Noble Audio Fokus Artemis Headphones

October 20, 2026

NOBLE AUDIO FOKUS ARTEMIS HEADPHONES REVIEW

Noble Audio have been making IEMs for years, and in more recent times, they’ve branched out into over-ear wireless headphones too. The Fokus Artemis are their latest model, with some unique features that set them apart from the usual models you’ll find at this price point.

These are premium wireless headphones, coming in at £799, with plenty to talk about. Let’s dive straight in.

BUILD AND FEATURES OF THE FOKUS ARTEMIS

Starting with the build quality, you can tell these are a premium model the moment you unbox them. The storage case is lovely and the headphones look stunning. The Alcantara headband padding is soft, the outer fabric trim feels great, and the yokes and arms are metal with good adjustment. The faceplates are simply gorgeous, with an etched design on them, and the earpads are plush and easily replaceable. The buttons on the earcups are metal, and they even come with a user-replaceable battery ; they feel considered and made to last, a huge bonus when it comes to wireless Bluetooth headphones.

They are not just wireless, though. You can use them with a USB cable using the internal DAC of the headphones, or you can use the 3.5mm to USB-C cable included with them to use them in passive mode. Passive mode works with them turned off too, so you can use them if you run out of battery, which is great (or you can use them wired with ANC when travelling too, very handy for plane trips).

The Fokus Artemis also use an unusual driver configuration. They are a true hybrid headphone with three drivers per side, one dynamic, one planar, and one balanced armature – this is something you don’t see very often in full-size models and is definitely one of the most intriguing things about these headphones.

They give you 55+ hours of playback without ANC, dropping to 35+ hours with ANC, and under 1.5 hours charge time – plenty to see you through regular commutes and travel. They feature LDAC, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless codecs for high-quality Bluetooth playback, multipoint connection, adjustable ANC, and plenty of EQ options (including a full 10-band custom EQ). For those a little intimidated by a full 10-band EQ, there is a simpler EQ with a slider too, so you can dial in a brighter or darker sound depending on your taste. Then you have the Audiodo personalisation, giving you the option to do a hearing test and have a custom EQ curve for your own hearing profile. There are also a couple of spatial profiles in the settings too – called “Audiosphere”, you can pick between subtle and immersive. All of the personalised EQ settings save to the headphones, so you get consistent sound across sources. This is quite handy if you like to dial in your own sound.

Along with all of the above you have the usual controls on the headphones, including volume up/down, play/pause, on/off/pairing, and ANC/normal/transparency modes. These also have an auto-shutdown setting, and a wearable sensor which I found to be pretty accurate. From a technical perspective, these are bang up to date in terms of Bluetooth tech and codecs, offering high-quality Bluetooth audio along with a full suite of DSP options to allow you to get the Fokus Artemis sounding exactly how you want it.

I found these headphones to be comfortable in use too, easily wearing them for a few hours at a time without issue. The earcups are closed, though, so there will always be a degree of heat build-up, just something to note when using them in hotter environments. I used them on my commute, which is now nearly three hours, and didn’t have any comfort issues at all during this time. I found the ANC to be effective on the train, only struggling a little on the London Underground – they still blocked out more than enough for me to continue enjoying music though.

SETUP AND USE

I have been using these for day-to-day use, and they have proved to be rock-solid in terms of connectivity, and the battery does last well on them.

I did try the Audiodo personalised EQ, but found myself preferring the sound without it on. The immersive mode seems to work well for certain things, I can imagine it being good for films in immersive mode; subtle seemed to work better for music, just adding a bit of air and space to the sound. This review will be based on their sound without EQ. I did find the basic tilt EQ to be quite helpful in quickly dialling in a slightly different flavour of sound.

I’ve used them with my Pixel 11 phone and Hidizs AP80 Pro Max, both of which use the LDAC codec. I mostly used them with Bluetooth, as this is how they were intended to be listened to.

SOUND QUALITY

The Noble Fokus Artemis are a very well-balanced pair of headphones right out of the box, with only a slight hint of additional body down low, perfect for what is primarily a portable headphone. As most will know, going outside and having noise around tends to cut perceived bass presence first, so a slightly warmer sound is a good thing in a headphone like this. This translates to a thicker bass guitar presence, additional punch and a bit of body, luckily this additional presence isn’t overdone and the midrange and treble still cut through with good detail and clarity. The sound between ANC on and off is quite similar and even in transparency mode they don’t lose their tonal balance, which is good. I would say ANC is perhaps a tiny bit more controlled sounding, but it’s not a huge difference and one that would be hard to notice once out and about.

Back to listening, and I found these to be incredibly easy to enjoy right away. As mentioned I used them for a long commute, and music sounded great through them, to the point I wasn’t missing my usual wired IEMs. There is a level of control, separation, and clarity that sets these apart from most wireless headphones. They have a real “audiophile” quality to their sound whilst maintaining an engaging sound for more upbeat tracks. Take “My Enemy” by CHVRCHES – the thick bassline is full and dynamic here, digging down into the sub-bass with impressive presence and rumble, whilst never overpowering the delicate vocals. Both the male and female vocals in this track cut through with great clarity, along with natural tonality. The synths have space, there is great separation which prevents the mix from sounding congested, and the treble has genuine detail and extension. All three drivers work seamlessly here, and I can’t detect any fatiguing peaks, or sibilance in the crossover between the midrange and treble.

