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Oratory1990 Focal Bathys EQ

Georgekit77

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Hello,

Oratory has a recommended eq for the focal bathys

The preamp is set on -5.5db

Would you apply that eq profile and use an external amp or do you use the bathys in dac mode and that is being handled by the internal amp?

If you use the internal amp, can it handle the -5.5 or would it distort?
 

Blorg

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They are an active headphone, you'll get the best results using a USB-C cable (or the Bluetooth).

There is no point using an external amp with them, it will just be re-digitizing the analog input to apply ANC and feed it back through its own internal DAC and amp. You only introduce the potential for more distortion and fidelity loss.
 
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Georgekit77

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They are an active headphone, you'll get the best results using a USB-C cable (or the Bluetooth).

There is no point using an external amp with them, it will just be re-digitizing the analog input to apply ANC and feed it back through its own internal DAC and amp. You only introduce the potential for more distortion and fidelity loss.
So should i add the eq and feed it through the usb cable directly?
 

Blorg

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So should i add the eq and feed it through the usb cable directly?
Yes, if you were doing it on your computer you'd do the EQ in Equalizer APO, making sure to have the APO installed for the Bathys, which will appear as a sound card.

If doing on an Android phone, you could use Wavelet (converting the EQ using a graph tool like Crinacle's or squig.link) or an app like Poweramp EQ, or individual players like USB Audio Player Pro.

The onboard EQ in the Bathys app is too limited to input Oratory's EQ. It would be nice if it could, I have a few BT devices that can do this, but it's a very limited fixed 5 band GEQ and you don't have enough control to do it.

The Bathys does seem quite well tuned stock though, if you did want to have a go with the built-in GEQ the main thing would be filling in the 900Hz dip, which you'd need to use the 1kHz slider to do. You'd probably also want to bump up 4kHz a little, and leave the rest alone.

Subjectively, reviewers have said the 900Hz dip is not particularly problematic. Maybe adds to a sense of soundstage. While the rest of it looks really pretty good, the bass is almost exactly Harman stock, not bleeding into the mids, and then you might just want to up the upper mids a bit.

Personally, with a BT headphone like this, I would see if I could get it sounding good just using the app EQ. Because it's just so convenient having the EQ actually on the headphone, so you just turn it on and go and don't have to mess with swapping EQ profiles on your source. You could compare with Oratory's full PEQ on a source device, to try to tweak it closer. If comparing make sure you remember to not have both on at the same time.
 
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Georgekit77

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Yes, if you were doing it on your computer you'd do the EQ in Equalizer APO, making sure to have the APO installed for the Bathys, which will appear as a sound card.

If doing on an Android phone, you could use Wavelet (converting the EQ using a graph tool like Crinacle's or squig.link) or an app like Poweramp EQ, or individual players like USB Audio Player Pro.

The onboard EQ in the Bathys app is too limited to input Oratory's EQ. It would be nice if it could, I have a few BT devices that can do this, but it's a very limited fixed 5 band GEQ and you don't have enough control to do it.

The Bathys does seem quite well tuned stock though, if you did want to have a go with the built-in GEQ the main thing would be filling in the 900Hz dip, which you'd need to use the 1kHz slider to do. You'd probably also want to bump up 4kHz a little, and leave the rest alone.

Subjectively, reviewers have said the 900Hz dip is not particularly problematic. Maybe adds to a sense of soundstage. While the rest of it looks really pretty good, the bass is almost exactly Harman stock, not bleeding into the mids, and then you might just want to up the upper mids a bit.

Personally, with a BT headphone like this, I would see if I could get it sounding good just using the app EQ. Because it's just so convenient having the EQ actually on the headphone, so you just turn it on and go and don't have to mess with swapping EQ profiles on your source. You could compare with Oratory's full PEQ on a source device, to try to tweak it closer. If comparing make sure you remember to not have both on at the same time.
Thank you for your elaborate response

I have a mac and use roon

Would i apply the oratory eq directly to the roon and use it that way in dac mode?

I mainly want to use the eq for when i use the laptop. For any other case I agree with you. No need to bother at all
 

Blorg

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@Georgekit77 - I don't use Roon but my understanding, it has a built-in PEQ function (Amir uses it for his EQs) and so you could enter the values into that. And then have Roon feed the headphones in DAC mode over USB-C.
 
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Georgekit77

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@Georgekit77 - I don't use Roon but my understanding, it has a built-in PEQ function (Amir uses it for his EQs) and so you could enter the values into that. And then have Roon feed the headphones in DAC mode over USB-C.
Would the internal amp be able to handle the -5.5 pre gain?
 

Blorg

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Would the internal amp be able to handle the -5.5 pre gain?
Try it and see, I doubt it will be an issue. -5.5 dB drop is not insignificant but if it still gets loud enough for you after applying the EQ it's all good and the internal amp is handling it.
 
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Georgekit77

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Try it and see, I doubt it will be an issue. -5.5 dB drop is not insignificant but if it still gets loud enough for you after applying the EQ it's all good and the internal amp is handling it.
Thanks
 

metasharp

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no need for oratory. just use the dynamic eq provided in their app to match harman curve with latest firmware and voila
 

Blorg

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no need for oratory. just use the dynamic eq provided in their app to match harman curve with latest firmware and voila
It's in that direction but it's not quite "Harman":
1697902283214.png


This is Oratory's EQ on the same measurement, it does seem to flatten the lower mids more.
1697902186088.png

I'm not sure though that 800Hz dip really needs to be so thoroughly eliminated, or that that benefits it soundwise.

I wonder as well if they updated the default tuning with the firmware update.
 

metasharp

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it's better on the paper but at the cost of the hassle to use it.
i would have hope for a better result
 
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