Edifier STAX Spirit S5 vs Focal Bathys - Battle of High End Bluetooth Headphones, Reviewed

[@jon-gk8we]

I must emphasize a highly significant point that many people overlook. The optimal protocol for the Bluetooth sound quality of Stax S5 is AptX Lossless. Please do not blindly trust LDAC.

[@Ge0vasny]

You’ll need to do another video once the Noble FoKus Apollo releases in a week or so.

[@warrenspicer7153]

I've subscribed and watched several of your reviews because I really enjoy your presentation style and nuanced reviews with real world use case scenarios. Parsing through several of your wireless headphone reviews, I think I know where you stand on a purely music listening in the home plug-and-play wireless headphone under $500 (my budget). Before finding your channel, I was leaning HiFiman Deva over Audeze Maxwell, because of the amount of software/tech dependance of the Maxwells, but in your review you specifically mentioned that even without future software updates, the Maxwells as a plug-and-play headphone are the best current choice of anything near their price. I really don't want to buy another tech/software dependent toy(outside of bluetooth), just a great set of great cans for wireless music around the house. The Deva Pros and the Spirit S3s (which The Absolute Sound channel just reviewed and loves) can currently be bought for $199-220! The Maxwells and S5s are still original retail pricing. I was hoping you'd confirm your ranking which I parse out as: 1. Audeze Maxwell 2. Hifiman Deva (or Deva Pro I assume) 3. Edifier STAX Spirit S3 4. Edifier STAX Spirit S5 ... would this be accurate? Thanks!!

[@IronMikeTyson...]

Thank you for review!

[@nirobiarjento6388]

I like this review. Well done. If you can, can you do a review on the Noble FoKus Apollo headphones? How does it perform compared to other Planar Magnetic and Dynamic headphones?

[@quikspecv4d]

I love that the Bathys has a usb DAC mode that sounds better than Bluetooth. Nice option to have

[@GadgetryTech]

100%!

[@SonicKiwi123]

I've compared Bathys to quite a few other contenders in the higher end market and they just blow everything else out of the water, at least to my ears. I love them, but my main gripes are that active noise cancellation/amplification cannot be completely disabled, and they are kind of leaky sound-wise. I haven't tried either of the edifiers and now I kind of want to. Not sure how I feel about that suck out at 500Hz on the Spirit S5 though...

[@joshjenks3715]

for me the scoop at the 3-5khz range was a deal breaker, it quite bluntly sounded like the vocals were veiled or shadowed. Past that the sound was close enough that the extra $200 increase for the bathys just wasnt worth it compared to the S5

[@indyjones720]

This guy is also using equipment that’s had known measurable issues in the headphone community with getting inaccurate measurements. 🤦‍♂️

[@WolfgangVBockenheim]

@GadgetryTech, What is the relevance of the S5 EQ settings that you are showing while recommending the S5 with leather preset and fabric earpads? Are those the recommended EQ settings to bring the S5 close to the expected Harman curve? TIA!

[@blight6368]

What are the dimensions for the earpads on the s5? Are they a lot smaller than bathys. I returned my bose qc and xm5s cause the earpads are a bit on the small side. I am too used to hd650 pads. Thanks.

[@Oyvind88]

Focal Bathys all day, love mine and the best headphones i ever had, that quality and sound😀🇧🇻

[@tde1964]

Same here.

[@lukasgayer5393]

What about the ANC? Is it on all the time? Is it possible to turn it off?

[@Oyvind88]

Great and no, not a problem for me

[@TheQuickyouknow]

I'm devastated. I heard some sound tests of the S5 and it sound amazing to me, but I guess it sucks 😭

[@GadgetryTech]

I wouldn't say it sucks at all. It sounds good otherwise, but I think benefits from EQ more. Those audio tests can be misleading though, so I wouldn't always base things on that.

[@EngrRomero]

Do the Bathys support LDAC? I have a Samsung S23 that have limited CODECs... Thanks for your great reviews.

[@GEFELICITEERD45]

No !

[@lukasgayer5393]

You can´t trun off the ANC on Bathys? What the hell does that supposed to be? Why would anyone design it like this?

[@indyjones720]

He used the KB006x Pinna clone. As we know, that pinna is KNOWN for inaccurate measurement due to its stiffness. Unless he has the KB501X, these measurements are useless. Because the spirit s5 do not suffer from any midrange dips.

[@michaelmullis1511]

Best dac amp option to get full potential out of hifiman edition xs? With optical connection to connect to TV for gaming. P.S. Thank you for your reviews. Dont care about mic. Under 200.

[@dandjsh7978]

Fiio K11 R2R

[@michaelmullis1511]

@@dandjsh7978 Thank you.

[@dividead100]

R2R dacs perform quite poorly and cheap R2Rs do even worse(and yes measurements do matter). You want the normal K11, sounds much better and if you already got the R2R my condolences but hopefully others will not make the same mistake.

[@dandjsh7978]

@@dividead100 Placebo

[@greccoox]

Whata "fight" of titans 🤠

[@Hijynx87]

Is it better than maxwell? Only care about SQ here

[@avetisdn7849]

I'd say yes Bathys is better, but it also more than twice expensive. I don't actually see they in one category not only at price, but in use

[@StegzGaming]

I’ll be honest, I liked the maxwells sound more than the bathys simply because the maxwells have a bigger stage and were more immersive for me. I really didn’t get much of a sound quality increase if any over the maxwells. It’s just different, but it’s definitely more comfortable since it’s much lighter.

