Formed by John Moulton in 2013, Noble Audio has been making impressive custom and universal in-ear monitors for over a decade. The company’s first release was the highly acclaimed K-10 which putt Noble on the map as a brand to look out for in the audiophile world. Subsequent releases included the Encore, Katana and Khan IEMs, ensuring Noble has gained numerous awards.
Now the latest product from Noble is the FoKus Apollo wireless headphones which are unusual because they use two sets of drivers on each side to create an exceptionally refined sound. Noble has paired conventional 40mm dynamic drivers with 14.5mm planar magnetic speakers to reproduce the kind of sound you might expect to get with a high-end pair of two-way loudspeakers.
Alongside this unique dual-driver design, the first to be granted a worldwide patent, also includes hybrid Active Noise Cancelation for cutting out unwanted sounds such as the dull roar of the jet engines of an Airbus A320 or the hum of a noisy air-conditioning unit in a busy office.
The rechargeable batteries that power the FoKus Apollo headphones can play for up to 80 hours on a single charge while the Bluetooth implementation supports both LDAC and aptX HD audio codecs for hi-res wireless audio when used with compatible streaming devices. The FoKus Apollo also come supplied with a removable boom mic, making them ideal for use as a gaming headset or for making video or phone calls at work.
For more than a decade, Noble has been steadily carving out a reputation for hand-crafting the best materials into IEMs that are a joy to own as well as to use. Now the brand is turning its attention to a new market with the launch of its first pair of over-the-ear wireless headphones, the Noble FoKus Apollo.
Because the Noble FoKus Apollo are het first over-the-ear headphones from the brand, the designers decided to do something a bit different by developing the world’s first patented hybrid headphone technology with a dual-driver arrangement that uses two distinctively different technologies, each playing to their inherent strengths.
By combining a 40mm dynamic driver for the lower frequencies and some of the midrange with a magnetic planar driver for the high end, Noble has managed to produce a pair wireless headphone with a frequency range of 10Hz – 40kHz. Most headphones usually use a single dynamic driver that can span a frequency range of around 20Hz to 20kHz. When using just one type of driver, usually a dynamic design, the potential can be limited. Some companies—such as Sennheiser—produce some amazing dynamic transducer with wider frequency response, but most don’t. =
Planar magnetic technology is radically different from dynamic drivers. Their mechanism consists of a substrate material that vibrates when a voltage is applied. The material used in planar magnetic drivers is stiff and incredibly springy, producing a sound that’s far nimbler and with exceptionally quick response. This injects more energy into the production of soundwaves resulting in a sound that’s punchy, superbly defined and which has excellent transients.
The unique blend of these two driver technologies in the Noble FoKus Apollo creates a soundstage that has exceptional delicacy, accuracy, nuance and focus. Because the planar magnetic drivers have a faster decay rate, there are very few of the blurring effects and lingering vibrations in the treble frequencies that you often get with dynamic drivers which can display excessive inertia.
That said, dynamic drivers produce excellent bass tones because they can shift large quantities of air to make a big and deep noise. However, the large mass of dynamic drivers means they are also less able to move quite as quickly to provide a clearer upper midrange and in the higher frequencies where planar magnetic speakers perform so well.
The result is a sound that offers the best of both worlds with the dynamic driver producing a rich and fulsome sound with warmth and plenty of low end. Meanwhile, the planar magnetic drivers inject a sense of urgency and clarity into the mix, which is necessary for a focused and sharp soundstage where individual instruments can be picked out with accuracy. You can think of the result being a bit like listening to a pair of two-way loudspeakers with each type of driver playing to its strengths.
These new headphones feel like a premium product thanks to their beautiful build quality. The anodized aluminum frame is covered with an Alcantara headband which makes even long listening sessions superbly comfortable. Replaceable protein leather ear pads provide excellent comfort as well as an extra level of passive noise isolation that works in tandem with the ANC to cut down on unwanted background sounds.
The controls for adjusting volume levels, skipping tracks, repeating tracks as well as handling phone calls are all located on the right earcup in a cluster of three buttons. There’s also a separate ANC toggle button that cycles the noise cancelation through Off, On and Transparent. The right side also has a 3.5mm jack for plugging in the supplied auxiliary cable for wired listening.
