Noble Fokus Mystique Review
A successful gamble on sound quality over everything else
Verdict
The Noble Fokus Mystique are a great set of wireless earbuds that offer excellent sound quality, a distinctive design and a comfortable fit. With a great app, good mic quality, decent battery life and a new pass-through mode, they also have a few quality of life features that their predecessors lacked. But with no waterproofing, no ANC, and a big case, one thing is clear, these buds aren’t for everyone. For everyone else, these make listening a treat.
Pros
- Comfortable design
- Brilliant sound quality
- Decent mic quality
Cons
- Big case
- No waterproofing
- No ANC
Availability
- UKRRP: £359
- USARRP: $359
- EuropeTBC
- CanadaTBC
- AustraliaTBC
Key Features
- App supportAvailable on Android on iOS
- Battery life30 hours of audio playback
- Ambient modeFilter sound through from the outside world
Introduction
It is a generally accepted truth: the second album is more difficult than the first. Following a debut that sets a standard and becomes a byword for quality, living up to past promises is a distinct and difficult challenge, such is the problem of the Noble Fokus Mystique.
Its predecessor, the Noble Fokus Pro, was a truly exceptional set of wireless earbuds, focussing on sound quality with very few drawbacks. The Mystique has the difficulty of at least matching the performance of its predecessor, while also delivering noticeable improvements.
It has done this by doubling down on sound quality over everything else. In addition to some promised improvements in microphone quality, it seems there isn’t much on the surface to distinguish between the Pro and the Mystique. Even their designs are similar.
The story is of course more nuanced than this, with ups and downs along the way. Does the Noble Fokus Mystique do enough to justify a place in your ears?
Design
- Metal case
- Comfortable fit
- Tight in-ear seal
For some it may be a problem, for others it may not: the Noble Fokus Mystique look highly similar to its predecessor. From the case to the shape and the weight, everything is functionally identical. What this means in practice, firstly, is a set of earbuds that are comfortable and that also provide a tight seal when in the ear.
Across multiple hours of use, for calls and for music, the Fokus Mystique didn’t cause me any discomfort, which is a definite plus. For those with more sensitive ears they may be a bit ‘heavy’, though a selection of different tip options is included by default to combat this issue. It should be noted (and the manufacturer is upfront with this) that these are buds only to be considered for the occasional workout. The fit is tight, but these are meant for indulgent listens.
This tight fit of the buds means there is only very minimal noise intrusion, acting as a powerful ‘passive’ noise isolation. There’s no active component, no software at play, but I found the fit was sufficiently good to block out most outside noise. If you are a commuter and need something more powerful than passive noise isolation can achieve, there are options available such as the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II at a lower price point.
When it comes to the carrying case of the Fokus Mystique, the jury is out. It is a truly chunky effort, made of metal and offering a heft and weight that belies its size. Finished in a powder dark blue, it looks good, though its thickness hampers its portability credentials considerably.
These aren’t buds that will fit in skinny jeans or anywhere outside a backpack or jacket pocket. An advantage of the large size is the ability to pack in a bumper battery, with a quoted 7.5 hours of listening from the buds, stretched to over thirty with the case.
The buds themselves are quite large, a consequence of the fit and the large drivers incorporated. They have a custom 3D printed design, which is very similar to the kind of wired IEMs used by audio engineers, a kind of swirly stormy mix of colours, dark blue and white. They are attractive, though not in a head turning kind of way – though this is again with the proviso that conspicuous consumption isn’t the intent. They look very similar to the Fokus Pro.
Features
- Companion app
- Adjustable EQ presets
- Can create customised listening profiles
Compared with the competition, it might seem on the surface that the Fokus Mystique are feature light. There’s no active noise cancellation, wireless charging, or anything else typically used as a unique selling point – none of the mod cons many expect.
There are of course a few inclusions to distinguish the Mystique from their predecessor, first of which is an ambient mode. The Mystique buds don’t have active noise cancellation, but their snug fit means the outside world is difficult to hear when they are worn. Ambient mode allows sounds to pass through, so you could theoretically still have a conversation or interact with the world with the buds in.
