Head to head

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) vs Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless leads 4 to 0 on the 4 rankable specs, but Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) costs $150 less. Most of the 14 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Weight: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) lists 384.8 g (13.6 oz) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists 350 g (12.3 oz) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02).
Active Noise Cancelling: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) lists Yes (Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation with dual H1 chips) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists Yes (Silent, Soft, and Transparent modes with 8 microphones) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02).
Battery life: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) lists 20 hours (ANC + Spatial Audio enabled) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists 30 hours (Bluetooth ANC) / 35 hours (Jack) / 42 hours (USB-DAC) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02).
Carrying case: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) lists Smart Case included (low-power state trigger) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists Rigid black/silver carrying case included (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02).
Driver: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) lists 40 mm Apple-designed custom dynamic driver (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless lists 40 mm Aluminum/Magnesium 'M'-shaped dome (Made in France) (Focal sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

$5490 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 Sony WH-1000XM4$348 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

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless

$6994 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: 0 to 4

Buy the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.

Leads 4 of 4 rankable overall specs.
Weight: 350 g vs 384.8 g
Battery life: 30 hours vs 20 hours
Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) is $150 cheaper. Pay the difference only if weight matters to you.

0 Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)4 rankable of 14 specsFocal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless 4

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

Does not foldrow
Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.
Trips:Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) · No (swivels flat)Trips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · No (swivels flat)
No LDAC or aptXrow
Android phones stream at standard AAC or SBC quality.
Trips:Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) · AAC, SBCClear:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC
Over 300 grow
Neck fatigue on a long flight.
Trips:Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) · 384.8 gTrips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · 350 g (12.3 oz)
Under 24 hours of batteryrow
A long-haul day needs a top-up.
Trips:Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) · 20 hoursClear:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · 30 hours
No IP ratingrow
No official protection against sweat or rain.
Trips:Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) · No official IP ratingTrips:Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless · No official IP rating

At a glance

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

3 of 3 differ

Weight

Apple

384.8 g (13.6 oz)

Focal

350 g (12.3 oz)

Active Noise Cancelling≠

Apple

Yes (Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation with dual H1 chips)

Focal

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

Battery life

Apple

20 hours (ANC + Spatial Audio enabled)

Focal

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

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.

Apple

Swivels flat only; Smart Case leaves headband exposed

Focal

Standard folding earcups

Clamp Force & Glasses Comfort

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

Apple

Firm clamp force (~5.2 N; steel & aluminum)

Focal

Standard headphone clamp

Weight & Crown Pressure

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

Apple

385g (heavy; noticeable neck load after 2 hours)

Focal

Standard headphone weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

Apple: What to watch for

Ergonomics
Heavy 385g weight creates neck fatigue during long flights.
At nearly 135 grams heavier than Bose or Sony rivals, the steel and aluminum build can feel fatiguing on the crown and cervical spine after 2 hours.
Hardware Quirk
Smart Case offers virtually zero physical drop or travel protection.
The minimalist magnetic sleeve leaves the delicate mesh canopy and aluminum earcups completely exposed to keys and pens inside a bag.
Maintenance
Condensation buildup inside earcups under mesh cushions.
The cold aluminum earcups cause warm body vapor to condense into visible moisture droplets behind the removable magnetic ear pads.

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.

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)$5490 wins

Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless$6994 wins

Design Audio Connectivity & Battery Ownership

11 of 14 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Design

leads 1-0

Design specifications. Middle column is Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), right column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.
Type	Over-ear, closed-back	Over-ear, closed-back
Weight	384.8 g (13.6 oz)	350 g (12.3 oz) (wins this row: lower)
Foldable	No (swivels flat)	No (swivels flat)
Carrying case	Smart Case included (low-power state trigger)	Rigid black/silver carrying case included
IP rating	No official IP rating	No official IP rating

Audio

5 differences

Audio specifications. Middle column is Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), right column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.
Driver	40 mm Apple-designed custom dynamic driver	40 mm Aluminum/Magnesium 'M'-shaped dome (Made in France)
Active Noise Cancelling	Yes (Pro-level Active Noise Cancellation with dual H1 chips)	Yes (Silent, Soft, and Transparent modes with 8 microphones)
Transparency mode	Yes (Adaptive Transparency Mode)	Yes (Transparency Mode)
Supported codecs	AAC, SBC	aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC
Microphones	9 microphones total (8 for ANC, 3 for voice pickup)	8 microphones with Clear Voice Capture technology

Connectivity & Battery

leads 2-0

Connectivity & Battery specifications. Middle column is Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), right column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.
Multipoint Bluetooth	Yes (seamless automatic switching across Apple devices)	Yes (Bluetooth 5.1 multipoint)
Battery life	20 hours (ANC + Spatial Audio enabled)	30 hours (Bluetooth ANC) / 35 hours (Jack) / 42 hours (USB-DAC) (wins this row: higher)
Charging time	2 hours via USB-C (5 min charge gives 1.5 hours)	1.5 hours (15 min fast charge gives 5 hours) (wins this row: lower)

Ownership

leads 1-0

Ownership specifications. Middle column is Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), right column is Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.
Warranty	1 year	2 years (wins this row: higher)

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

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) source Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Luxury over-ear headphones with custom dynamic drivers, computational audio, and anodized aluminum earcups.

Superb spatial audio with dynamic head tracking
Best-in-class transparency mode realism
Premium stainless steel frame with breathable mesh canopy

What you give up

Heavier than plastic-built competitors at 384g
Smart Case provides minimal protection

Full Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) specs →

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 →

Best for each use

Flights & commutes

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

For flights & commutes, buy the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless.

Leads 2 of 2 rankable flights & commutes specs.
Battery life: 30 hours vs 20 hours
Weight: 350 g vs 384.8 g
Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) is $150 cheaper. Pay the difference only if battery life matters to you.

Calls & work

Meetings all day: microphone quality and two devices at once

Too close to call on calls & work from the spec sheets. Only battery life is rankable here.

Microphones: 9 microphones total vs 8 microphones with Clear Voice Capture…
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 Apple-designed custom dynamic driver vs 40 mm Aluminum/Magnesium 'M'-shaped dome
Supported codecs: AAC, SBC vs aptX Adaptive, aptX, 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.

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) spec sheet Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) ↗ · Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) or the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless?

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) costs $150 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) or Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless?

Both has this deal-breaker: does not fold. Takes a bigger slot in a carry-on.

Which is better for flights & commutes, the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) or the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless?

For flights & commutes, buy the Focal Bathys Hi-Fi Wireless. Leads 2 of 2 rankable flights & commutes specs. Battery life: 30 hours vs 20 hours

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.

Other matchups

Anker Soundcore Space One Pro vs AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation

Anker Soundcore Space One Pro vs AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

Anker Soundcore Space One Pro vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds