Noble Audio FoKus Prestige Review

It hasn’t been that long since the release of the Noble Fokus Mystique, and they already have their follow-up. The Fokus series is known for being the most IEM-like of the true wireless brands, and with the Prestige, Noble is looking to provide its highest-end model yet. Usually, true wireless earbuds don’t enter the $599, price range, so let’s see if the Prestige is really something special.

What You Get

• FoKus Prestige Earphones
• Charging case
• Pouch
• Proprietary charging cable
• 6 pairs of ear tips

Look & Feel

One of the reasons the Fokus Prestige exists in the first place is for Noble to show off this impeccable design. Your first impression of the Prestige is bound to be its bespoke wooden case and earphone shell. The specific unit I used for this review happened to be the Blue variation, and I feel it was the best example of just how striking these earbuds are. Based on their appearance, the Prestige definitely makes a close for itself being priced the way it is. They also retain the ergonomic shape that was present on the Fokus Pro and Mystique which feel more like an IEM when worn.

Design & Functionality

Noble’s Fokus series differentiates itself from a lot of true wireless designs out there by featuring similar driver configurations to IEMs. The Fokus Prestige features one 8.2mm dynamic driver and two Knowles balanced armatures. This gives the earphones better output, featuring more headroom than most true wireless models. It achieves this even without the use of noise-canceling, so the sound feels more organic coming from the drivers. You won’t find as many features with the Prestige, but the Fokus app does offer an effective EQ. The Fokus does have touch sensors, and they work pretty consistently. It gives you a reliable feedback sound after a short delay.

Bluetooth

This Bluetooth connection offers fast pairing. Connecting the Prestige was almost instant for me, and it features no dropouts even throughout my hours of testing.

Battery Life

For the price, you should expect a sizable battery life and the Prestige gives that to you. A single charge should offer 10 whole hours of playtime, with the case supplying four additional charges.

Soundstage

Noble’s FoKus line has given us some of the best soundstages that can be found on true wireless, and the Prestige is the best. It spreads wide and separates all the sound elements in an organized fashion. It might be the most IEM-like soundstage on true wireless, accurately translating stereo positioning through precise imaging. Nothing ever feels like it’s fighting for the middle like other true wireless earphones do. The Prestige is the most layered set of true wireless earbuds on the market, and it displays its imaging effortlessly.

Low End

Using the different EQ settings can have a significant effect on the bass. In its default form, the bass gives you enough punch and body to feel instantly satisfied with. They have a controlled thickness to them that you can easily go further with different presets or custom boosting if you like. The frequencies keep to their own space, never going out of bounds and forming muddiness. When I ran the personalized mode EQ, the tone gained some weight, helped by some impressive sub-bass rumble.

Mids

While a lot of true wireless earphones reduce some of their midrange frequencies, the Prestige seems to enhance them. I never noticed any significant dips, as the Prestige gives you a ton of clarity. You never feel like there’s a lot lost here, with the mids offering some pointed accuracy within the mix. Specific notes have a good identity and stick out well on a lot of instruments. The vocal response is the crispest I’ve heard on true wireless, supplying you with intimate and lively performances.

Highs

There’s more than enough treble detail here for me to bite on, especially with EQ. Right out of the box, the Prestige isn’t as expressive in its highs as it is in the midrange and bass, but it still plays a part. At its best, the highs have a slight shimmer, bringing out some good air. You won’t get much shape to them, but the level of fidelity is still very good for true wireless.

Summary

With each new addition to the Fokus series, Noble Audio keeps making consistent improvements. Now, they’ve created one of the few true wireless earphones that feels like it’s truly made for audiophiles, with a price that reflects just that. It might be a hard price to sell you on, but after listening to the Prestige, it feels like the real deal. They are the most IEM-like Bluetooth earbuds that I’ve tried, as reflected by their look and their sound.

The Noble Fokus Prestige is available at Audio46.