The left earcup of the headphones is where the USB-C port for charging is located plus there is a global microphone mute button for when privacy is needed during calls. This mutes the built in mics or the removable boom mic if it’s plugged into the mic jack also on the left earcup.
An integrated ADI chip works in conjunction with three built-in microphones housed in each earcup. The microphones sample external sounds to feed through to the hybrid ANC system that can cut unwanted sound by up to -35dB. The ANC function also has a transparency mode for listening to conversations or travel announcements without taking the headphones off.
The Noble FoKus Apollo use Bluetooth 5.3 and include support for both LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth audio codecs. This means they can stream high-resolution audio wirelessly with compatible smartphones, producing a sound quality that rivals that offered by traditional wired headphones. The latest Bluetooth version support, these Multipoint Connectivity enabling the headphones to connect with two devices at the same time for taking a phone call on a business phone before seamlessly switching to music streamed from a personal phone or tablet.
A full charge of the battery can provide up to 80 hours of playtime with the ANC function turned off. With the ANC turned on, the figure drops to a still-creditable 60 hours. Longer battery life means there’s less need to recharge so often which helps prolong the service life of the headphones.
To customize the sound of the headphones, there is the free Noble FoKus app which is available for iOS and Android devices. The app includes extensive personalized EQ settings for sculpting the headphone sound to suit the listener’s musical tastes.
Although the headphones have six built-in microphones for the ANC function and picking up voices, the Noble FoKus Apollo also come with a removable boom mic that can turn these headphones into a communications or gaming headset. A 3.5mm audio cable is also included in the box for using the headphones in wired mode.
The sound produced by the Noble FoKus Apollo ANC wireless headphones is nothing short of exquisite. The dynamic drivers have all the energy and presence to create a robust and solid bass and lower midrange that accentuates the rhythm in blues, jazz or rock music that will have your foot tapping in no time. It’s a satisfying foundation for the music that complements the planar magnetic drivers.
The midrange vocal area and higher frequencies are where the planar magnetic drivers come into their own. The delicacy and way these amazing drivers focus the soundstage and provide a scaffold for the music is stunning. Until now, planar magnetic drivers weren’t good enough for use in a dual-driver arrangement with headphones because of size restrictions.
However, recent advances in planar magnetic technology mean it’s now possible to get exceptional detail and nuance in a smaller driver design. This makes room in the headphones for accommodating the 40mm dynamic drivers that serve up the gorgeous lower frequencies that bring the best of both in this exceptional pair of headphones.
Verdict: The Noble FoKus Apollo ANC wireless headphones are beautifully constructed and artfully designed. The way the engineers have managed to blend two totally different speaker driver technologies into one pair of wireless headphones is impressive. The support for high-resolution Bluetooth audio codecs as well as wired performance for those who want it, make the Noble FoKus Apollo ANC wireless an outstanding pair of headphones that are deft and surefooted in a way that few single-driver headphones can manage. I like these headphones a lot and they are up there on my wish list with the superb Cambridge Audio Melomania P100. If you want a premium pair of wireless headphones with effective hybrid ANC and the option of a boom mic for gaming, the Noble FoKus Apollo are hard to beat because the sound they produce is so poised and detailed but without sounding forced, harsh or digital. Highly Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Noble FoKus Apollo ANC wireless headphones will be available on September 3 from NobleAudio.com and selected retailers worldwide for $649 / £599 / €699.
Tech Specs:
- Drivers: 40mm dynamic and 14.5mm planar magnetic.
- Bluetooth: Version 5.3.
- Audio codecs: LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, SBC, AAC.
- Chipset: Qualcomm QCC3084.
- Multipoint connection: Yes.
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 40kHz.
- ANC: Off / On / Transparent.
- ANC performance: -35dB.
- Audio codecs: LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, SBC, AAC.
- Continuous playback: ANC ON 60 hours / ANC OFF: 80 hours.
- Charging time: <3 hours.
- Battery capacity: 1,000mAh.
- Accessories: EVA carrying case, 3.5mm auxiliary cable, USB-C cable, airline adapter, 1/4″ adapter, detachable boom mic.
