Noble FoKus Apollo Review

Noble FoKus Apollo review featured

In this article, I review the Noble FoKus Apollo wireless headphones. The FoKus Apollo features a 40mm dynamic driver + 14.5mm planar magnetic hybrid driver speaker arrangement, LDAC support and ANC. It’s priced at 649 USD.

Disclaimer: Noble Audio provided this sample for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

Noble FoKus Apollo Review
Verdict
From high-res Bluetooth to wired listening and effective ANC, the Noble FoKus Apollo offers versatility and top-tier sound and premium design.
How would you rate this product?1 Votes
Pros
Great soundstage width
Punchy, engaging bass
Good clarity and resolution
App support with EQ (in Bluetooth mode)
Premium build and materials
Amazing battery life
Cons
Pricey
No 2.4 GHz dongle
4.5
Our Score
WHERE TO BUY

Since its founding in 2013, Noble Audio has been a major force in the IEM industry, earning numerous awards and accolades for its audio quality and iconic designs. The FoKus Apollo is their first over-ear headphones release.

Noble FoKus Apollo

In the Box
  • Noble Audio FoKus Apollo headphones
  • EVA carrying case
  • 3.5mm auxiliary cable
  • USB-C cable
  • Two-prong airline adapter
  • 1/4″ adapter for headphone amps
  • a 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter
  • a detachable boom mic

Features

First and foremost, the FoKus Apollo features the world’s first 40mm dynamic driver + 14.5mm planar magnetic hybrid driver speaker configuration. The dynamic driver delivers the bass while the planar magnetic driver handles the midrange and treble.

Sporting a Qualcomm QCC3084 chip, the FoKus Apollo is equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and supports the best wireless audio codecs, including LDAC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and SBC. You can also use the included 3.5mm aux cable for wired listening.

These headphones are equipped with both an integrated microphone suitable for calls and chat and a detachable boom microphone for higher-fidelity audio capture.

The headphones have hybrid ANC with noise reduction up to -35db. There are 3 ANC modes: ANC On, ANC Off and Ambient mode.

Design

The FoKus Apollo makes a striking first impression with its premium materials and meticulous construction. From the soft touch of the Alcantara headband and the cool feel of the anodized aluminium frame to the plushness of the replaceable memory foam and premium protein leather earpads, every detail speaks to quality.

The headband’s underside is generously padded and covered in Alcantara. Its aluminium frame feels robust yet refined, with smooth edges and a uniform finish echoed on the earcups, strengthening the overall design’s cohesiveness. The right earcup houses all playback controls, the ANC button, and the 3.5mm auxiliary input; the left earcup features the microphone mute switch, USB-C port, and microphone socket.

Plush, memory foam earpads cradle the ears in comfort. Although my larger ears fit within the openings, a touch more width would be ideal so that no part touched my ears. The foam driver covers further enhance comfort and are thoughtfully marked with clear “L” and “R” indicators.

I found the FoKus Apollo comfortable to wear, even during long listening sessions. The clamping force is neither too strong nor too weak and the headphones feel secure on my head when I’m moving about the house doing chores.

Battery Life

The battery life is outstanding; you get around 80 hours of playback time with ANC off and still get a very respectable 60 hours with ANC on. You can even charge the battery while using the 3.5mm aux cable so there’s no need for any downtime at all.

Noble FoKus App

The Apollo works with the Noble FoKus App. From within the app, you can choose between 6 EQ presets or create a custom EQ. Furthermore, there is a listening test that will create a personal custom EQ setting for you. Having these EQ options really adds a lot of versatility and lets you fine-tune the sound to your personal preferences. You can easily update the headphone’s firmware via the app too. The app is responsive and easy to use and I didn’t experience any bugs or instability at any time.

Call Quality and ANC

The headphones come with both onboard and detachable boom microphones. While using Bluetooth, I was only able to use the built-in mics and I was only able to use the boom mic while plugged into my PC. Fortunately, the onboard microphones are pretty good but the boom mic is definitely on a higher level of fidelity.

The hybrid ANC performs well, though it doesn’t reach the level of top-tier noise cancellation found in Bose and Sony models. However, given Apollo’s strong passive noise isolation, the added ANC effectively minimizes low-frequency sounds such as fan and engine noise, allowing for more immersive listening.

Then there’s the ambient ANC mode; the idea, of course, is to let the outside world in, keeping you aware of your surroundings without forcing you to take the headphones off.

Now, some ambient modes sound like you’ve got a cheap walkie-talkie strapped to your ears – overly processed, hissy, just generally unpleasant. Thankfully, the Apollo avoids that pitfall. It aims for a more natural reproduction of ambient sound, which is a big plus. You can actually hear what’s going on around you without feeling like you’re listening through a tin can. Is it the absolute pinnacle of transparency tech? Perhaps not. But it’s a solid, unobtrusive implementation that gets the job done. If you need to hear that train announcement or have a quick chat without pausing your music, the Apollo’s got you covered.

Connectivity Modes

Bluetooth

I found the Apollo simple to connect with my Samsung Galaxy 24 Ultra and iBasso DX180. The connection was consistent and reliable on both devices. I used LDAC for both sources. Since both devices run on Android, I was able to use the FoKus Apollo app (it’s available for iOS too) and access the EQ options. Moreover, the Apollo supports multi-point connectivity, so I could switch between my 2 Bluetooth sources with ease.

