Focal Bathys - Distortion in cable-/audio mode

Hi folks,

I bought Focal Bathys and like them very much in wireless mode. When using it in audio mode with jack-cables I geht weird distortions after 50% of volume. Does anyone have ideas whats going on? I run them on a high end audio-interface (Apogee Ensemble).

Thanks
Tim

Do you have another cable to try ?

My first thought is the output signal from the Apogee could exceed the input level for the Focal’s internal amp, if the jack input goes through that rather than powering the drivers directly.

Yes, I tried different (good) cables. Meanwhile I found out, that it has to do something with the Audio Interface. There are no distortions on a MacBook. So obviously the HP-Out of the Apogee overpowers the Bathys. But I can’t understand why this happens. And how to get rid of it. Anyone experiences and or Ideas how to handle this?

Can you raise with Focal, or a dealer? I looked at their website and it appears it can only be used with the internal power on, so you are not bypassing its internal amp, and I suspect simply is just not intended to be run from a decent headphone amp, with consequential overloading of its amp’s input stage.

Yes, thats it. No way to bypass the amp of the Bathys. Which is a shame, it wold be the prefect Headphone for just every listening situation…