Head to head

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM4

They split the 4 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: Sony WH-1000XM4 costs $351 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists 350 g (12.3 oz) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02); Sony WH-1000XM4 lists 254 g (8.95 oz) (Sony sheet, 2026-09-02).
Active Noise Cancelling: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists Yes (Silent, Soft, and Transparent modes with 8 microphones) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02); Sony WH-1000XM4 lists Yes (HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 with Dual Noise Sensor) (Sony sheet, 2026-09-02).
Battery life: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists 30 hours (Bluetooth ANC) / 35 hours (Jack) / 42 hours (USB-DAC) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02); Sony WH-1000XM4 lists 30 hours (ANC on) / 38 hours (ANC off) (Sony sheet, 2026-09-02).
Foldable: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists No (swivels flat) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02); Sony WH-1000XM4 lists Yes (collapsible foldable headband) (Sony sheet, 2026-09-02).
Carrying case: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists Rigid black/silver carrying case included (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02); Sony WH-1000XM4 lists Compact hard-shell zippered carrying case included (Sony sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless

$6992 spec wins

Swap

Compare a different headphone

AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation$179 Anker Soundcore Space One Pro$199 AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)$249 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds$299 Sony WF-1000XM5 Earbuds$299 Bose QuietComfort Headphones$349 Beats Studio Pro$349 Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless$379 Sony WH-1000XM5$399 Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e$399 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones$429 Sonos Ace$449 Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$549

Sony WH-1000XM4

$3482 spec wins

Swap

Compare a different headphone

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your headphone.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 2 to 2

Tied overall. Sony WH-1000XM4 is cheaper.

The 4 rankable overall specs split 2 to 2.
Saves $351 at list price.

2 Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless4 rankable of 14 specsSony WH-1000XM4 2

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

Does not foldrow
Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Trips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · No (swivels flat)Clear:Sony WH-1000XM4 · Yes (collapsible foldable headband)
Over 300 grow
Neck fatigue on a long flight.
Trips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · 350 g (12.3 oz)Clear:Sony WH-1000XM4 · 254 g (8.95 oz)
No IP ratingrow
No official protection against sweat or rain.
Trips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · No official IP ratingTrips:Sony WH-1000XM4 · No official IP rating

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

3 of 3 differ

Weight

Focal

350 g (12.3 oz)

Sony

254 g (8.95 oz)

Active Noise Cancelling≠

Focal

Yes (Silent, Soft, and Transparent modes with 8 microphones)

Sony

Yes (HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 with Dual Noise Sensor)

Battery life≠

Focal

30 hours (Bluetooth ANC) / 35 hours (Jack) / 42 hours (USB-DAC)

Sony

30 hours (ANC on) / 38 hours (ANC off)

Comfort, Clamp & Travel Fit Check

Ergonomic factors that affect daily comfort, glasses wearers, and luggage space.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

Folding & Travel Packability

Collapsing inward saves ~40% space in backpacks or carry-on bags.

Focal

Standard folding earcups

Sony

Folds flat & inward (ultra-compact zippered case)

Clamp Force & Glasses Comfort

Firm clamps create strong acoustic seals but can press glasses frames into temples.

Focal

Standard headphone clamp

Sony

Gentle clamp force (~4.2 N, comfortable with glasses)

Weight & Crown Pressure

Headphones over 350g can cause top-of-head pressure hotspots during flights.

Focal

Standard headphone weight

Sony

254g (lightweight plastic composite)

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Focal: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Sony: What to watch for

Hardware Quirk
Microphones struggle significantly in windy outdoor conditions.
Callers frequently report muffling or wind blast noise when taking phone calls outdoors or near busy intersections.
Ergonomics
Shallow earcups cause ear cartilage to touch inner driver grille.
Users with slightly larger or prominent ears report slight aching or cartilage fatigue after 90+ minutes of continuous wear.

