When Focal designed its first wireless headphones in Bathys, the engineers knew it needed to be built on a new, lightweight, portable chassis. The traditional frame used for Focal headphones since 2016 needed to be trimmed down to appeal to the broader wireless ANC headphone audience, but also maintain Focal's signature sound and design esthetic. The result was Bathys and Bathys MG. But what if Focal used that same chassis in a passive headphone, free of internal battery, DAC and amps? This time the result was the the open-back Hadenys, and the previously reviewed
closed-back Azurys. The two new headphones that launched in 2024 have opened Focal headphones to a different kind-of hi-fi headphone fan, the kind that demands a smaller footprint in the carry case, lighter weight on the head and a more accessible pricetag. Today Hadenys covers the mid-market passive open-back for those who want smaller fit and aren't ready to take the plunge into Focal's Clear MG or Utopia.
So, how does Hadenys stack up to the legendary, original Clear headphones and which porta-Focal should you choose between Hadenys or Azurys?
Focal Hadenys Open-Back Headphone Review
