Audio T Verdict
The Focal Hadenys is perhaps one of the easiest ways into Focal's serious open-back headphone range. It takes the company's 40mm aluminium/magnesium M-dome driver technology, puts it into a light 294g chassis and dispenses completely with batteries, Bluetooth and active electronics.
That makes Hadenys a very different proposition from Bathys. This is a conventional passive Hi-Fi headphone designed primarily for listening at home, where the quality of your DAC, streamer, amplifier or dedicated headphone output becomes part of the overall system.
The open-back construction is equally important. Sound can pass freely through the earcups, giving the drivers fewer of the restrictions associated with a sealed enclosure. In return, Hadenys offers very little isolation: you can hear the room around you and anyone sitting nearby can hear your music.
With a 26-ohm impedance, Hadenys is not especially difficult to drive. It can work with a broad range of decent headphone outputs, although improving the source and headphone amplifier can still pay worthwhile dividends.
Comfort is another strong part of the design. The magnesium yokes help keep overall weight down, while memory-foam earpads make the Hadenys much less physically imposing than larger high-end models such as Clear MG.
Focal also supplies a sensibly long 1.8m cable, a 6.35mm adaptor for traditional Hi-Fi headphone sockets and a fitted carrying case.
If you listen mainly at home and want the openness of a proper passive Focal headphone without moving straight into Clear MG territory, Hadenys is an extremely appealing place to start.
Focal Hadenys Open-Back Headphones
Hadenys is a passive open-back over-ear headphone designed and manufactured in France for high-quality home listening.
Key features include:
- Open-back over-ear design
- Passive wired operation
- 40mm aluminium/magnesium M-dome drivers
- Drivers manufactured in Focal's French workshops
- 25Hz–22kHz ±3dB frequency response
- 26-ohm impedance
- Less than 0.2% harmonic distortion at 1kHz / 100dB SPL
- 105dB SPL published maximum level
- Lightweight magnesium yokes
- Memory-foam earpads
- 294g weight
- 1.8m 3.5mm headphone cable
- 3.5mm-to-6.35mm adaptor supplied
- Protective carrying case included
- Designed and manufactured in France
Designed for Home Listening
Hadenys is designed primarily for listening in a quiet home environment rather than commuting or travel.
Its passive construction makes it a natural partner for:
- Integrated amplifiers with headphone outputs
- Dedicated headphone amplifiers
- DAC and headphone amplifiers
- Network streamers with headphone outputs
- CD players with headphone outputs
- Desktop Hi-Fi systems
Open-Back Design
The rear of each Hadenys earcup is acoustically open.
This allows sound from the rear of the driver to escape through the earcup rather than being contained within a sealed chamber.
Open-back headphones are particularly popular for private home listening because they can provide a spacious and natural presentation.
Open-Back Headphones Provide Very Little Isolation
Hadenys does not block out surrounding sound in the way a closed-back or noise-cancelling headphone can.
You will hear what is happening around you, and people nearby will also be able to hear your music.
For that reason, Hadenys is best suited to a quiet private room rather than commuting, air travel or shared spaces where sound leakage may disturb others.
Open-Back or Closed-Back?
Hadenys Open-Back
- Designed primarily for home listening
- Very little passive isolation
- Music is audible outside the headphones
- Open and spacious presentation
- No battery or active electronics
Closed-Back
- Greater isolation
- Reduced sound leakage
- More practical around other people
- Better suited to travel
- Available as passive or wireless designs
Read Audio T's guide to open and closed-back headphones.
40mm Aluminium/Magnesium M-Dome Drivers
Each earcup contains a 40mm full-range electrodynamic driver developed by Focal.
The diaphragm combines aluminium and magnesium and is formed into Focal's characteristic M-shaped profile.
Why Aluminium and Magnesium?
The two materials contribute different mechanical characteristics.
Aluminium provides useful rigidity, helping the dome retain its intended shape as it moves.
