Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate | Tom’s Information
More often than not, after I strive a very good-sounding pair of headphones, I nod, make a face, and say “hm, yeah, these are fairly good.” It’s extremely uncommon {that a} pair of headphones makes me sit again, stare into area, and say “wow.” I believe I may depend the variety of instances it’s occurred on one hand — solely now I’ve to make use of yet another finger due to the Noble Fokus Apollo noise-canceling headphones.
Noble has packed some very fascinating audio tech into this pair of wi-fi premium over-ears, and within the course of, created one of many best-sounding headsets I believe I’ve ever skilled. They’re extremely comfy, characteristic spectacular noise canceling, and so they’re customizable to the nth diploma due to a useful app — however that, in fact, isn’t the entire story. Let’s take a deep dive into these spectacular headphones.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Cheat sheet
- What’s it? A few of the best-sounding headphones that I’ve ever skilled.
- Who’s it for? Audiophiles on the lookout for a pair of wi-fi headphones full of some very intelligent audio {hardware}.
- What does it value? $649/£499/AU$999
- What we like: The way in which that they sound, the way in which they really feel — there’s little right here to not take pleasure in.
- What we don’t like: There’s no put on detect — however that’s about it.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Worth and availability
Noble Fokus Apollo: Specs
Worth $649/£589/AU$999
Connectivity Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack
ANC Sure
Battery (No ANC) 80 hours
Battery (ANC) 60 hours
Weight 11.5 ounces
Colours Black
Compatibility iOS, Android, macOS, Home windows
Frequency response 20KHz-20mHz
The Fokus Apollo aren’t an affordable pair of headphones. Within the U.S., you’ll pay $649 — that’s $100 greater than the already extraordinarily costly AirPods Max. They’re barely cheaper in several locales, just like the U.Okay., the place potential consumers pay £589. That leaves us with a pricey pair of cans, whether or not you get your cash’s value or not.
Availability is a difficult one as nicely. They’re at the moment not obtainable on Amazon, however yow will discover a pair on the Noble web site and different third-party retailers. The problem arrives with inventory. Noble isn’t an enormous producer, and since the headphones are so good and other people need them, they maintain going out of inventory. This very evaluate may make issues even worse for inventory ranges — so bookmark these retailer pages and maintain checking again.
There are different choices across the similar worth, however they every provide various things. If you would like one thing that has all of the next-gen options, then there are nice choices from the likes of Bowers & Wilkins, Grasp & Dynamic, and Bang & Olufsen. They’ve extra “refined” packages than the Apollo, however they don’t sound pretty much as good. If you would like the utmost luxurious although, the previous must be your go-tos — everybody else ought to choose the Apollo. If, in fact, yow will discover them.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Design and construct
- They’re tremendous comfy
- Nice supplies
- Stunningly protecting however huge case
The Apollo borrow some key design components from the Bowers & Wilkins Px sequence, and because of this, they’re a beautiful pair of headphones. I actually like their strains, from their barely chunkier headband, and their combination of Alcantara, leather-based, and cloth. Their construct is superb as nicely. Shake the headset and it doesn’t rattle, and nothing feels prefer it’s going to return away from the unit. The steel outers of the earcups make them really feel costly and provides them a reassuring heft within the hand.
What’s even higher is that the heft doesn’t turn out to be too heavy. Whereas their 11.5-ounce weight isn’t insignificant, when you’ve obtained them in your head, you received’t discover it. The padding within the earcups is mushy, shaping to your head the second it warms as much as your physique temperature. The headscarf is agency sufficient that you just received’t discover the steel bar that offers it construction with the highest of your head, nevertheless it’s mushy sufficient that it stays comfy. Mix all that with an expertly dialed-in clamping drive, and also you’ve obtained a snug, safe match out of your very costly headphones.
Very costly headphones that you just’ll need to maintain protected, and they are going to be due to some of the rugged instances I’ve ever seen come included with a pair of headphones. It’s extra akin to a guitar case than a headphone case — lined with a mushy, velvety gray cloth and padded with extra materials than you’ll discover in a automotive inside. The headphones sit neatly inside and there’s a slot for the cables, however that’s it. Is it overkill? Sure. Do I like it? Sure. Does it slot in my bag? Additionally sure, though I do have to depart one in every of my books behind.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Controls
- Glorious, helpful buttons
- No contact controls
It’s no secret that I’m not an enormous fan of fiddly contact controls, so you possibly can think about the sigh of aid after I pulled them from their packaging to discover a sequence of bodily controls on the headset. There are 4 buttons on the appropriate earcup, and so they’re all apparent of their operate. There are three positioned collectively for quantity up, skipping tracks, and play/pause. That final button is barely raised to make it simpler to seek out. Additional across the earcup, there’s the ANC button, which cycles by way of the ANC modes. Good and easy.
