OneOdio Focus A6 review: The first Bluetooth 6 headphones we've tested

The OneOdio Focus A6 are the first headphones to come through our testing lab that feature Bluetooth 6.0. In addition to the advanced connectivity tech, these headphones promise a load of features typically only found on flagship headphones, all for less than $100. Let’s dive into all that the OneOdio Focus A6 have to offer.

What’s it like to use the OneOdio Focus A6?

The OneOdio Focus A6 have an eye-catching CD-style design. As someone who is into retro-tech, I don’t mind the design at all. Pictured above is our Ivory Blush colorway, but the headphones also come in a Midnight Black color option.

At only 240g, the Focus A6 are lightweight. The ear cushions are made from memory foam, and wrapped in leather, and I didn’t experience any comfort issues while testing them. While the plastic headband construction lends itself to comfort, it doesn’t feel super premium. The ear cups spin and fold, but the plastic makes some creaking sounds that don’t inspire confidence in long-term durability. Then again, you can buy about six pairs of these headphones for the cost of one AirPods Max, so I’m not expecting the absolute best.

Another area these headphones fall a bit short is in the travel case, or lack thereof. All you get is the headphones and a power cable, with no travel case or other accessories. Again, I won’t knock them too hard here, considering these are things you typically only find in expensive headphones, but it’s worth pointing out. Like most wireless headphones, these also do not have an IP water-resistance rating.

What are the best features of the OneOdio Focus A6?

Unlike most budget headphones, the OneOdio Focus A6 comes with a companion app so you can customize the headphones’ settings to your liking. On the home page, you can select from different listening modes, including ANC, Transparency, Wind Noise Reduction, and Wind-resistant Transparency. You can also select from the different EQ presets, or build your own custom EQ preset with the 7-band equalizer.

There’s a Find My Headphones feature that will play a loud sound through the headphones to help you locate them in your room. You can also enable a handful of other features from the app including Dual Device Connection, Gaming Mode, Over-time Wear Reminder, Max Volume Limiter, Auto Power Off, and Movie Sound Effect.

How does the OneOdio Focus A6 connect?

The OneOdio Focus A6 are the first headphones I’ve tried with Bluetooth 6.0. The main benefit of Bluetooth 6.0 is support for a new Channel Sounding feature that provides fine range-finding between two Bluetooth devices. While the headphones have the technology to support pinpoint location tracking, this feature isn’t built into the app at the time of writing, nor do I have a Bluetooth 6.0 phone to test with. That said, the fact that the headphones include Bluetooth 6.0 means they are ready for the future.

In terms of Bluetooth codecs, the OneOdio Focus A6 supports LDAC, in addition to the standard SBC and AAC. If you have an Android phone that supports LDAC, you can get high-resolution playback at up to 99okbps. Unfortunately, there’s no support for wired listening over 3.5mm aux or USB-C.

How long do the OneOdio Focus A6’s battery last?

The OneOdio Focus A6 headphones are rated to last up to 40 hours with ANC enabled, and up to 75 hours with ANC disabled. Our battery tests are still ongoing, so check back soon for our official results. That said, that battery life would best the battery life of most flagship headphones, such as the AirPods Max, which are only rated to last 20 hours with ANC enabled.

How well do the OneOdio Focus A6 cancel noise?

The OneOdio Focus A6 do a good job of blocking out external noise, thanks to the inclusion of active noise canceling (ANC). With ANC enabled, our tests show that the OneOdio Focus A6 reduce the loudness of external noise by an average of 79%. While this isn’t as good as the best noise canceling headphones, this is among the best noise reduction we’ve seen in headphones that cost less than $100.

How do the OneOdio Focus A6 sound?

Most people will find the sound quality of the OneOdio Focus A6 adequate. I have no major complaints regarding the sound quality, and the headphones perform well in our objective testing. You can also adjust the sound quality to your liking using the custom equalizer in the companion app.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The chart below shows how the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics assesses the sound of the OneOdio Focus A6. The sound quality is rated on a scale from 1.0 (very bad) to 5.0 (very good).

The OneOdio Focus A6 attain an Overall sound quality score of 4.4 on a scale from 1-5. This is a high score that implies most people will enjoy the way these headphones sound straight out of the box. A Distortion score of 2.7 means there are some issues with non-linearities and added noise, but not enough to significantly disrupt the listening experience.

Reviewer’s notes

Editor’s note: this review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.

Objective Measurements

The default sound of the OneOdio Focus A6 has some deviations from our SoundGuys Preference Curve. The headphones slightly amplify sub-bass below 100Hz, before a small dip around 150Hz. In the mids, there is a noticeable dip from 2-5kHz, which might sound like a loss of detail on vocals, piano, and guitar sounds. In the treble, the headphones boost frequencies around 8kHz, often where percussive elements such as cymbals are found. Beyond that, the headphones are slightly lacking in the upper reaches of the audible hearing spectrum.

Can you use the OneOdio Focus A6 for phone calls?

The OneOdio Focus A6 is equipped with AI microphones that can intelligently detect and filter environmental noise. In our tests, we found that the microphones work well for taking calls in a variety of environments. Listen to our microphone demonstrations below and let us know what you think.

OneOdio Focus A6 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Should you buy the OneOdio Focus A6?

At this price, the OneOdio Focus A6 are a good value purchase. These headphones offer a lot of features, including Bluetooth 6.0, ANC, and a customizable companion app. I find the OneOdio Focus A6 comfortable to wear, and I had no major problems using them as my daily driver headphones. These are an easy recommendation.

What should you get instead of the OneOdio Focus A6?

There are some other good wireless headphones under $100. Our top pick is the JLab JBuds Lux ANC ($79.99 at Amazon). These headphones deliver everything most people need, including good sound quality, good ANC, a companion app, and a comfortable design. They also have some nice bonus features, such as support for USB-C wired listening.

Another good option is the EarFun Wave Pro ($79.99 at Amazon). If LDAC support is a priority to you, you’ll be happy to know the EarFun Wave Pro also support this codec, though these headphones are on the older Bluetooth 5.3.  Not everyone will love the way these headphones sound out of the box, but the custom equalizer in the app offers lots of room for tinkering. These headphones offer good noise canceling and exceptional battery life that we measured at 52 hours and 31 minutes.

OneOdio Focus A6 review: FAQs