HDB 630 is reminiscent of the MOMENTUM 4, but with slightly smaller earcups. The HDB 630 and the Bathys have builds that are bulkier than other Bluetooth headsets, but they differ greatly in weight. The Sennheiser HDB 630 is much lighter than the Focal Bathys. The Bathys have a bit more weight due to the different materials and different technology inside, but this could prove to be fatiguing over long periods. The Sennheiser HDB 630 offers a much lighter alternative.
Both the HDB 630 and Bathys come in a neutral black color with silver details to highlight their company logos. At the moment, the Sennheiser HDB 630 only comes in black; the Focal Bathys have silver and dune color variations. Each headphone comes with a case and all the necessary cables for charging and wired listening, but the HDB 630 steps it up with the addition of the BTD 700 dongle adapter.
USER FUNCTIONALITY
When it comes to features and functionality, Sennheiser and Focal have two very different outlooks. To start with basic functions, the HDB 630 continues the smart-touch controls seen in its predecessor. The right ear cup serves as the central hub for all controls. You can swipe, tap, and use zoom motions to access all your basic controls like play, pause, volume, track playback, and ANC adjustment. There is one button on the bottom of the HDB 630 earcup to turn the headphones on and off and set them into pairing mode. The HDB 630 also supports wired listening, with a USB-C port for charging and a 2.5mm port for wired listening.
Meanwhile, the Bathys take a more analog approach. Instead of trying to navigate touch controls, you have tactile buttons and switches to activate different controls. You have a switch to turn it on, then three buttons that let you control volume, track number, and play/pause. On the power switch, you can toggle between USB-C DAC mode or just regular power for Bluetooth or 3.5mm wired connection. There is another button for toggling between ANC and transparency modes, but no way to adjust it in increments like you can on the HDB 630.
ANC & ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Active noise cancelling is becoming a standard in any wireless headset, and these two headphones are no exception. The HDB 630 and Bathys come with active noise-cancelling technology, though you can find some differences between them. While the Bathys only have set on and off modes for its ANC, the HDB 630 allows you more personalized control with a sliding scale of ANC and transparency. With ANC on the max setting on both headphones, I found the Sennheiser to have slightly stronger noise cancelling as opposed to the Focal. Still, both provide ample isolation and don’t let the ambient environment distract you from your music.
The Sennheiser HDB 630 and Focal Bathys are both able to connect to their company’s companion app to access additional features. Between the two, the Sennheiser HDB 630 gives users the ultimate customizable experience. You have preset EQ filters and the option for creating your own personalized filters. Instead of just sliding predetermined ranges up or down, you have access to parametric EQ (PEQ) for more exact and concentrated frequency adjustment. Add the ability to directly compare a custom filter with the one you just made, and you have the ideal setup for adjusting your audio. Along with PEQ, the HDB 630 also comes with a crossfeed feature that makes your headphones sound more like a stereo speaker setup. For more modern recordings, this feature isn’t anything too special. However, when listening to older recordings that were just learning about panning and upgrading to stereo, the crossfeed feature allows you to get better imaging in your track.
On the other hand, Focal keeps things very simple. You get some in-app features, such as ANC adjustment and EQ, but they aren’t as precise as those found in the HDB 630. If you just want a headphone that sounds good out of the box and don’t need all the fancy custom features, the Bathys are a perfect match. The Sennheiser HDB 630 caters to the picky listeners who need complete control over every aspect of their music listening.
PHOTO GALLERY
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SENNHEISER HDB 630
- Ear coupling: Over-ear
- Ear pad material: Leatherette (synthetic)
- Resolution: Up to 24 bit / 96 kHz with USB-C, analog input, or BTD 700 Bluetooth® USB C Dongle
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
- Codec support: aptX™ Adaptive™, aptX™ HD, aptX™, AAC, SBC
-
Frequency response:
- USB: 6 Hz – 40 kHz (only when using Line-In, USB (96 kHz) or Bluetooth with aptX adaptive (96kHz))
- 6 Hz – 22 kHz (otherwise)
- Nominal impedance: Active 480 Ω
- Sound pressure level (SPL): 105 dB (1 kHz / 0 dBFS)
- THD, total harmonic distortion: <0.2 % (1 kHz / 100 dB SPL)
- Acoustic design: Closed-back
- Transducer: Electrodynamic (moving coil)
- Weight: 311 g (without cable)
FOCAL BATHYS
- Type: Closed-back wireless headphones with active noise cancelling
- Bluetooth Technology: 5.1 Multipoint
- Bluetooth Range: >15m
- Bluetooth Frequency Range: 2042MHz – 2480MHz
- Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™ Adaptive, aptX™
-
Battery Life:
- 30 hours Bluetooth Noise Canceling
- 35 hours 3.5mm jack
- 42 hours USB-C DAC
- Voice Assistants: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
- Other Features: Google Fast Pair
- Speaker Drivers: 1 5/8” (40mm) Aluminium-Magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome, made in France
- Frequency Response: 15Hz to 22kHz
- Harmonic Distortion Rate: <0.2% @ 1kHz
- Microphones: 8
- Weight: 0.77lbs (350g)
LISTENING REVIEW
SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING
Now onto the main part of our comparison: the listening portion. Listening to these two headphones side by side revealed a lot of similarities and details that made them worthy of each other’s competition. We start with the soundstage, which is impressively wide on both. What stood out on both of these headphones is the incredible depth they had in their soundstage, where the frequencies took steps back to create a wider, more immersive listening experience with ease. The HDB 630 had a slightly narrower soundstage than the Bathys. The Bathys were able to expand out wider for better instrument placement in the stereo field. The Focal Bathys excelled the most in instrument placement over the HDB 630, although the HDB 630 had a bit more depth and height in comparison. When you look at these headphones in comparison to other Bluetooth headphones, they showcase much more depth and separation than their competitors.