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$6992 wins

Sony WH-1000XM4$3482 wins

Design Audio Connectivity & Battery Ownership

12 of 14 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Design

leads 2-0

Design specifications. Middle column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless, right column is Sony WH-1000XM4.
Type	Over-ear, closed-back	Over-ear, closed-back
Weight	350 g (12.3 oz)	254 g (8.95 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Foldable	No (swivels flat)	Yes (collapsible foldable headband) (wins this row: has it)
Carrying case	Rigid black/silver carrying case included	Compact hard-shell zippered carrying case included
IP rating	No official IP rating	No official IP rating

Audio

5 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless, right column is Sony WH-1000XM4.
Driver	40 mm Aluminum/Magnesium 'M'-shaped dome (Made in France)	40 mm dome type (CCAW Voice coil)
Active Noise Cancelling	Yes (Silent, Soft, and Transparent modes with 8 microphones)	Yes (HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 with Dual Noise Sensor)
Transparency mode	Yes (Transparency Mode)	Yes (Ambient Sound Control with Quick Attention)
Supported codecs	aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC	LDAC, AAC, SBC
Microphones	8 microphones with Clear Voice Capture technology	Precise Voice Pickup Technology with 5 microphones

Connectivity & Battery

leads 1-0

Connectivity & Battery specifications. Middle column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless, right column is Sony WH-1000XM4.
Multipoint Bluetooth	Yes (Bluetooth 5.1 multipoint)	Yes (Bluetooth 5.0 multipoint for 2 devices)
Battery life	30 hours (Bluetooth ANC) / 35 hours (Jack) / 42 hours (USB-DAC)	30 hours (ANC on) / 38 hours (ANC off)
Charging time	1.5 hours (15 min fast charge gives 5 hours) (wins this row: lower)	3 hours full charge (10 min quick charge gives 5 hours)

Ownership

leads 1-0

Ownership specifications. Middle column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless, right column is Sony WH-1000XM4.
Warranty	2 years (wins this row: higher)	1 year

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless source Sony WH-1000XM4 source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless

High-fidelity Bluetooth active noise-cancelling headphones with integrated 24-bit/192kHz USB-DAC mode.

True high-fidelity audiophile sound with patented Aluminum/Magnesium M-dome drivers
Built-in USB-DAC mode supports uncompressed 24-bit/192kHz playback
Exquisite French design with backlit ear cup logos and genuine leather

What you give up

High luxury price point
Heavier build at 350 grams

Full Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless specs →

Pick this one if

Sony WH-1000XM4

Popular folding noise-cancelling headphones with LDAC high-resolution audio, DSEE Extreme, and 30-hour battery.

Folding headband hinges collapse smaller than the newer XM5
Supports high-res LDAC streaming and DSEE Extreme upscaling
Superb value with industry-tested noise cancellation

What you give up

Microphone voice isolation trails newer XM5 in windy conditions
Cannot use LDAC while 2-device Bluetooth multipoint is enabled

Full Sony WH-1000XM4 specs →

Best for each use

Flights & commutes

Planes and trains: noise cancelling, battery, how small it packs

For flights & commutes, buy the Sony WH-1000XM4.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable flights & commutes specs.
Weight: 254 g vs 350 g
Foldable: Yes vs No
It is also $351 cheaper.

Calls & work

Meetings all day: microphone quality and two devices at once

Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets.

Microphones: 8 microphones with Clear Voice Capture… vs Precise Voice Pickup Technology with 5…
Multipoint Bluetooth: Yes vs Yes

Sound quality

Listening quality above all: drivers, hi-res codecs, comfort

Too close to call on sound quality from the spec sheets. Only weight is rankable here.

Driver: 40 mm Aluminum/Magnesium 'M'-shaped dome vs 40 mm dome type
Supported codecs: aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC vs LDAC, AAC, SBC

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless spec sheet Sony WH-1000XM4 spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless ↗ · Sony WH-1000XM4 ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless or the Sony WH-1000XM4?

Sony WH-1000XM4 costs $351 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless or Sony WH-1000XM4?

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.

Which is better for flights & commutes, the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless or the Sony WH-1000XM4?

For flights & commutes, buy the Sony WH-1000XM4. Leads 2 of 2 rankable flights & commutes specs. Weight: 254 g vs 350 g

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 14 specs tracked here, 10 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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