Focal has announced two new headphones intended for the home in the Hadenys and Azurys.
We’ll start with the Hadenys model first. An open-backed pair of headphones, the name is inspired by The Hadean, “an eon in which the Earth was first formed” (you learn something new every day). The brown finish of the headphones is meant to evoke a “return to the source” to give the headphones an organic and timeless style.
As we’ve come to expect from a pair of Focal of headphones with its honeycomb grilles on the earcup, use of genuine leather (which may put some off) and the “breathable” woven fabric utilised fof the headband and yoke to provide more levels of comfort. The sound signature of the Hadenys is described as “precise, dynamic, and warm.”
The Azurys are a closed-back pair of headphones, with Focal describing them as headphones that are suitable for use either at home or outside of it.
The Azurys are aimed at “music enthusiasts and lovers” who want to enjoy Focal sound through an “accessible product”. They feature the same design and materials as the Hadenys, but stand out from the closed-back pair with the blueish hue that’s inspred by Azurite, a semiprecious stone of many virtues.
The speaker drivers found in both headphones match those present in the Focal Bathys model that this very site gave five-stars to, a pair of cans we found to be one of the best premium headphones around. The 40mm speaker drivers with aluminium/magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome have been adjusted to fit the Hadenys and Azurys to deliver detailed, warm, and dynamic sound. Focal provides each set of headphones with matching coloured carry case and cables.
Price-wise you can expect to pay £470 / €549 / $549 for the Azurys, while the Hadenys is priced £599 / €699 / $699. Both headphones go on sale in June 2024.