The left earcup homes a mic swap, which mutes and prompts the microphones within the headphones. It will be good if there was some audio notification to let you know when it will get clicked, however the motion of the swap is particular and optimistic. Contact management followers will miss their touchy-feely earcups from a few of the competitors, however I’m way more proud of Noble’s alternative in bodily controls. No extra unintended quantity or observe adjustments for me!
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Options
- A pleasant little bag of extras
- Helpful app
- No extraneous extras
The Fokus Apollo are a pair of audiophile headphones, and as such, they forgo a few of the extra intrusive further options that you just may discover on the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM5. Meaning there aren’t any noise-canceling modes that learn the place you’re, no spatial audio, and no audio handover to a Bluetooth speaker. The principle omission in my eyes is the shortage of damage detect — you really should pause your music while you take them off. Is it sufficient to make me all that irritated? Not significantly, though I do miss it when I’ve to take them off shortly to run for the doorbell.
The options which might be right here work very nicely. Noble’s app is excellent, packing in all of the extras you really want. Flip the ANC on and off, improve the firmware, change ANC modes, examine the battery — and, maybe most excitingly, a 10-band EQ customizer. I love an honest 10-band EQ, and what’s on provide right here is a great deal of enjoyable. I had a good time dialing them in to be excellent for the type of listening that I do, after which making extra choices for various genres. Don’t need to fiddle with the EQ, and what some presets? There are 5 totally different choices for various genres, and so they all sound nice.
Then there’s the little velvet bag that Noble has hidden within the headphone case. Inside, you discover the usual double-prong AirPlane adaptor, together with some audiophile-focused choices. There’s a quarter-inch jack adapter, after which a 4.4mm 4-pole right-angle adaptor for balanced connections. The latter is absolutely cool for audiophiles, and an awesome addition to an already packed bundle. Lastly within the bag is a microphone. A correct, wire increase, manipulatable mic. It’s nice! It plugs into a selected 3.5mm connector on the left earcup, after which takes over mic duties from the primary headset mics. It is a beautiful, sudden addition to an awesome characteristic set.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: ANC
- Cheap noise-blocking potential
- Virtually up there with the easiest
Often, ANC is a weak point on extra premium headsets. As an alternative of specializing in their potential to dam noise, extra consideration is paid to their construct, consolation, and sound. That implies that the perfect noise-canceling headphones are the fashions that extra listeners can afford, such because the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort Extremely headphones.
Within the case of the Fokus Apollo, we’re trying someplace within the center. They block out an honest quantity of noise, sufficient that you just’ll not be bothered by the skin world. The sounds of prepare journeys melted away into the background, and strolling busy streets in silence was no downside for the headphones. They don’t fairly attain the heady heights of Sony or Bose, however they get deliciously shut.
There’s an excellent transparency mode that sweetens the deal, although. Hit the little noise-canceling button, and also you’ll have the ability to hear the voice of the bus driver with none downside in any respect. There aren’t any further fancy modes right here — all you get is the ANC and the transparency mode, which you’ll be able to flip off fully. And that’s simply high quality by me.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Connectivity
- Newest Bluetooth model
- A great deal of bodily choices
- Stable Multipoint
Noble has packed in some helpful connectivity choices within the Fokus Apollo. There’s Bluetooth 5.3 as you may hope, after which a 3.5mm adapter for wired use. That adapter can be utilized with the included cable to hearken to the headphones when the battery is lifeless, so supplied your machine has a headphone socket (an enormous rarity lately), you possibly can pay attention indefinitely. There’s barely even a drop in sound high quality with battery-less use, which is a powerful achievement. In fact, they are often bodily related whereas turned on for the complete hi-res sound expertise.
There’s multipoint connection as nicely, so you possibly can join them to 2 totally different units and never fear about coming into any settings menus. It’s good! Though comes with the traditional caveats of “why did my music sto-… oh, I simply obtained a notification on my cellphone.”