I found this mode to work well enough in general use. It isn’t as powerful as some of the competition, where it can sometimes double as a hearing aid, but it is powerful enough to make a difference in day-to-day use, such as when shopping.
In addition to this, there has also been a new attention paid to voice quality in calls. By nature of their design, the Mystique buds are far from the mouth when compared to something like AirPods. The new mics have increased sensitivity, and while they are certainly an improvement over the Pro, they are at the same general level as the competition, never exceeding it in any way.
Battery life was around that quoted by Noble, at around 7 hours of listening from the buds at half volume before they gave up the ghost.
What is a positive inclusion is the bundled app from Noble. This allows EQ to be adjusted and other settings and more to be amended. A standout feature on this is an option that creates a custom EQ for your hearing. It plays a number of noises at different frequencies, then adjusts bass and treble according to your hearing needs. In my case the resulting end profile had a lot more impact than the standard arrangement, bringing out more detail and energy in most recordings.
It must be said that given the price point it is a shame to see no stated waterproofing rating and the omission of ANC. Both would provide a versatility in use that would allow a greater level of parity with the competition.
Sound Quality
- AptX, SBC and AAC codecs supported
- Excellent sound quality
- Work with nearly any genre
In this review so far, negatives have been added with a caveat, that certain things might have been omitted in the name of a laser focus on audio quality. The burning question is then: has that gamble paid off?
The answer really depends on how much you value audio quality. True wireless earbuds, though much improved from previous years, still represent a step down in sound quality from what the best over-ear headphones or wired options can offer.
Convenience, handy features and the death of the headphone jack in nearly all premium smartphones have been the factors that have driven sales. For the jogger who needs rain-proofing, for the commuter drowning out the commute with ANC, the Noble Fokus Mystique are not the best option available. Conversely, for the audiophile who demands music quality above all else, these are a no brainer.
From detailed classical recordings with dozens of instruments to bass-heavy EDM, there isn’t really a genre that the Fokus Mystique can’t tackle. To begin, they offer an immersive soundstage with good overall separation, giving a great spatial presence to music played. With the right recording the detail that can be achieved is exceptional.
This lends itself well to classical in particular, though any other genre with busy selections of instruments or elements also works nicely. Vocals sound warm and have a nice sparkle. Bass is similarly positive, having bite and attack that lends a feeling of fun to party tracks and dance.
Whether overall music quality matters is moot, but how much quality people need isn’t. Though the Fokus Mystique will shine particularly with a nice FLAC file, they still lend their magic well to music streamed at a low bitrate over Spotify. These are buds that make listening fun, which even for the price isn’t a guarantee. Those who prefer a more neutral profile for their audio can tweak the EQ or look elsewhere, but by default the Fokus Mystique sound simply brilliant.
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Should you buy it?
If you want great music quality above all else: The Noble Fokus Mystique put music quality front and centre and work well with almost any genre.
If you want buds to exercise with: The Fokus Mystique are not waterproof and are not intended much else than the occasional workout.
Final Thoughts
The second album may be more difficult than the first, but that doesn’t mean that it is guaranteed to fail – sometimes the opposite is true. The Noble Fokus Mystique have big boots to fill, following in the footsteps of an accomplished predecessor, but they do so with aplomb.
With brilliant sound quality for any genre, they make listening fun, and boasting a comfortable fit they are easy to wear for hours on end. The addition of an ambient pass through mode, a new design and improved mic performance only sweetens the deal. If you want a good set of buds to bring out the detail in your music, you need look no further.
But though the Fokus Mystique buds achieve what they set out to do, that doesn’t mean they are the best option for most people. If you are a commuter, exercise regularly or want something a little more bling, there are options that fit the brief better.
How we test
We test every set of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested over several weeks
Tested with real world use
Battery drain performed
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FAQs
There’s no active noise-cancellation on this pair of earphones, but they do support a transparency mode to let outside sounds filter through.
Full specs
Sustainability
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As part of this mission, whenever we review a product we send the company a series of questions to help us gauge and make transparent the impact the device has on the environment.
We currently haven’t received answers to the questions on this product, but will update this page the moment we do. You can see a detailed breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability info page.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
