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
No idea?
Anybody here experience regarding the ANC feature. When I try to turn on the ANC, it shows in the Beoplay App that it is switching ON the immediately OFF.
lawrencejmcook:I have no problem activating/de-activating ANC from my H9i touchpad. But the ANC control in the BeoPlay app only appeared once when I upgraded my headphones to v 5.0.3. After that, it disappeared.
But the ANC control in the BeoPlay app only appeared once when I upgraded my headphones to v 5.0.3. After that, it disappeared.
I noticed the same thing with mine, the Apple Watch app still has ANC on/off but that doesn't usually reflect the actual status of ANC either. Very strange but such a minor issue, ANC controls on the headphones still work and it's not like the Beoplay app has ever worked flawlessly in the ~3 years I've been using wireless Beoplay products.
Henrik: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
Having the exact same issues on my H9i. As you describe, the sound just cuts and looking at the phone (iPhone 6s) shows that it is stopped. WHen pressing play, it will work again.
ANy news on this?
/Ehlz
Ehlerz:Having the exact same issues on my H9i. As you describe, the sound just cuts and looking at the phone (iPhone 6s) shows that it is stopped. WHen pressing play, it will work again. ANy news on this? /Ehlz
The H8i has just been tested by the consumer magazine Which? Verdict : Poor sound ad comfort. A don't Buy. Superior build quality and sound for less with the AKG N60NC wireless or Sony WH-H800 h.ear on 2 Mini. Comments that they do have very good battery life though.
Pretty unbiased magazine - used to love the old CRT Beovisions.
Peter
Jon:Mine only seems to do this when the fit is a bit loose on my ears or if I move them slightly, is it the same for you?
UPDATE ON THE DROPOUT ISSUE. B&O has acknowledged the issue and it is related to the proximity function. They are working on a fix. In the meantime, it is possible to turn off the proximity function by pressing and holding the on button upwards as if you are about to pair the headphones with your phone. When the light flashes blue, double tap the play/pause in the middle of the right earcup twice until the light is red.
I did this yesterday and have not had any issues since.
on the dropout problem I spoke to B&O about this.
The headphones calibrate their proximity sensor when first turned on. If you wait for the white light by the on button to go off, then the proximity sensor is set up.
This means subsequent use will be fine.
If you do what I did for a month, which is to put them round your neck, turn them on, and then bluetooth, the proximity sensor will be poorly calibrated and won't work, leading to the dropout issues.
Really stupid design decision, but it's a minor thing, once you know about it it works absolutely fine.
german computer magazine "c't" doesn't rate them very good, either. As well does e.g. engadget.comNoise cancelling headphones can only be bought from two companies: Sony and Bose. No.1 wireless noise cancelling headphone is still Sony with the WH-1000XM2 or its predecessor and the Bose Quiet Comfort QC-35 or its predecessor QC-25.B&O should stay to wired headphones and fine tune them. The H6 was a real star for the company and was reviewed very good in numerous tests and magazines... so weird that they decide to stop production.
Ehlerz:UPDATE ON THE DROPOUT ISSUE. B&O has acknowledged the issue and it is related to the proximity function. They are working on a fix. In the meantime, it is possible to turn off the proximity function by pressing and holding the on button upwards as if you are about to pair the headphones with your phone. When the light flashes blue, double tap the play/pause in the middle of the right earcup twice until the light is red. I did this yesterday and have not had any issues since. /Ehlz
TWG:german computer magazine "c't" doesn't rate them very good, either. As well does e.g. engadget.com Noise cancelling headphones can only be bought from two companies: Sony and Bose. No.1 wireless noise cancelling headphone is still Sony with the WH-1000XM2 or its predecessor and the Bose Quiet Comfort QC-35 or its predecessor QC-25. B&O should stay to wired headphones and fine tune them. The H6 was a real star for the company and was reviewed very good in numerous tests and magazines... so weird that they decide to stop production.
I'll repeat what i posted a few weeks ago on the subject of wireless premium headphones.
The online publications will lead you to believe that there are only a few to chose from - the Bose QC's, the Sony's, the B&W PX's, or perhaps a Sennheiser.
I spent a lot of time testing them around Christmas, and while they were all fine, good even, i wasnt blown away by any of their sound. I also tried various B&O on the ears / over the ears, and similarly they sound fine, but i wouldn't go much beyond that.
It's worth looking a little further afield, and i think there will be better choices for some. For me a i didnt need the full feature set of the above headphones, and ended up with a pair of Master & Dynamic cans (i sacrificed ANC) They have had excellent reviews in some of the more specialist headphone / audio sites, and their sound is superb, full, organic sounding and with sensible bass.
My conclusion was that i don't really trust the well known tech sites (the engagdet's etc of the world) for a fair assessment of the field - could it really be that in a world of hundreds of premium cans that there are only really 4 sensible choices?