USB-C

Connecting the FoKus Apollo via USB-C is straightforward: simply plug it in and power on the headphones. In this wired configuration, sound quality is virtually identical to the excellent Bluetooth (LDAC) mode, because both use the built-in DSP.

3.5mm Aux

This was, surprisingly, my least favourite mode; when plugged in using the 3.5mm aux cable, note density becomes lighter and less vibrant. In addition, you need to feed the headphones a lot of power to reach the same listening level as the BT or USB-C modes, meaning you’ll need some form of amplification. Don’t get me wrong – the Apollo still sounds great like this, just not as good as the other 2 modes of connectivity.

The mic mute button

Sound

Sources used for testing were my S24 Ultra and iBasso DX180 for Bluetooth, my Windows 11 PC for USB-C and the SMSL RAW-DAC1 + TOPPING L70 for the 3.5mm wired mode.

The Noble FoKus Apollo has a vivid, engaging sound signature, characterized by a healthily boosted bass, neutral midrange and energetic, airy treble. It doesn’t cater to those looking for a completely neutral or transparent sound – instead, it’s more aggressive and vigorous.

The first things that grabbed my attention were the bass and the sheer width of the soundstage. The bass is definitely boosted – we’re talking well north of neutral here – and it’s both dynamic and punchy.

They’ve clearly tuned both the mid-bass and sub-bass for impact, which makes the FoKus Apollo a seriously engaging listen. Now, as you’d expect from a headphone at this price point, that extra oomph doesn’t come at the cost of control; the bass remains tight and well-defined, despite its exuberance. And if you find it a tad too forward for your liking, you’ve always got the option to dial things back a bit with EQ (when using Bluetooth, of course).

But the low-end isn’t the only thing that impressed me right off the bat; the soundstage also deserves some attention. And “wide” doesn’t quite cut it here. This stage is absurdly wide for a closed-back design. Sounds extend well beyond the periphery of my headspace, creating truly distinct stereo separation and a seriously immersive experience. This is obviously fantastic for music, but it’s a game-changer (literally) for gaming too. The stage also boasts good depth and height, placing you right in the thick of the music or the battlefield.

Playback control buttons

Moving onto the mids, clarity is the name of the game here – everything just sounds… clean. Both male and female vocals are rendered beautifully, with a real sense of presence and intimacy.

The planar driver’s inherent speed really shines through here, too. Transients are crisp, giving percussion that snappy attack you want, and electric guitars have plenty of bite and crunch. Resolution is top-notch, pulling out all those little details that can often get lost in the mix. The upper mids have a nice bit of energy to them, keeping things lively, but thankfully they stop short of becoming shouty or fatiguing. It’s a well-balanced and highly resolving midrange that complements the rest of the frequency response nicely.

Up top, the treble continues the trend of impressive clarity, offering a crisp and precise presentation, but with a welcome smoothness that avoids any harshness or sibilance – a big plus in my book.

It definitely plays a role in creating that impressive soundstage width we talked about earlier, adding a sense of air and openness. Detail retrieval is good – not quite on the level of microscopic detail in the stock tuning, mind you, but if you dial back the bass a touch with EQ, those finer nuances start to emerge quite nicely.

What’s particularly impressive is how airy and light the treble is, yet it still manages to maintain a good sense of stability; it never feels thin or brittle. It’s a well-judged treble, perfectly balanced against that enhanced bass, and it adds a nice bit of sparkle and clarity to the mids, tying everything together nicely.

Comparison

Master & Dynamic MG20 headphones
Master & Dynamic MG20 (449 USD)

The MG20 is marketed as ‘Wireless Gaming Headphones’, which might be part of the reason it didn’t get as much traction in the audiophile scene. However, I think it’s an excellent and underrated product that deserves more praise.

Despite costing significantly less, the MG20 feels just as premium. It has magnesium earcups, Alcantara padding on the headband and genuine lambskin earpads. Furthermore, it’s more compact and less bulky than the Apollo.

MG20 has 50mm Beryllium dynamic drivers that can match Apollo’s 40mm driver in bass impact and authority. Regarding sound signature, the MG20 has a warmer, thicker presentation and a more organic and cohesive quality.

MG20 has 2 sound modes: standard and 7.1 surround, which is its dedicated gaming mode. In 7.1 mode, it can match the Apollo’s stage width and surpass it in detail retrieval. But in regular music mode, it’s closer to neutral compared to the Apollo’s more coloured sound.

When it comes to gaming, both headphones are great but the MG20 is the winner for me because of its 2.4 GHz wireless connection which lets you game wirelessly with no latency. It also has a detachable boom mic with comparable audio quality to the FoKus Apollo’s mic.

Earcup and logo

Verdict

So, where does that leave us with the Noble FoKus Apollo? Well, it’s clear Noble isn’t messing around here. They’ve packed a serious amount of tech into these cans, from the hybrid planar/dynamic driver setup to the latest Qualcomm QCC3084 chip with Bluetooth 5.3 and support for all the high-res codecs you could ask for (LDAC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, you name it).

The hybrid ANC is a nice touch, offering effective noise reduction and a surprisingly natural ambient mode. The build quality is top-notch, with premium materials and meticulous attention to detail throughout. Battery life is stellar, and the companion app gives you plenty of control over the sound. The sheer versatility, impressive sound quality (especially via Bluetooth and USB-C), and premium build make the FoKus Apollo a seriously compelling package. If you’re looking for a feature-packed, great-sounding, and beautifully built pair of headphones, these are definitely worth a look.

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