Minidisc Weekly Update #16: B&W Px7 S3 / Focal Bathys Review
Minidisc
[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '5.360', 'text': "It's Friday May the 2nd and we've got a\xa0\nvery wireless update for you this week,"}, {'start': '5.360', 'end': '11.680', 'text': "because we've been listening to the new\xa0\nBowers and Wilkins Px7 S3 and the new Bathys"}, {'start': '11.680', 'end': '17.760', 'text': 'MG both of which are follow-ups to some very\xa0\npopular wireless noise cancelling headphones.'}, {'start': '17.760', 'end': '26.640', 'text': 'The PX7S3 is a follow-up to the Px7 S2e from the\xa0\nBritish manufacturer Bowers and Wilkins and at'}, {'start': '26.640', 'end': '32.080', 'text': 'first glance it looks a lot like the headphone\xa0\nit replaces but on closer inspection you can'}, {'start': '32.080', 'end': '38.080', 'text': 'actually see that Bowers and Wilkins has slimmed\xa0\ndown the depth of the headphone so that the S3'}, {'start': '38.080', 'end': '43.840', 'text': "is a lot more low profile. There's new colorways\xa0\ntoo and I personally really like the look of the"}, {'start': '43.840', 'end': '51.360', 'text': 'new indigo Blue. The ear pads on the S3 are\xa0\njust as plush as the ear pads on the S2e but'}, {'start': '51.360', 'end': '56.480', 'text': "the cups are shallower now So if you've got big\xa0\nears that stick out you'll probably find the S3"}, {'start': '56.480', 'end': '63.040', 'text': 'slightly less comfortable Now soundwise the Px7\xa0\nS3 actually sounds quite similar to the S2e And'}, {'start': '63.040', 'end': '68.800', 'text': "that's pretty remarkable given the decrease in\xa0\ninternal volume on this headphone If I had to"}, {'start': '68.800', 'end': '73.520', 'text': 'nitpick I would say that the sound stage is\xa0\nmaybe a little bit smaller The sound is just'}, {'start': '73.520', 'end': '80.080', 'text': "a teensy bit more congested but really it's much\xa0\nover muchness It's still got the same basic warm"}, {'start': '80.080', 'end': '85.600', 'text': 'profile with a bit of high frequency detail that\xa0\nI think makes the Bowers and Wilkins quite popular'}, {'start': '85.600', 'end': '91.920', 'text': "as all round on the-go wireless noise cancelling\xa0\nheadphones You'll get a rich sound and it's quite"}, {'start': '91.920', 'end': '98.560', 'text': "enjoyable with most genres So there's now a much\xa0\nclearer differentiation between the Px7 S3 and"}, {'start': '98.560', 'end': '106.640', 'text': 'the flagship Px8 If you want the slimmer cheaper\xa0\nbut still premium model go for the Px7 S3 And if'}, {'start': '106.640', 'end': '112.320', 'text': 'you want the fancier super premium model with\xa0\nthe metal headband rails and the Nappa leather'}, {'start': '112.320', 'end': '120.320', 'text': "ear pads and a clearer overall sound go with the\xa0\nPx8 Now let's look at the Bathys MG from Focal"}, {'start': '120.320', 'end': '127.200', 'text': 'Physically this is very similar to the original\xa0\nBathys model And the major change is the magnesium'}, {'start': '127.200', 'end': '134.000', 'text': 'alloy driver which is similar to the driver found\xa0\nin the Clear MG Like I said in a previous video'}, {'start': '134.000', 'end': '140.000', 'text': 'the Bathys is actually our bestelling noise\xa0\ncancelling wireless headphone which is pretty'}, {'start': '140.000', 'end': '146.000', 'text': "remarkable for a headphone that's over $1,000\xa0\nAustralian And I think what makes it so popular is"}, {'start': '146.000', 'end': '152.960', 'text': "that it's a headphone that's quite finely balanced\xa0\nbetween a warm sound that you would typically find"}, {'start': '152.960', 'end': '159.840', 'text': 'in a wireless portable headphone while still\xa0\npreserving high frequency detail that you would'}, {'start': '159.840', 'end': '166.320', 'text': 'expect from a reference audiophile headphone Now\xa0\npersonally I think the original Bathys is really'}, {'start': '166.320', 'end': '172.800', 'text': 'well tuned for at home listening uh where it gives\xa0\nyou a lot of insight and detail but the extra high'}, {'start': '172.800', 'end': '180.400', 'text': 'frequencies I do find can be a little bit strident\xa0\nand edgy with high energy pop genres and it makes'}, {'start': '180.400', 'end': '186.560', 'text': "the Bathys maybe not as well suited for those\xa0\ntracks when you're out and about and you're"}, {'start': '186.560', 'end': '191.200', 'text': 'increasing the volume to get over background\xa0\nnoise I think Focal, might have received the'}, {'start': '191.200', 'end': '198.400', 'text': 'same feedback about the original Bathys because\xa0\nthe MG is definitely smoother out of the box the'}, {'start': '198.400', 'end': '203.680', 'text': 'high frequencies are a bit more rolled off So\xa0\nwith those high energy genres the headphone is'}, {'start': '203.680', 'end': '210.240', 'text': 'a bit more agreeable and this is similar to the\xa0\nchange they made in the tuning of the Clear MG Now'}, {'start': '210.240', 'end': '216.560', 'text': 'I will say with this change in high frequency\xa0\ntuning out of the box the sound is a bit more'}, {'start': '216.560', 'end': '222.720', 'text': 'compressed into the midband and the result is\xa0\nthat compared to the original Bathys tuning MG'}, {'start': '222.720', 'end': '229.280', 'text': "out of the box does sound less dynamic and less\xa0\nvivid Now that's the stock sound out of the box"}, {'start': '229.280', 'end': '236.240', 'text': 'And I do think Focal expects people to at least\xa0\nplay with the EQ on the MG if not do the 4 minute'}, {'start': '236.240', 'end': '242.240', 'text': 'listening test in the app that personalizes the\xa0\nsound based on the results of a hearing test And'}, {'start': '242.240', 'end': '248.240', 'text': 'once you do that hearing test at least for us here\xa0\nat Minidisc we found that the high frequencies'}, {'start': '248.240', 'end': '255.600', 'text': 'are restored and the sound ends up being more\xa0\nlively and vivid as a result And clearly the'}, {'start': '255.600', 'end': '264.080', 'text': 'driver is better on the MG than the original\xa0\nBathys So the transient response is snappier'}, {'start': '264.080', 'end': '271.440', 'text': 'the overall clarity of the sound is better So\xa0\nwe do recommend with the MG you do take the 4'}, {'start': '271.440', 'end': '276.720', 'text': 'minutes to do the listening test so you can hear\xa0\nthe full potential of the driver Anyway come in'}, {'start': '276.720', 'end': '282.560', 'text': "have a listen let us know what you think This is\xa0\nLachlan for MinidiscTV and we'll see you next time"}]