Headphones

New Focal headphones have tended towards the more expensive end of the price scale and very good they have been too. The Hadenys seeks to bring some of the technology and thinking from the Clear MG and Utopia (HFC 496) down to a more terrestrial price point.

Key to the defined identity of Focal headphones is their use of a pair of 40mm dynamic drivers. These are made of aluminium and magnesium, and employ an M-shaped profile. This is a smaller driver than some key rivals, but the quoted lower roll-off of 20Hz hardly puts it at a disadvantage. The drivers are mounted in an open-back enclosure that vents a fair bit of noise to the outside world, though in fairness we wouldn’t describe the leakage as total.

The enclosures follow existing Focal design practise of using a fairly deep pad to cushion them against the head, which places the drivers a reasonable distance from your bonce and helps deliver a little space and separation. The two housings are held together with a yoke made of magnesium, which is relatively stiffly sprung and pushes the pad against the head with a fair amount of force. As it is memory foam it isn’t uncomfortable, but you will certainly notice it during longer listening sessions.

The design is similar to the Clear MG, with the major difference concerning their wiring arrangements. Where the Clear MG is a balanced model, the Hadenys is exclusively single-ended and has a lone 3.5mm input on the left-hand housing rather than the connection on each side of its larger sibling. Given how much affordable source equipment is now balanced, this is a shame but not the end of the world. Aesthetically, however, the Hadenys is a bit of a star. It gives some of the same feeling of quality as the Clear MG (which still looks and feels spectacular) despite being less than half the cost. The colour scheme is eye catching and it’s a handsome and well-finished thing that feels worth the asking price.

Sound quality
Partnered with a Chord Electronics Mojo 2 (HFC 488), the Hadenys demonstrates impressive attributes. The most immediately noticeable one is that it is incredibly sensitive, barely needing the Mojo 2 to exit its low gain setting normally reserved for in-ear headphones – this is not a hard device to drive.

It also demonstrates a gratifying three dimensionality that, even judged by the standards of an open-back design, is impressive. Listening to the live Acoustic.Blues.Club by My Baby sees it recreate the space that the performance happens in with an assurance that is excellent. There is a real sense of ‘performers in front of you and audience behind’ that immerses you in the presentation.

The Focal populates this space with tonality and realism that isn’t unsettled at any point. The sparse opening to Jim James’ State Of The Art is delivered with his distinctive vocals beautifully defined against the no less tonally appealing piano. As the track builds towards its crescendo, the Focal adds each layer without sounding strained or congested. There is an effortlessness to what it does that can make rivals sound flawed by comparison.

The joyously ballistic Girl With No Face by Allie X is a head-nodding surge of electronic power in the hands of the Hadenys. It is fair to argue that it doesn’t have quite the same out-and-out bass extension as some rivals, but it would be a stretch to call it bass light. It’s also usefully forgiving of poor recordings.

Conclsuon
There is almost no aspect of the Hadenys’ functionality that doesn’t exceed expectations. It delivers a huge chunk of what its four-figure siblings offer at a firmly three-figure level. This has to be seen as the top of the class for ’phones under £1,000 and so an absolute ‘must audition’. ES    

DETAILS
Product: Focal Hadenys
Type: Open-back, over-ear headphones

FEATURES
● 40mm W profile aluminium and magnesium driver
● 1.8m detachable 3.5mm cable