@Jon:The Bose QC 35 and 25 do feel extremely cheap, yes, that's why I bought Sony a few years ago (MDR-1RNC) and I simply love them on flights. I have to admit that I don't trust reviews especially on engadget.com There seem to be less knowledge but much bias. But I have faith in the german magazine c't.
Personally I like physical buttons much more than those ugly touch things that aren't fast and reliable enough. Try to switch on a light with a smartphone and its app or a Beo 4. I guess the Beo 4 guy will win much faster. ;)But everybody as he prefers.@Sandyb:
If you want active noise cancelling there are indeed just a few companies out of hundreds. Nowadays problem: Everybody claims to produce high quality, high end sound... coupled with e.g. the often found american way (no offense) of thinking that everything is amazing or great, no matter how small or big it is: How can you differentiate? This is a sample of Akerlofs lemon problem and the quality often declines. Real headphone brands that I trust since decades are only a few:- Sennheiser
- AKG
- Beyerdynamic
After that companies like Denon, Sony etc. are following. As I said before: Bang & Olufsen made a real surprise hit with the H6 and I like them very much for the holidays and traveling (except flying) and it's a dumb management move to built tons of variations instead of fine tuning the real star, the H6.
They should focus on lesser products but make them outstanding! With the H6 they proved that they are able to do it!
Agreed on Sennheiser, they make tremendous sounding headphones, though the range in bewilderingly extensive. As for AKG / Beyer, i dont have experience, but i'm sure you're right.
Not sure the choice of ANC headphones is quite so limited as you suggest, but fair enough.
My broader point was that it is very easy these days, like i did, to google "best over the ear headphones", and we would all end up on the same sites.
These sites tend to review and push what the companies want them to - these days that means feature rich (and therefore potentially problematic) ANC wireless headphones. And they suggest there are only a few choices.
I think this process or route is not the most helpful or informative.
As i mentioned earlier, did i need all the features? No. Were there better sounding headphones (in a similar price category) around? Yes.
Of course, sound quality is not the main determinant for many, so i get it - i just wish the online search / big tech websites gave a fairer impression / were a better buyers guide.
Side note : i'm beginning to hate tech sites reviewing audio products. They focus too much on the tech features, and less on the underlying performance. You see this with their unbridled love for Tesla, which for all their bravado and battery savvy, dont look like well made cars.
Rant over.
TWG:@Jon: The Bose QC 35 and 25 do feel extremely cheap, yes, that's why I bought Sony a few years ago (MDR-1RNC) and I simply love them on flights. I have to admit that I don't trust reviews especially on engadget.com There seem to be less knowledge but much bias. But I have faith in the german magazine c't. Personally I like physical buttons much more than those ugly touch things that aren't fast and reliable enough. Try to switch on a light with a smartphone and its app or a Beo 4. I guess the Beo 4 guy will win much faster. ;) But everybody as he prefers.
"Side note : i'm beginning to hate tech sites reviewing audio products. They focus too much on the tech features, and less on the underlying performance. You see this with their unbridled love for Tesla, which for all their bravado and battery savvy, dont look like well made cars."
@Sandyb:
On our 911 (991) and our previous Cayenne you had to dive down to submenu 4 (or was it number 5?) to turn on/off the outside air-quality sensor, it takes a long time to connect anything over bluetooth - and there is a 50:50 chance you will not be able to stream from Spotify after waiting. But you do have physical buttons. On our Tesla Model X this just works. And the Tesla has just one level of menus and is perhaps to simpel for the engineers among us. And the only car we have that hasn't been to the service center for repairs for the past year? The TMX. And it has done 6.000+ km including a trip to Copenhagen this month. Tesla´s made after Q2/2017 are of a good quality - hope McLaren will catch up as quickly as Musk & co did. There is a B&O simplicity over the Tesla cabin.
So my point: bias is not a good thing. Tesla do not offer tech sites or car sites (or magazines) a free vacation to test their cars, as the Europeans do - and it shows in the "reviews".
So I do support the DIY approach: test whatever you are buying and check out the competition, the only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with your choice.
Roger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpCrkO1x-Qo&t=2827s
look at this teardown of the Model 3, performed by auto experts of many decades.....considering the cost of the car, their assessment is somewhere between highly uncomplimentary and damning, with respect to the mechanical construction. (its a long video and fairly dry and boring, but hey i watched it, dont judge me!)
When it comes to the circuit boards and electronics they are effusive in their praise of Tesla....
I have a lot of respect for Tesla, but i wouldn't go near one at current prices, but to each their own. I'm sure they will get there when it comes to construction quality, but its evident given this report and the Model 3 production issues that they have a way to go yet.
And i agree, i have a 911 (911.1 GTS), the user menus are at best decent and often frustrating. But its one hell of a machine....
