ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
But the H9i on Beoplay.com/de looks the same as my H9
H9i now in store...
And feedback on the improved bass response?
Hi, Which store ? Im guessing you're in The UK Cheers ?
In stock here in Sheffield UK
Here in Sheffield UK
Simple question, it seems that between the H8 and H8i they omitted the touch interface and simplified the metal band? That might explain the cost reduction of the H8i.
Yes, while the H9i is clearly an improvement over the H9, the H8 is mainly a cost reduction, taking more from the H4 than the H8. I see more the H8i as an H5 : without touch interface and with two metallic arms removed, it’s not on the same league.
diisign.com
Thanks for the tip off. Snapped up a pair at the Marylebone Road B&O store in London today
Ok then, a few comments: First, these sound awesome. I can't get enough. I might still be biased, and I wish I had the opportunity for a side-by-side comparison (or blinded comparison!) with the H9, but I don't. But I did listen to the H9 quite a lot for a week recently, and I do believe that the H9i is even more transparent, but with even deeper and tighter bass. Best bass I've heard in headphones, not that I've tried every pair out there. I'm looking forward to reading the first reviews.
They are similar to the H9 to operate. The slider button works in the same way. However, touch gestures function slightly different to accomodate transparancy mode. If I remember correctly you would swipe up to engage ANC on the H9, and swipe down to turn it off. On the H9, swiping down toggles the ANC on and off whereas swiping up toggles transparancy mode on and off. Transparancy mode is quite cool. It's like not having headphones on at all. I have trouble thinking of a user scenario where just sliding the headphones off the ears wouldn't be just as good an option, but I still appreciate the tech factor. If it is really cold outside, and you don't want to freeze your ears but still need to hear what's going on around you, I suppose.
I can also tell that the ANC works better now. I can't compare with Sony or Bose as I haven't tried theirs, but this is way better than the H9, especially in midtones. The H9 did ok with low monotone sounds I thought, like the sound when sitting on a bus, but the H9i removes more of the spectrum. I'm travelling on monday, so I get to try them on a plane then.
I like to listen to music loud, and I thought the H9 was a dissapointment compared with my old H6 in that respect. With the H9 I would always wish for the music to be just a little bit louder. Not with the H9i. These, as far as i can tell, play considerably louder than the H9. I've had a few magical moments listening to music really loud with the ANC on, right when the music stops. I've been unable to tell what's more impressive, the awesome loud but clear music, or the instant and complete silence that follows.
The proximity sensor works well too. It takes a second to register that you have taken the headphones off, so you leak sound for a second of two after taking them off, then it stops. Resuming when you put them on seems instantaneous, though.
That's it for now, I suppose. I'll be looking forward to reading what others think about theirs as well. It would be incredibly cool to read about if anyone is in a position to do a blind test on the sound quality of the H9 vs H9i.
-h.
Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to share some lovely pics and your impressions of these lovely headphones.
I'm most certainly interested in them, as I think for a stylish, very well featured and lovely sounding headphone for travel purposes they would sit at or near the top of any B&O owners or even audiophiles list.
As you also own a pair of H6's I was wondering if you are able to comment on the different sonic signatures between the H6 & H9?
Many thanks again.. :-)
Cheers
John.
Why does the battery on the H8i last longer than on the H9i?
Fatandre:Why does the battery on the H8i last longer than on the H9i?
No, it’s just because the H8i battery is 1100mAh non-replaceable vs replaceable 770 mAh on the H9i.
mbee:No, it’s just because the H8i battery is 1100mAh non-replaceable vs replaceable 770 mAh on the H9i. diisign.com
Super. This is what I wanted to hear
So, just upgraded my 13 month old H9’s to the new H9i.
First thoughts, cups are thinner but still very confortable. My guess is this was done to keep dimensions as the electronics and drivers housing is thicker on the H9i’s.
As things have been described quite a bit, I’ll concentrate in sound and performance differences.
Bass is much more tightly controlled and has better clarity on the H9i’s, The same goes for the mid and high frequencies.
The best thing about the H9i’s is that they have a much improved sound stage, cleanly defined, with fantastic separation and instruments location. That, together with NC and the somewhat muddled sound performance, was always a weakness on the H9’s.
Sound isolation has been massively improved and, it is now not too far from the industry leading Bose 35’s.