Their sound signatures were also quite similar, as they both excelled in natural sound reproduction that was flatter for more analytical listening. The HDB 630 sounded thinner because of an emphasis on treble reproduction, while the Bathys were a bit fuller and took up more space in the sound field. Both sound signatures were well-balanced between the three main frequency ranges. They both presented a very natural sound reproduction, one that became a little more dynamic in the Bathys but stayed flat in the HDB 630.
BASS FREQUENCIES
The lower range frequencies in the Sennheiser HDB 630 are very controlled. You get a detailed bass response that also stays quite full, so the low end doesn’t feel thin or lacking any depth. Sennheiser infamously does not have a strong bass response in comparison to other headphones, but the HDB 630 is a step above what we’ve heard from Sennheiser in the past. I find this bass response to be quite detailed and matches the energy in every genre you put through it. Throughout the entirety of the bass signature, the Sennheiser HDB 630 stays clean and fresh to avoid muddiness in those instruments. Bass drums and low guitars have extra kick and texture, and they stay controlled to not overpower the whole signature.
Meanwhile, the Focal Bathys have a consistently thick and full bass response. When you look at it in comparison with the Sennheiser headphone, you definitely can hear a difference in the emphasis on bass. The Bathys have a thicker bass sound, one that takes up the low end and builds a solid foundation for everything else. Not once does it get washed out or does detail get compromised along the way. I enjoyed the Bathys for their slightly recessed low end, so the midrange and treble can shine a bit more. The bass is just thick enough to be present and grounding, but doesn’t bring down the entirety of the signature to make it heavy. If anything, it gives the Bathys an added warmth that the HDB 630 does not have, making them all the more enjoyable.
MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES
Midrange detail is something both these headphones do exceptionally well. Sennheiser has long been known to produce some great reference headphones, and this carries over to the HDB 630 as well. The midrange stands out as the main feature of these headphones, highlighting detail across melodic instruments to keep you entertained for all 60 hours of battery life. This range accentuates the depth of the soundstage through the layering of all the instruments. The texture and detail the HDB 630 gives are impressive, and if it isn’t quite enough, you can always use the parametric EQ to accentuate the spots that carry the most texture (something you can’t do on the Bathys).
The Focal Bathys have a similar midrange response. Detail and texture come through above all, while also being brought forward to create a very slight V-shape in the signature. The Bathys are perfect for engineers who are on the go and want something to analyze their sound with Bluetooth convenience. The midrange keeps instruments’ natural timbres in the mix, and the separation allows you to really hone in on the sound of each individual element. When looking at the Bathys midrange versus the HDB 630, you get a little better separation between the elements in the Bathys as opposed to the HDB 630. The depth is still highly effective and has a lot of good detail in the HDB 630, but the Bathys pull ahead for a stronger analytical element.
TREBLE FREQUENCIES
Rounding out the sound signature is the treble end. The Sennheiser HDB 630 presents the treble exceptionally well, with refined detail and clarity that matches what you get in the other ranges. The treble is bright and sharp in places where it needs to be, but stays relaxed enough to not be overly piercing. I did appreciate the space that this end provided; it was a nice balance to the low end being very present. The HDB 630 follows in the footsteps of other Sennheiser headphones that make the top end a highlight and memorable part of the sound signature. The detail in this section carries through the sound signature to make sure every part has the same clarity as the treble.
The Bathys take a calmer and less attacking approach to the high end. It sits behind the midrange, much like the bass response, and serves to provide extra detail across the signature. The treble is clear and has an airy quality, so it’s less intense in your tracks. You still get impressive detail and clarity, but it stays subtle to make the signature more open and lighter. The ANC doesn’t weigh everything down, but instead gets lifted up to be less fatiguing and brighter. With the warmth of the low end, the treble in the Bathys is a nice balance to make sure things don’t sound too heavy. It may not be as sharp as the HDB 630, but the Bathys make sure top-end instruments are clear and precise in any track.
FINAL THOUGHTS: HDB 630 OR BATHYS?
The Sennheiser HDB 630 and the Focal Bathys are both strong contenders for high-end Bluetooth headphones. More commercial models like Sony or Bose are great for features and day-to-day functionality, but sound quality definitely gets a step up with these two models. Sennheiser and Focal set you up for success with accessories and features for easy listening that will be a noticeable upgrade from your current setup. How do which one is the right choice for you? Let’s break it down to its simplest points:
If you’re someone who doesn’t care about features, the Focal Bathys are an ideal choice. You get very basic functionality with the addition of an internal DAC for another boost in quality in wired listening. The Bathys serve as an excellent choice for audiophiles looking to branch out from commercial brands and want something with more finesse and fine detail.
Choose the Sennheiser HDB 630 if you want complete control over your sound. There isn’t an adjustment you can’t make, and with easy-to-use touch controls, you are all set to listen exactly how you like and when you like. At the end of the day, listening to both side by side will tell you exactly which you prefer.
You can get the Sennheiser HDB 630 and the Focal Bathys at Audio46.
HDB 630 VS BATHYS QUICK SUMMARY
Sennheiser HDB 630: $499.95 // Focal Bathys: $549
Both headphones offer ANC and wireless listening, with the option for lossless via USB-C/3.5mm.
Sennheiser HDB 630 carries lots of customizable features like crossfeed, PEQ, and ANC adjustment, something that the Focal Bathys do not have.
Depth of the soundstage is a highlight on both; Focal Bathys have more width, but the Sennheiser HDB 630 excels in depth.
Midrange clarity and treble detail make the HDB 630 memorable; the Focal Bathys have a warmer bass response.
Both headphones come with a 2-year warranty and accessories to make listening easy wherever you are.
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