[@avetisdn7849]

@@StegzGaming it feels like Maxwell's is a good value for money just as a closed-back headphones, not considering wireless and mic

[@nightly6065]

imo the maxwell have superior sound quality and especially after EQ it's pretty much endgame for wireless headphones

[@MrSoulCR]

Anyone saying, that Bathys are better than Maxwell, didn't use the right EQ settings for Maxwell. I have the Maxwells, Bathys and PX8 and let me tell you this, the Maxwell blows these away in terms of audio quality once you use the right EQ settings. However, the Maxwell then lacks in design, comfort and no ANC. But sound quality, no competition!!!!

[@johnthabeast5270]

Are there any gaming dacs i can use for xbox series x

[@GadgetryTech]

Our best option right now is this... steelseries.com/gaming-accessories/gamedac-gen-2

[@Hijynx87]

Probably need an hdmi audio extractor to get the optical signal if you want to use a dacamp. or usimng the optical from your tv

[@bryandrums9275]

Do a review on the Sennheiser HD6xx

[@All_of_space_is_dead]

Focal is goat

[@Ge0vasny]

Until they break - good luck with their non existent customer service.

[@leearmstrong8442]

Are you doing the acezone wireless review anytime soon?

[@GadgetryTech]

Yes! It's actually coming out as soon as this week. I waited for the software updates, as I knew several improvements were coming and wanted to include that in my review. Otherwise the review would have been inaccurate. It's my next headset video!

[@leearmstrong8442]

Awesome. Thanks for the update. Hanging fire buying it until ive seen your review.

[@sharkosaurfps]

@@leearmstrong8442they’re even better than the wired one. I am enjoying the wireless a ton. Trying to get rid of my wired ones now lol

[@dozerd42]

I saw Spirit S5 in the title, and I thought it said Spirit $5...nope!

[@MsSpookykid]

The Stax hast Snapdragon Sound (aptx losless/adaptiv) which ist Superior over LDAC

[@1ceb0xcfbl]

there is no real world noticeable difference between aptx and LDAC. and on paper LDAC is way better than aptx.

[@MsSpookykid]

@1ceb0xcfbl No there are measurements about that. And Snapdragon Sound is outperforming LDAC. On paper very easy to See without knowing technical Details Aptx Losless os more than 1000kbps. LDAC is old and outperfomed. Most of the time it is barley outperforming APTX HD. Because IT works on 900 kbps Just in perfekt conditions. Most of the time it will be 600kbps. And even APtx adaptiv on 420 hbps will provide at least the dame qulality do to other technical tricks.

[@MsSpookykid]

@1ceb0xcfbl ldac is way better than ApTX Classic. The original and oldest Codec of the ApTX Family. But No way netter than Snapdragon Sound alias aptx losless/adaptiv. LDAc should be not a Thing anymore since WE have ApTX adaptive

[@1ceb0xcfbl]

@@MsSpookykid I am sorry, but you are not correct. On paper LDAC is superior to any aptx codec. LDAC can go to 990Kbps in a perfect environment. If your env. is congested, it will drop to the below value which is 660Kbps. Aptx adaptive can go up to 620Kbps. LDAC wins in terms of audio quality if you can keep speeds of 990Kbps between your device and the source. APTX adaptive wins in terms of stability because it can scale its range in increments of 10Kpbs from 110Kbps to 620Kbps and it is able to better handle the connection (thus the quality of the audio) in bad/congested areas whereas LDAC has 3 steps: 330, 660 and 990 and it can only cycle between these and these only. Nothing beats LDAC if you are in a proper environment. And I trust Sony more when it comes to audio rather than Snapdragon.

[@MsSpookykid]

@@1ceb0xcfbl you can Look for measurements hete. And These are Just about Adaptive VS. lDAc Not even the losless Codec von APTX.

[@AndrewYouTubehandle]

Build quality? I have the stax spirit s3. Great sound, terrible app, design , privacy...(improved newer app now available) and absolutely appalling build quality of the stax spirit s3- my worst ever audio purchase. Takes 14 seconds pressing the on/off button to turn it off - have to insert a 3.5mm jack to turn it off. At least with focal you get the build quality.

[@meatkurtin9747]

I got the Bathys. Lived in for 80 hours straight. Wasn’t super impressed with the sound but worse than that was the way the squeezed my head. I was pretty bummed. Am I doing headphones wrong? 😢

[@roeland1205]

Yes, get the Edifier

[@ACE112ACE112]

Is there an eta for counter-strike 2 audio eq?

[@GadgetryTech]

Honestly as much as I'd love to release it soon, it may be as late as October. I'll do my best to fit it into the schedule as soon as I can

[@5_i_v_e]

🙌🏽🔥🔥🔥🙌🏽

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

Joseph, thank you for this very interesting comparison review! Reverend Dr. Thomas, The Vegan Vicar.

[@WaiizeeR]

They are good for gaming ?

[@WaiizeeR]

@userunknown2i2 OK thx 👍

[@zzezzobike]

I just hate measurements being priority, not normal

[@dividead100]

Graphs are inconclusive but they're the closest you can get to relevant in a review. If someone tells you some audio equipment is musical and smooth they're basically not telling you anything, you might as well just buy it blind and if they do a decent explanation of how they sound without showing you the graph, 60-80% of what they are doing is using words to describe what the graph shows.

[@jimmyw85]

Do a review on the Sennheiser HD58x please

[@matteodm]

They eat S3 for breakfast (with balanced cable and connected to qudelix 5k). Had both in direct comparison and I was shocked with the sound quality difference.