I don’t find them particularly launder than the H9’s, they seem louder but, I think the much improved noise canceling performance creates that ilusión.
I have noticed, transparency mode pauses music, I wish it didn’t and hope the next firmware release implements transparency mode without pausing whatever I am listening too. I have not tried dual paring.
The Beoplay app had new firmware for them right out of the box.
Will report back on battery performance in a few weeks time.
All considered the H9i’s are a huge improvement on the H9’s and a worthy upgrade.
Fatandre:Super. This is what I wanted to hear
Igadiz: So, just upgraded my 13 month old H9’s to the new H9i. (...) Will report back on battery performance in a few weeks time.
(...)
Congratulations! I agree on everything you write about sound.
A quick note on battery from my part. Not exactly a formal test with stringent methodology, but still. I've been away for work all week, and have used mine a lot. Just got back today. Started out with charging them to 100% sunday evening. Three or four hours of travel monday and back again today. In addition I have been using them to and from every morning and afternoon, around two to three hours every day. Sometimes with music on, sometimes just with ANC or transparancy mode. Haven't charged them once. Today, when I got back, the battery was at 60%. So far, at least, I'm really impressed with the battery capacity. Seems like it will take some effort to use them so much that you'll have to charge more often than once per week.
On the negative side, I've been having some trouble with what I first thought was dropouts of the bluetooth connection, but now believe is really unintended pause/play. I don't know the reason, but I suspect it has to do with the touch sensitive surface. Sometimes, the music will just stop. It might start again a second later, or it might not, but it always starts if I press play. However, then it might stop again shortly after. Sometimes this will happen extremely often, more than ten times per minute, for a period of maybe ten-fifteen minutes. And other times I can go hours without it happening. It seems likely that this is due to some oversensitivity of the touch interface and may be related to some external condition like temperature or humidity. It seems to happen most often when I'm outside, but not exclusively. It might also just be that my particular H9i is faulty. Does anybody else have experiences like these?
I had a similar problem with my H9’s. The touch control was much too sensitive, and due to the lack of finger detection tech, the touch control would activate with just about anything it came in contact with.
Still, not as bad as yours. What you are describing, sounds like it could be a faulty set, I would have them replaced.
So far, my H9i’s are behaving a little better than the H9’s but, finger detection tech would make these perfect.
My H9is arrived today and I think it’s safe to say B&O nailed it with these.
They sound brilliant (even better than the H9s, which to me sounded better than all of the competition in their class), the new ANC is brilliant and it’s about time they managed to make ANC that’s as good as the competition (I think it’s pretty close to Sony + Bose now and just like the H9, it still doesn’t have too big of an impact on the sound quality).
On the note of good sound, I’m really happy with the tweaks they’ve made - to me the H9s sounded very muddy when used in quiet places (when ANC isn’t even needed) and these are amazing. I’m 99% sure they sound better than the H6s to me when used with a cable (again, finally!).
The additional battery life is bound to come in helpful, and I’m glad the battery is still user replaceable unlike all of the competition - glad they’re finally letting us switch between devices (with just an extra flick of the on switch) too.
They’re very comfortable to wear, just like the H9 (I think the original H9s are slightly more comfortable, but IIRC I had to wear them in a bit first so I’m sure these will improve over time).
Transparency mode and the proximity sensors for auto-pausing/auto-resuming are also very welcome features.
100% recommend these now and I honestly can’t think of any downsides - they fixed the 3 downsides I had with the H9 (muddy sound in quiet environments, weak ANC, and the ability to only connect 1 Bluetooth device at a time) and if you’re good with the price, I’d give these a solid 10/10 compared to the 8/10 for the H9.
