Focal Hadenys Open-Back Earphones Review – Chocolate Gooey Goodness
Focal Hadenys design mantra is a throwback to the Hadean era harnessing earthy natural tones in sound and appearance.
In this Article
INTRODUCTION
We were blessed to be loaned these Focal Hadenys direct from Focal for a proper audition. I have frequented their booth at several audio shows, but it is always difficult to get a true representation due to background noise, and having a go at them with your own music in your own environment. I own a handful of full size cans, but rarely use them since they are not as mobile as I would like, I wear glasses, and open backs are for quiet settings not around others. In a vain sense, I also think I look ridiculous wearing most headphones.
Disclaimer: On loan from Focal/NAIM no monetary exchange, no influence, we appreciate the opportunity to experience these products at home for extended demos.
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
The Focal Hadenys are built with a light but strong magnesium yoke attached to what appear are plastic earcups and metal attachment points. Focal did an excellent job of making sure there are not creaky noises, and they feel solid. The web honeycomb design follows through most of their lineup. Focal always strikes me as a company that lures in their customers with unique designs just pretty enough to standout in a crowded field. I also use quite a few test tracks from their older demo discs.
The chocolate coffee brown color is very mature looking, the cloth pads are comfortable and firm enough they do not collapse under the clamping pressure. I find the clamping pressure on the snug side, I would prefer just slightly less force. The use of cloth ear pads also allows ear breathability which also allows more sound to escape and also leak in. Isolation is therefore making the user more situation-ally aware.
The detachable thick rubber cable feels robust and sports a built in mic. The Hadenys cable has more than sufficient length for desktop usage, although has a somewhat springy coil tendency. Should be easy enough to swap cables with more boutique cables for those interested in such things as there is nothing proprietary. AS an accessory you get a 1/4″ jack that screws on.
Due to the non-folding nature of the Focal Hadenys, the cloth carrying case is a bit fat on the earpad side, so they are not very compact for travel purposes. The non-folding design helps avoid unnecessary points of failure and noise creaks and squeaks, so sometimes you have to accept some compromises somewhere. I think these are geared less for mobile use anyway as are most open backed headphones where home use is the primary focus.
SOUND
Perspective buyers will be happy to know the Focal Hadenys are easily powered with mobile devices, and it did not seem that the extra juice of the SMSL DO400 was really needed. The Hadenys buck standard tradition of bass light open backs, and and provide elevated warm and punchy bass tones. I considered the bass balanced and quick with transients, in fact double bass tracks were well defined and the hits never got absorbed or lost.
They are reminiscent of my Philips X2 Fidelios in terms of bass output with only sub-bass rolling off, but believe it or not the Focal Hadenys actually have more bass output. This is another reason I typically avoid open-backs, their bass output does not meet my desires. Despite being open-backed and using cloth earpads that tend to leak sound compared to leather earpds, they have a surprising amount of bass. Purists will probably shy away from this, but I relish the impact they provide. Listening to some Drum Improvisation tracks from Chesky, the bass hits are tight and well defined, and snares have excellent midrange snap to sound realistic.
Throughout the midrange, the Focal Hadenys provide excellent layering and great resolution. Guitar plucks have good space around them and brass has lots of shine and polish with excellent timbre.
The Aluminum Magnesium drivers in the Focal Hadneys provide the right amount of strength and rigidity while maintaining good timbre throughout. They do come off a bit steely sounding on DIre Straits Money For Nothing, to be fair this is a sharp track anyway. Orchestral music really shines with these, and instruments such as chimes and triangle strikes are resolved extremely well, and render the height properly. I get a good sense of the orchestra hall space with the Hadenys which is to be expected with open-backs.
Transient attacks stand out to me with the Focal Hadenys, they provide good rhythm and pace living up to my expectations of a pair of headphones in this price range. Staging is wide and depth perception is on par as well when listening to Sara K’s If I could Sing Your Blues, with the trumpet in the background sounding at the proper distance.
CLOSING REMARKS
Focal clearly knows what they are doing when they created the Hadenys, and while not their top tier line I think they hit the mark and are more attractive than spending over a grand for headphones. Value is hard to put a finger on, as I can easily appreciate earphones and headphones around the $100 price point, but mid to premium pricing headphones show what you might be missing out on. The Philips Fidelio X2HR (no longer available) offers comparable comfort and sound and were originally priced at $299 many moons ago. I can tell the Focals offer minor improvements, but we are in the steep rise part of diminishing returns.
I cannot comment on the longevity of the cloth headband or earpads, but they will likely last longer than fake leather options. My $400 Oppo PM-3 disintegrated without even much use for example. As a complete package, I like the design elements of the Focal Hadenys, they have a tonality signature that fits my preferred curve, technical merits are right on. Originally I was only going to review the Azurys since I find closed backs more useful. At the last minute they checked with me and I obliged to try them, and now I hate to see them go back to Focal.
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SPECIFICATIONS FOCAL HADENYS
PRODUCT PAGE: https://www.focal.com/products/hadenys
- Product type : Open-back headphones
- Loudspeakers :
15/8” (40mm) Aluminium/ Magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome - Frequency response (+/- 3dB) :
20 Hz – 22 kHz - Harmonic distortion rate : <0,2 % @ 1 kHz / 100 dB SPL
- Impedance : 26 Ω
- Maximum SPL (peak@1m) :
105 dB SPL
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