Firmware 4.5.2 QC35 ii

[Serj]

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@joelirwin wrote:

This is totally amazing to me (but not suprising).  I was one of the 4.5.2 users who did not have the issue.  I had three distinct different sounds between ANC - High, Low, and Off.  I am 100% sure of it.  I just upgraded my Bose Connect to version 9.0.0 and ran it.  And now I can no longer hear the difference between HIGH and LOW.

I am 100% certain now the issue of LOW and HIGH is caused by Bose Connect.  I can think of no other explanation.

Postscript - I reset my QC35ii and removed it from my iphone and removed it.  I then repaired and tried the settings again.  Now in a quiet room and can very barely hear the difference between HIGH and LOW but nowhere near the difference I used to hear.

Can someone here who had HIGH and LOW noticeably different take the risk and check it out and let us know here or in the long thread what they hear?

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9.0.0 is not yet available in my region (Romania), but I will come back with feedback after updating.

[abidk]

@boseI have received replacement headphones and I’d like to give back some feedback. The new headset is manufactured in April 2019, it is the AZ model and the firmware version is 4.1.3.

To conclude simply and hopefully provide some helpful assistance, I can say conclusively the London Tube noise is being muted again and there was definitely an issue introduced in the 4.5.2 update with my old 2017 AE headset.

I do now think the ANC was stuck in ‘low’ mode, so not an ANC issue but possibly a config one. To provide more details, before updating via iOS connect app to 4.5.2, the ANC was on the mode ’high’ and the button was changed to ‘Google Assistant’.

I would be willing to upgrade it to 4.5.2 and test it on the London Tube, as long as you’re happy to send me a replacement again.

[HendrikV]

I was happy today as I received a new pair by Bose.

Production date. June 2019 (!) with update 4.1.3...

Unfortunately the ANC is still not of good quality compared to my pre-updated Bose from 2018.

I feel totally crap about the fact I now have a new set of headphones that are still not working properly.

The high levels are still coming in very easily.. and there is not much cabin pressure.

Wondering when is Bose coming out with a proper statement towards its user base...

[SBX]

I'm still on firmware 2.0.1 (never updated since buying) and i always noticed a significnt and distinct difference in the beginning between ANC HIGH, LOW and OFF. 

I havent toggled this feature for a long time (always have it on HIGH), but today i felt the ANC wasn't really canceling out the background noise as it was before. I toggled through ANC HIGH and LOW and there is virtually no difference anymore. To my ear the HIGH setting has diminished to near enough the same as LOW (not exactly the same, but very close)

I dont know when my Bose Connect app updated to 9.0.0 (iPhone) - I have auto updates on for the appstore, but maybe it coincided with this. 

Anyways, now I have nothing to loose seemingly so I'm updating to the latest Bose firmware from 2.0.1 using Bose Connect app version 9.0.0. It's taking forever (currently at 27% after 30 mins). I'll drop an update when it's done. 

[SBX]

Update done, now running 4.5.2. Literally no change to what it was an hour ago whilst i was still on 2.0.1. (Im testing this using a loud air purifier, so consistant background noise, but my subjective opinion on ANC, not using a mic or anything fancy)

So to be clear

 - Bought QC35ii about a year ago.

 - Have been on firmware 2.0.1.

 - Originally at time of purchanse noise cancelling on HIGH was very effective.

 - Noticed recently that HIGH had diminished to about the same level as LOW.

 - Just updated to 4.5.2 and no change (HIGH is still diminished, not as good as when i first got them, but no change between what 2.0.1 sounded like an hour ago and 4.5.2 sounds like right now.)

I dont know if this helps anyone, or confuses the matter more. If you have any questions please let me know.

To me these are now pointless (i use them flying which i do frequently) - Just ordered a pair Sony WH-1000XM3

[joelirwin]

@SBX 

I read your two posts.  Again - I was on 4.5.2 already and was content that I was one of the users spared of the situation where LOW and HIGH were the same.  All I did yesterday morning was upgrade my iPhone 7+ (iOS 12.4) Bose Connect app to version 9 and then just start it and I tapped on the settings button in the upper right hand corner to check to see if my previous setting for the action button was set to noise cancellation which it was.  I made no changes / taps on the settings screen.

I then went to my QC35ii and pressed the action button multiple times and to my suprise, there was absolutely no difference between HIGH and LOW seetings.  I am certain that was not what they were like before I upgraded and ran Bose Connect 9.0.  I could hear the difference clearly between LOW and HIGH and now I could not.  Nothing and I mean NOTHING in my firmware was changed - I was not upgrading anything... just running Bose Connect.  I am convinced that the code in Bose Connect had changed something in my QC35 even though I did not modify any of the settings - just tapped on the options button (upper right hand corner).

By resetting the pairing, going through the plugging into the USB thing Bose suggests, removing the pairing from the iPhone end and then repairing from the iphone without running Bose Connect, I think I now have somewhat of a discernable difference between LOW and HIGH though it does not seem as distinct as I believe it was before I ran Connect 9.0.

So something in Bose Connect code is changing or somehow or other imho impacting the ANC.  Perhaps Bose is right and the firmware upgrade did not impact the ANC.  Perhaps they should look at how Bose Connect communicates with the QC35ii by just displaying/being on the "Settings" screen.

BTW - I am personally not too concerned about my own QC35ii's ANC in the short term since I am still very happy with HIGH and I don't recollect ever using LOW - just need to be honest on this.... though I would welcome a 'fix' that allows more 'separation' between the two settings.

[copperblue]

My QC 35 ii have S/N AZxx, purchased in March this year from Amazon UK.

I upgraded to 4.5.2 via the Android app, then did a soft reset.

I posted earlier in the thread, I wasn't sure whether the ANC was worse after the update.

One week of 2 commutes to head office per week later (4 trains a day, all different rolling stock, 2 electric and 2 diesel electric so 4* different sonic signatures), I was convinced that ANC was actually worse.

The degraded Pink noise test link posted here confirmed my suspicions, so I followed the link and downgraded to 3.1.8 - which is what the headphones - as supplied back in March - came with.

5 commutes - 20 trains later...3.1.8 definitely restores that really good ANC, how I remember them to be when I first got them.

I listen really quietly on the commute - I have Absolute Bluetooth volume disabled on the handset, with Media volume set to maximum and the headphone volume near minimum, which also activates the loudness DSP contour in the headphone.

Note to people talking about the small difference between High and Low ANC - Low is specifically designed to work in a windy environment to eliminate audible gain fluttering and chuffing, which it does admirably well.

I'm delighted with these headphones now.

[leo150]

I have Bose QC 35 II manufactured in October 2017. I had been experiencing a white noise in the right ear for a few months. And now finally the noise has gone after updating to 4.5.2. I hope this won't be broken in the next updates. 

[joelirwin]

@leo150 

I also have a QC35ii AE and white noise was introduced on my unit for 4.3.6 in March and it went away in the latest update, 4.5.2 in June.  I believe this was likely true for most if not all QC35ii's.

[Rouvster]

@copperblue Good to know, went from 4.1.3 to 4.5.2 then back to 3.1.8 and ANC worked better (I would say identical on 3.1.8 and 4.1.3)
I can hear people talking (depending on how loud they speak). Since I use them only at the office I can not tell how they perform in other conditions (might wanna do that test).
The thing you we're discribing by putting the volume on your device at max and then control it on the headpones reminds me of when you use them in your car.

Having a company phone (iPhone 8+...) this option is however not possible.
So when you listen near to minimum volume you always have that white noies (rain kind of thing)  and it's kinda unappreciated