Jon:My H9is arrived today and I think it’s safe to say B&O nailed it with these. They sound brilliant (even better than the H9s, which to me sounded better than all of the competition in their class), the new ANC is brilliant and it’s about time they managed to make ANC that’s as good as the competition (I think it’s pretty close to Sony + Bose now and just like the H9, it still doesn’t have too big of an impact on the sound quality). On the note of good sound, I’m really happy with the tweaks they’ve made - to me the H9s sounded very muddy when used in quiet places (when ANC isn’t even needed) and these are amazing. I’m 99% sure they sound better than the H6s to me when used with a cable (again, finally!). The additional battery life is bound to come in helpful, and I’m glad the battery is still user replaceable unlike all of the competition - glad they’re finally letting us switch between devices (with just an extra flick of the on switch) too. They’re very comfortable to wear, just like the H9 (I think the original H9s are slightly more comfortable, but IIRC I had to wear them in a bit first so I’m sure these will improve over time). Transparency mode and the proximity sensors for auto-pausing/auto-resuming are also very welcome features. 100% recommend these now and I honestly can’t think of any downsides - they fixed the 3 downsides I had with the H9 (muddy sound in quiet environments, weak ANC, and the ability to only connect 1 Bluetooth device at a time) and if you’re good with the price, I’d give these a solid 10/10 compared to the 8/10 for the H9.
Livingroom: BL3, BL11, BV11-46 Kitchen: Beosound 1 GVA, Beocom 2 Bathroom: M3 Homeoffice: M3, Beocom 2 Library: Beosound Emerge, Beocom 6000 Bedroom: M5, Essence remote Travel: Beoplay E8 2.0, Beoplay EQ, Beoplay Earset
Don't think I'll be replacing my H8's,..... but the H9's.... i'm getting very tempted. One thing I never understood was why USB-C was never implemented until now. All else, seems like a good deal.
Now,... how to offload my almost perfect condition H9's haha
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears that H8i and H9i do not support aptX (even though H8 and H9 do).
Just picked up my H9i last week, and got them replaced today. Love the improved sound, slightly tighter fit and improved ANC - compared to my H9 - but the swipe controls on the ear cup didn't work very well on my first pair. Almost daily I either couldn't use the controls to turn up/down the music, enable ANC, switch track etc.
I tried to remove the battery, which seemed to work, but only momentarily. They were running the latest sw version, so might just have been a faulty pair, but curious if anyone else have had similar experience with theirs?
CarJen:Just picked up my H9i last week, and got them replaced today. Love the improved sound, slightly tighter fit and improved ANC - compared to my H9 - but the swipe controls on the ear cup didn't work very well on my first pair. Almost daily I either couldn't use the controls to turn up/down the music, enable ANC, switch track etc. I tried to remove the battery, which seemed to work, but only momentarily. They were running the latest sw version, so might just have been a faulty pair, but curious if anyone else have had similar experience with theirs?
So any new opinions?
I am thinking about upgrading from my H7 but after reading some I am starting to consider the Bower and W PX headphones
Fidse:I think he needs to Update. Mine are ny first pair of B&O’s with this type of controls, so i did’nt have anything to compare with. I thought i was dumb for the first two weeks or so, thinking that B&O did’nt make anything this bad, so it had to be me! Then the last Update came, and i learned that it wasn’t just me. Suddenly i was able to actually turn the volume up or down in a single movement :)
I spent quite a bit of time chosing a pair of big cans at Christmas just gone.
Spent a couple of hours in John Lewis and Selfridges (two visits each) trying out The B&W PX, and the other supposed candidates - Sennheieser Momentums. Tested them properly, using a few tracks i know extremely well, with experience of listening to them on big audiophile systems, down to whatever headphones i had at the time.
I'll say this - pretty much all the mainstream online review sites will tell you that when it comes to over the ear categories, the pick of the litter is the Sony, the B&W PX or the Sony Momentums. Those reviews are useful in highlighting the small differences in features between them.
But i wasn't blown away by any of the 3 (Sony, B&W, Sennheiser) and looked at some others. I didn't try the H9i, as they didnt have them, and didn't think that highly of the H7's that they did.
I ended up with a pair of Master and Dynamics - there are are on the ear and over the ear versions, i went on the ear. They sound excellent, with a beautiful very analogue sound signature, and plenty enough bass.
When you look beyond the usual online publications, there is a bigger choice. I have my suspicions about those publications (whether well known websites, or prominent youtube's). Can it really be that in a field of, lets say, 50+ similarly priced over the ears, that there really are only 3 worth considering? (the Sony, Sennheiser, B&W). That makes no sense to me.
And the Master & Dynamic's i bought have been very well reviewed, a little digging reveals - just aren't on the radar for the usual tech sites and Youtubers.
I know what you mean, but I have been considering something with ANC as I travel a lot by plane.