Magnesium contributes mechanical damping, helping control unwanted diaphragm behaviour.
Focal combines the two within a single driver diaphragm to balance rigidity, low mass and damping.
M-Shaped Diaphragm
The M-shaped profile forms part of Focal's approach to increasing the driver's structural rigidity without simply adding more material and unnecessary moving mass.
This technology is used across several of Focal's headphone families.
Made in France
Hadenys is designed and manufactured in France in Focal's workshops.
The 40mm aluminium/magnesium drivers are part of Focal's own headphone engineering rather than generic externally sourced units.
25Hz to 22kHz Frequency Response
Focal specifies a frequency response of:
25Hz – 22kHz ±3dB.
The ±3dB tolerance gives useful context to the quoted operating range.
26-Ohm Impedance
Hadenys has a nominal impedance of:
26 ohms.
This is relatively low for a traditional home Hi-Fi headphone and makes Hadenys compatible with a broad range of suitable headphone outputs.
Do You Need a Dedicated Headphone Amplifier?
Not necessarily.
The 26-ohm load means Hadenys can work from many good-quality headphone outputs, but that does not make source quality irrelevant.
A better DAC, amplifier or dedicated headphone output can still improve control, clarity, dynamics and overall system performance.
Choosing a Source
A revealing passive headphone effectively becomes the final component in your Hi-Fi system.
Consider the quality of:
- The digital or analogue source
- Digital-to-analogue conversion
- Headphone amplification
- Volume control
- Noise performance
- Headphone output impedance
Less Than 0.2% Harmonic Distortion
Focal specifies harmonic distortion of:
Less than 0.2% at 1kHz / 100dB SPL.
105dB SPL Published Maximum Level
Focal publishes a maximum sound-pressure level of:
105dB SPL.
This is a capability figure rather than a recommended everyday listening level.
Protect Your Hearing
Listening at excessive volume for prolonged periods can cause permanent hearing damage.
Use a comfortable listening level and reduce the volume if you experience discomfort, ringing or listening fatigue.
294g Weight
Hadenys weighs approximately:
294g.
That makes it considerably lighter than many large high-end home headphones and helps make it suitable for extended listening sessions.
Magnesium Yokes
The earcups are supported by lightweight magnesium yokes.
Magnesium allows Focal to combine useful structural rigidity with relatively low weight.
Memory-Foam Earpads
The circumaural earpads use memory foam for cushioning.
The pads surround the ears rather than sitting directly on them, helping distribute contact around the side of the head.
Comfort for Longer Listening
At 294g, with memory-foam pads and relatively lightweight supporting hardware, Hadenys is designed with longer home-listening sessions in mind.
Headphone comfort remains very personal, however, so a demonstration is always worthwhile if you are particularly sensitive to fit or clamping pressure.
1.8m Headphone Cable
Focal supplies a headphone cable approximately:
1.8 metres long.
The source end terminates in a conventional 3.5mm stereo mini-jack.
The extra length compared with a typical portable headphone cable is useful when listening from equipment positioned on a Hi-Fi rack, desk or nearby table.
3.5mm Connection
The supplied cable can connect directly to a compatible 3.5mm headphone socket.
These may be found on:
- DAC/headphone amplifiers
- Portable music players
- Selected laptops
- Desktop audio equipment
- Some network players
6.35mm Adaptor Included
A 3.5mm-to-6.35mm headphone adaptor is supplied.
This allows Hadenys to connect to the larger headphone sockets commonly used on:
- Integrated amplifiers
- Dedicated headphone amplifiers
- DAC/headphone amplifiers
- Professional audio interfaces
- Selected network players and CD players
Passive Wired Operation
Hadenys contains no active electronics.
There is:
- No Bluetooth
- No rechargeable battery
- No built-in DAC
- No internal headphone amplifier
- No active noise cancellation
- No microphone
- No app
The connected source and headphone amplifier therefore determine the electrical signal delivered to the drivers.