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Name high quality
- Stable mic high quality
- Some noises make it by way of
I popped out for a fast journey on the bus with the Noble Fokus Apollo to precisely take a look at the decision high quality. I ought to add that that is with out the additional increase mic, for I don’t need to appear like a nerd to the general public. My voice got here by way of clear and simply comprehensible on the opposite aspect of the decision, with solely the loudest of bus noises audible over my very own talking. The headphones performed the audio of my aspect of the decision nicely too, with no downside understanding my name associate.
The increase mic was additionally helpful for video requires work and different purposes. It’s an enormous boon throughout my on-line Japanese classes, and made certain that my trainer may hear each single downside with my pronunciation. It switches instantly from the interior mics to the increase mic in my testing, which is spectacular.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Sound high quality
- Unbelievable soundstage
- A few of the finest bass depth round
- Clear highs, masterful mids
If I could also be allowed to get a little bit nerdy right here, the Apollo are full of one of many coolest audio-hardware issues I’ve ever seen. There’s what’s known as a “hybrid driver” inside, which makes use of two totally different sorts of headphone tech to supply a few of the finest audio I’ve ever heard in a pair of sub-$1,000 wi-fi headphones. There’s a Planar magnetic driver, the audiophile headphone tech of the minute, for the mids and the highs, after which a extra conventional 40mm driver for the remainder of the ensemble. It really works wonders, and I like the outcomes.
The Apollo make no secret of their bassy sound signature. However when it’s this clear, managed, and easy, you received’t thoughts in any respect. There’s gorgeous bass extension on provide due to that dynamic driver, which hits in all the appropriate methods. As a result of the Planar Magnetic driver is given much less to do, the highs and mids are a few of the finest round as nicely. It’s detailed, clear, extensive, and hundreds and a great deal of enjoyable.
Spinning up Devin Townsend’s newest PowerNerd, and also you’re gifted with a fascinating, thrilling musical expertise. The bass thumps deep into your chest, such as you had been sitting subsequent to a correct pair of audio system, whereas Devvy’s crisp distorted guitars chug with precision. The drums are clear, impactful, and driving whereas the cymbals crash and journey. For a pair of closed-back headphones, the soundstage is extensive and spacious as nicely. Stereo imaging is nice, with every aspect of the ensemble simple to put amongst the remaining.
Fireplace up Focus’s Hocus Pocus, and also you’re handled to a pleasant, ’70s slab of guitar-fueled enjoyable. What on earth occurred to these great stereo mixes? They had been in all places — and none extra spectacular than you’ll discover right here. Akkerman’s guitar dances over the complicated drum line, with a few of the quickest bass responses round. The bass drum kicks are impactful, all intertwined with Van Leer’s weird crooning. It’s a non-public auditory delight, one that would make me imagine I used to be sitting in entrance of my favourite pair of audio system. Even the breaths on Van Leer’s flute are clear as day, virtually like he had been subsequent to me.
Need to actually get a style of that brain-shaking bass? Charlotte De Witte and Method are very happy to oblige. The thumping sub-bass is felt all through your physique, all whereas the hi-hats chime. The Revs of the F1 automotive are fast and impactful, because the synth line pulsates and strikes. Is it complicated? No, however the Apollo make quick work of creating you’re feeling such as you’re in a darkish sweaty underground rave — solely with out the sweat, the darkish, and the group.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Battery life
- 65 hours with ANC on
- 80 hours with ANC off
Noble has packed some unbelievable battery life into the Fokus Apollo. With ANC turned on, they’ll final you 65 hours, and while you flip it off, it goes all the way in which as much as 80 hours. That exhibits the likes of Sony and Bose the door, with greater than double the battery of the WH-1000XM5 and almost triple that of the QuietComfort Extremely headphones. It’s not fairly as spectacular because the Marshall Monitor III’s 70 hours, however it’s tantalizingly shut.
Noble Fokus Apollo evaluate: Verdict
Look, I can’t let you know that they’re not costly. They’re greater than the AirPods Max and you possibly can seize a pair of WH-1000XM5s and take your associate out for a really good steak dinner afterward for a similar worth. Nonetheless, they’re simply value that top worth. They’re some of the full headphone packages that you just’ll discover at the moment, with all the things within the field that you just’ll must get began.
The easiest bit is that all-conquering sound. They go decrease than anything with a wi-fi connection on the market, after which wow with crystal-clear highs and completely rounded mids. They encompass you along with your music while not having Spatial Audio due to their immaculate soundstage, and make the remainder of the world soften away with very stable ANC. I want there was put on detect and that the case was only a bit slimmer, however I simply can’t consider any large motive why I wouldn’t purchase them if I had $649 in my pocket. They’re simply wonderful.