In a quiet environment, the intro to Teardrop by Massive Attack may come across a little too thick, yet once it gets going this fades away – and you can tone down the low end a little in the app when you’re in a quiet place. Once again, everything comes across as very coherent and musical, with great detail and clarity across the board. These are an engaging listen with this kind of track, presenting everything in quite an effortless way. The level of detail from Bluetooth is something that stands out on these. They give you more space, air, and detail than most other wireless headphones on the market, with the DALI IO-12 being the closest to this (I find the Fokus Artemis to be a better all-rounder, though).

Moving to something acoustic, “Waiting” by Cory Wells came on, and the acoustic guitar sounds excellent through these. The body is there, along with the detail, and the vocals are delivered with such effortless ease. I will admit, most wireless headphones I’ve had have been OK, but they’re usually not for me due to certain drawbacks – the Fokus Artemis have made me rethink this position. They have the right sound signature for their intended use case, which is out and about listening.

On to something a bit heavier, with “Dying to Heal” by Architects and these can deliver heavy-hitting kick drums, tight snares, and snarling guitars – without losing track of a single part of the mix. Breakdowns have crushing impact, vocals cut through with bite, downtuned guitars have heft, and cymbals shimmer with brilliance. Everything comes together with the energy it deserves, yet when softer tracks come on, they are equally adept at delivering nuance and emotion.

As “500 Nights” by Courtney Marie Andrews shows, a song that came on after the above (yes, shuffle does wonders sometimes, from metalcore to folk/country). The acoustic guitar is pitch-perfect and little details shine through with ease on these headphones, whilst the air between the instruments brings out each layer. This track is delivered with the delicacy and raw emotion that it deserves, and the insight and detail surprised me.

One last track, and one that I am very familiar with (and its questionable recording quality). “Rookie of the Year” by Funeral for a Friend, a track from one of my all-time favourite albums, and these headphones pass the test with flying colours. They are transparent enough to let you know this isn’t the best recording. The thick rhythm guitar line and finer lead guitar lines are well separated with great body from the bass guitar line and kick drums backing it up. The snares are snappy, cymbal hits land right where they should be with great energy and placement within the soundstage. It sounds as it should, and this is a song I have heard on many a system, and that is testament enough for me to know these are a cracking pair of headphones. Most – not all – Bluetooth headphones struggle in the treble from my experience, yet the Fokus Artemis do not, they give you a much clearer picture of a track and can deliver the different tones in the treble better than most other wireless headphones.

QUIBBLES

If you listen exclusively in quiet environments, they may come across a little too full at times (easily remedied in the app).

CONCLUSION

I won’t beat around the bush here. Previously I have been very sceptical of Bluetooth headphones, as from my experience none have delivered close to what a good wired setup can – hence my use of wired IEMs when travelling. The Noble Fokus Artemis are the first model that I have used for an extended period of time that has made me rethink all of what I thought of wireless ANC headphones. They do not suffer the drawbacks that most do, and they have plenty of tuneability in the app should you wish to change the sound.

Personally, I found the sound out of the box just right for out-and-about listening. The ANC is effective on all but the London Underground (even then, it did a pretty good job), and the battery life is excellent. These deliver full, detailed sound that is simply easy to listen to for long periods of time. The three drivers work in harmony, and deliver clarity that rivals a good wired setup, wrapped up in a compact yet comfortable design with clever features to ensure longevity.

It’s taken till the end of 2026 to convince me that Bluetooth can rival a wired setup – ok, we’re not “quite” there yet, but these have so few compromises I must congratulate Noble on making such a finely tuned portable Bluetooth headphone. I could very easily live with these as my go-to portable headphones, especially when paired to the tiny Hidizs AP80 Pro Max.

AT A GLANCE

Build Quality And Features:

Solid materials and build quality

Great features, flexibility and longevity built in

User-replaceable battery

Sound Quality:

Slightly full, yet spacious and detailed

Perfect signature for on-the-go listening

Value For Money:

These are not cheap for a Bluetooth headphones, yet factor in everything, and they make sense. No, they’re not the bargain of the century, but they do offer a premium look and feel, whilst sounding genuinely brilliant.

We Loved:

The whole package, from looks to materials and sound quality

We Didn’t Love So Much:

When used for their intended purpose, nothing.

In quiet environments, they may sound too full for some

Elevator Pitch Review: Well, I can finally admit that a Bluetooth headphone would now be my go-to headphone for out-and-about use. The Fokus Artemis offer genuinely excellent sound quality in a comfortable and stylish package. Those three drivers are not there just for show; they work together to give a level of detail and insight often unheard of in a Bluetooth headphone – kudos to Noble for pushing Bluetooth sound to this level.

Price: £799