Anyway my beef is not with Tesla, its with online reviews and the creep of tech sites and blogs into areas like cars and audio, where they are not experts in the fundamentals. Yes they are interested in the tech side of the products, i get that, but they can take you away from the underlying fundamentals (how does it drive, how do the headphones sound).
If i hear one more tech site reviewing a wireless speaker and using the words "room filling sound".....
browha:on the dropout problem I spoke to B&O about this.The headphones calibrate their proximity sensor when first turned on. If you wait for the white light by the on button to go off, then the proximity sensor is set up.This means subsequent use will be fine.If you do what I did for a month, which is to put them round your neck, turn them on, and then bluetooth, the proximity sensor will be poorly calibrated and won't work, leading to the dropout issues.Really stupid design decision, but it's a minor thing, once you know about it it works absolutely fine.
Is there a way to disable the auto turnoff on the headset? I tend to use these at work and can go an extended time with no music playing. They are within distance of my phone and connected through bluetooth.
I, like a few others on here, have had issues with the proximity sensor and that is turned off. However my question regarding that does it have to be done every time I turn the headset on or is it remember? Doesn't seem to be the later.
Jon:I noticed the same thing with mine, the Apple Watch app still has ANC on/off but that doesn't usually reflect the actual status of ANC either. Very strange but such a minor issue, ANC controls on the headphones still work and it's not like the Beoplay app has ever worked flawlessly in the ~3 years I've been using wireless Beoplay products.
Interesting, ive been having a nightmare with the proximity sensor on my h8i when turning them on without having them on, and then putting them on, Music stops randomly every other second.
Only thing that worked was the tip earlier in the thread about having them on your head, then turning them on so its calibrated in "on head" position
But the sensor is still too sensitive, if i take them off and then put them on again the sensor goes bananas again, if i dont find the exact same fit as Before.
I hope they find a way to turn down sensitivity of the sensor, or being able to turn it off permanently.
It's really annoying! Otherwise i like the H8i very much, better sound than my H8 and MUCH better ANC. Only downside is they feel more fragile than the H8, not as sturdy
Maybe this little video can be of help to those, who experience problems with the 9i’s
https://youtu.be/1xV-hH_9ibo
(For the 8’is:
To turn the sensor off on the H8i turn on, hold the center of the 3 buttons to put it in pairing mode, then press 2 times more on the center button. The LED lights red and the proximity sensor is turned off.
Same procedure to turn it back on.)
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
New firmware out:
h8i: Version 5.0.6. Release date 16-05-2018 New features: None Symptom: • Product tone volume adjustment • When proximity feature is disabled, the product will not auto power off • Minor bugs fixes h9i: Version 5.0.4. Release date 16-05-2018 New features: None Symptom: • Acoustic EQ enhancement • Proximity sensitivity improvement • When proximity feature is disabled, the product will not auto power off • Minor bug fixes
Millemissen:New firmware out:(...)h9i: Version 5.0.4. Release date 16-05-2018 New features: None Symptom: • Acoustic EQ enhancement • Proximity sensitivity improvement • When proximity feature is disabled, the product will not auto power off • Minor bug fixes MM There is a tv - and there is a BV.
"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"
Just received my H9i headphones today (Replacing my Momentum 2s).
They arrived with 5.0.1 and updated them to 5.0.4 and have the same exaggerated Ss (akin to hissing), in certain circumstances.
Despite this issue (which I hope will be fixed with a frimware update), I'm very pleased with my second pair of B&Os..
As described previously, the soundstage and separation was noticeable from the moment I pressed play.
The 'natural' finish stands out from the crowd and prompts enquiries.
Doesn't do the ego any harm. :-P
Added the H9i to my selection yesterday (S/N 29329497 with sw 5.0.4) - checked the exaggerated Ss (with the mentioned Diana Krall track), but nothing that bothered my ears - but they could fine tune this further, for sure.
I agree with Sandyb regarding alternatives, but buying anything else than B&O will require a rehab clinique especially as I got used to the touch controls on my H8's driving around in a Renault Twizy (which requires ANC). We do have two pairs of Bose as well, I must admit, but I never preferred them over the H8's when going outside or even on a long flight.
The H9i do sound better than the H8, for sure, and preparing for this summers very long flights I just had to get something that was over the ear. However, the touch control on the H8 is way better: It always does what I want it to.
Had a long look at the leather case/box that B&O does offer, but it was hardly more convenient than the enclosed bag when travelling apart from the cable pockets. Any recommendations here?
I was wondering if anyone knows a way to downgrade the firmware on the H8i/H9i's?
I hate the auto-off after 15 minutes feature and see from the release notes of 5.0.4 that they fixed "When proximity feature is disabled, the product will not auto power off".
So it would be great going back to the firmware with that "bug" so that I could have them not turning off so quick when not in use.