No Charging Required
Because Hadenys is entirely passive, it never needs charging.
There is no wireless pairing, firmware update or Bluetooth codec to configure before listening.
Hadenys or Azurys?
Hadenys and Azurys share Focal's 40mm aluminium/magnesium M-dome driver approach and relatively low impedance, but their acoustic construction makes them suitable for different environments.
Hadenys
- Open-back
- Designed primarily for home listening
- Very little isolation
- More sound leakage
- 294g
- 1.8m cable
- 6.35mm adaptor supplied
Azurys
- Closed-back
- Suitable for home and portable listening
- Better passive isolation
- Reduced sound leakage
- 306g
- 1.25m cable
- Inline microphone and remote
If you have a quiet room and want an open presentation, Hadenys is the natural choice. If you need greater isolation or expect to listen around other people, Azurys is likely to be more practical.
Compare the Focal Azurys at Audio T.
Hadenys or Clear MG?
Hadenys
- Open-back
- 40mm aluminium/magnesium drivers
- 26-ohm impedance
- 25Hz–22kHz ±3dB
- 294g
- 1.8m cable
- 6.35mm adaptor included
Clear MG
- Open-back
- 40mm pure-magnesium drivers
- 55-ohm impedance
- 5Hz–23kHz ±3dB
- 450g
- 3.5mm and 4-pin XLR cables supplied
- Positioned higher in Focal's range
Hadenys offers a lighter and more accessible route into Focal's open-back home headphone range. Clear MG moves to pure-magnesium drivers, a more substantial chassis and a more elaborate cable package.
Compare the Focal Clear MG at Audio T.
Hadenys or Bathys?
Hadenys
- Passive wired design
- Open-back
- No battery
- No Bluetooth
- No active noise cancellation
- Designed primarily for quiet home listening
Bathys
- Active wireless design
- Closed-back
- Bluetooth
- Rechargeable battery
- Active noise cancellation
- USB-DAC mode
- Designed for home and travel
Choose Hadenys when passive wired listening and open-back sound are the priorities. Bathys makes considerably more sense if wireless convenience, commuting or active noise cancellation matter.
Compare the Focal Bathys at Audio T.
Carrying Case Included
A fitted carrying case is supplied for storage and transportation.
The case measures approximately:
- Width: 21cm
- Height: 24cm
- Depth: 7cm
Although Hadenys is primarily a home headphone, the case is useful for keeping the earcups, pads and cable protected when the headphones are not in use.
Earth-Inspired Finish
Hadenys uses warm brown and mineral-inspired tones rather than the more conventional black or silver treatment found on many headphones.
The name takes inspiration from the Hadean period during the early formation of the Earth.
Running-In
Focal states that the Hadenys drivers naturally settle during their first several hours of use.
There is no need to delay enjoying them. Normal listening will allow the mechanical parts of the drivers to settle over time.
Do Not Run Them In on Your Head at Excessive Volume
If you choose to accelerate the running-in process, do not expose your hearing to unnecessarily high playback levels.
Normal listening will achieve the same result naturally over time.
Who Are the Focal Hadenys For?
Well Suited To
- Quiet home listening
- Dedicated headphone systems
- Integrated amplifiers with headphone outputs
- DAC and headphone amplifiers
- Network streamers with headphone outputs
- Listeners who prefer open-back headphones
- Long listening sessions
- Listeners wanting a lightweight passive Focal headphone
- Vinyl systems
- Streaming systems
- CD systems
Check Before Buying
- Open-back design provides very little isolation
- Music will be audible to people nearby
- Not ideal for commuting or air travel
- No Bluetooth
- No active noise cancellation
- No microphone
- Passive analogue connection only
- 26-ohm impedance
- Source quality remains important
Key Features
- Focal Hadenys
- Open-back headphones
- Passive wired operation
- Over-ear fit
- 40mm drivers
- Aluminium/magnesium diaphragm
- M-shaped dome
- Drivers manufactured by Focal
- Designed and manufactured in France
- 25Hz–22kHz ±3dB
- 26-ohm impedance
- Less than 0.2% harmonic distortion
- 105dB SPL published maximum level
- Magnesium yokes
- Memory-foam earpads
- 294g weight
- 1.8m cable
- 3.5mm connection
- 6.35mm adaptor included
- Carrying case included
- No Bluetooth
- No battery
- No active noise cancellation
- No microphone
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Focal Hadenys open-back headphones?