Also the other thing is looks. They have to look good and be over ear
The thing I like about the BO is the replacment battery and usb C charging. Super nice just to have one charging cable. For my laptop and earphones.
Truly speaking its perfect for me but after all the problems users have been having I dont know.
I have been very happy with my H7 but would want to be more isolated during flights and such
Yendys:I have H9i on latest firmware version mostly connect to an iPhone 7 and very happy with its sound, general perform and stability but can’t compare it to another brand model. I can and do walk around my 2 level apartment leaving the iPhone charging without any dropouts. In fact one day I walk out and past next doors apartment before it dropped out then realize I didn’t have my phone with me. Doh!
This reminds me a little of a comment, decades ago when I bought my first serious HiFi, which included a pair of B&W DM2a's - then second from the top of the line B&W DM70's in their range.
A friend who visited, ended up not liking them as 'they had no bass'.
But he was used to a very boomy and coloured sound, so when he heard a more accurate and authentic sound, he did not like them.
Some people love BMW's because of the involving driving dynamics.
A friend, who is a Citroen owner, had a ride in one to Geelong and back as a passenger, and quote "I could not wait to get out of it, it had such an uncomfortable ride"
So the moral of the story is that people can look for different things, and not always appreciate what is on offer if they don't have the experience or holistic overview to appreciate the qualities of something that may not otherwise resonate with them.
John
Aussie Michael:Some interesting feedback from my colleague who bought a H9i after having Bose Quiet Comfort “Michael they are inferior in every single way to the Bose” and “I can get 2 sets of the Bose just about for the price of the B&O”. I I was talking up the B&O to colleague for ages. I felt sorry for him. He was also saying the Bluetooth cuts out. With the Bose he can walk around his whole apartment. With B&O can’t even go to the next room wirelessly with the phone left in the same spot. If he was gonna sit down in a beanbag and listen to the Beatles he would like the B&O. But he’s a mobile guy that needs to move around. Even the Bluetooth volume is low and the settings on his Android phone are set to the appropriate levels to maximise BT volume. That’s his feedback. I have also noticed with the ear pods from Apple the Bluetooth volume is low. Since this point in time. Colleague brought them into work. I listened to them and the sound quality is beautiful as is the materials used in the product. I even took a selfie with them to see if they were gonna make me look any better haha. I didn’t try calls or to see how low the BT call volume is. I did test the controls on the ear cup and they weren’t as good as my H8. The volume didn’t work but the swipe up and down did. I linked him to the beo software updater in case there is an update to the H9i or of he needs to reflash them. What a pity really.
I was talking up the B&O to colleague for ages.
I felt sorry for him.
He was also saying the Bluetooth cuts out. With the Bose he can walk around his whole apartment. With B&O can’t even go to the next room wirelessly with the phone left in the same spot.
If he was gonna sit down in a beanbag and listen to the Beatles he would like the B&O. But he’s a mobile guy that needs to move around.
Even the Bluetooth volume is low and the settings on his Android phone are set to the appropriate levels to maximise BT volume.
That’s his feedback.
I have also noticed with the ear pods from Apple the Bluetooth volume is low.
Since this point in time. Colleague brought them into work.
I listened to them and the sound quality is beautiful as is the materials used in the product. I even took a selfie with them to see if they were gonna make me look any better haha.
I didn’t try calls or to see how low the BT call volume is.
I did test the controls on the ear cup and they weren’t as good as my H8. The volume didn’t work but the swipe up and down did.
I linked him to the beo software updater in case there is an update to the H9i or of he needs to reflash them.
What a pity really.
John:This reminds me a little of a comment, decades ago when I bought my first serious HiFi, which included a pair of B&W DM2a's - then second from the top of the line B&W DM70's in their range. A friend who visited, ended up not liking them as 'they had no bass'. But he was used to a very boomy and coloured sound, so when he heard a more accurate and authentic sound, he did not like them. Some people love BMW's because of the involving driving dynamics. A friend, who is a Citroen owner, had a ride in one to Geelong and back as a passenger, and quote "I could not wait to get out of it, it had such an uncomfortable ride" So the moral of the story is that people can look for different things, and not always appreciate what is on offer if they don't have the experience or holistic overview to appreciate the qualities of something that may not otherwise resonate with them. Cheers John
So what ANC headphones would you recommend
No idea?