Yes.
Are they designed for home listening?
Yes. Their open-back construction makes them particularly well suited to quiet private listening spaces.
Do Hadenys block outside noise?
Very little. Open-back headphones allow surrounding sound to pass through the earcups.
Can other people hear my music?
Yes. Sound leakage is normal with an open-back design.
Are Hadenys suitable for commuting?
They are not ideal for commuting because they provide very little isolation and allow sound to escape to people nearby.
Are Hadenys wireless?
No. They are passive wired headphones.
Do they have Bluetooth?
No.
Do they need charging?
No. Hadenys contains no battery.
Do they have active noise cancellation?
No.
What size are the drivers?
40mm.
What are the drivers made from?
An aluminium/magnesium alloy.
What does M-dome mean?
Focal forms the driver diaphragm into an M-shaped profile to increase structural rigidity while keeping moving mass under control.
Where are Hadenys made?
Focal states that Hadenys is designed and manufactured in France in its workshops.
What is the frequency response?
25Hz to 22kHz ±3dB.
What is the impedance?
26 ohms.
Are Hadenys difficult to drive?
The 26-ohm impedance makes them compatible with a broad range of suitable headphone outputs, although a high-quality source and headphone amplifier can still improve overall performance.
Do I need a separate headphone amplifier?
Not necessarily. They can work with a suitable built-in headphone output, but a dedicated headphone amplifier may be worthwhile as the rest of the system improves.
Can I connect them to a normal Hi-Fi amplifier?
Yes, provided the amplifier has a suitable headphone output.
What cable is supplied?
A 1.8m headphone cable terminating in a 3.5mm plug.
Is a 6.35mm adaptor included?
Yes.
Can I use Hadenys with a full-size 6.35mm headphone socket?
Yes. Use the supplied adaptor.
How much do Hadenys weigh?
Approximately 294g.
What are the yokes made from?
Magnesium.
Do they have memory-foam earpads?
Yes.
What harmonic distortion does Focal specify?
Less than 0.2% at 1kHz / 100dB SPL.
What is the maximum published SPL?
105dB SPL.
Is a carrying case included?
Yes.
How large is the carrying case?
Approximately 21 x 24 x 7cm W x H x D.
Do Hadenys need running in?
Focal states that the drivers settle naturally after several hours of use. Normal listening will achieve this over time.
What is the difference between Hadenys and Azurys?
Hadenys is open-back and intended primarily for quiet home listening. Azurys is closed-back, provides greater passive isolation and is more practical for portable use.
What is the difference between Hadenys and Clear MG?
Both are passive open-back Focal headphones. Hadenys uses 40mm aluminium/magnesium drivers and weighs 294g, while Clear MG uses pure-magnesium drivers, has a more substantial 450g construction and sits higher in Focal's headphone range.
Related Focal Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Focal headphone demonstrations
- Open-back and closed-back comparisons
- Hadenys, Azurys and Clear MG comparisons
- Headphone fit and comfort advice
- Headphone-amplifier matching
- DAC and source matching
- Streaming-system advice
- Vinyl-system matching
- 3.5mm and 6.35mm connection guidance
- Part-exchange options
- Setup and ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to arrange a Focal Hadenys demonstration or discuss headphone amplification, source matching and whether an open-back headphone is right for your listening environment.