QC35 really low volume on Bluetooth!

[pmlcmda]

Hey guys,

I have a problem with my Bose QC35 and very low volume when connected via Bluetooth!

It happens both on my iPhone and my Macbook, when using Spotify, iTunes, Youtube, anything really.
I end up having to set my Macbook and iPhone to around 90% volume to listen properly, and this is inside my office with no background noise. I have my QC35 set to max (till I hear the beep). I am by no means deaf, in my Sennheiser I use my Macbook/iPhone at 40% volume max for the same level of sound. The difference is ridiculous.

My devices are:

• iPhone X with updated 12.0.1 iOS
• Macbook Pro with updated Mojave masOS
• Bose QC35 with updated firmware 2.5.3
• Bose Connect App on iPhone updated 6.3.1
• Spotify and iTunes are both set for max volume
• Bose QC35 are set for max volume with the cup keys (till I ear the beep)

Furthermore, after I have Spotify/iTunes open, both the QC35 cup buttons and the Macbook/iPhone volume keys are controlling the same volume, meaning I stop being able to control the volume of the QC35 and my device separately for some reason?

This drives me insane, on my other headphones I’m able to just always have the volume of the headphones themselves always set at maximum and then control the volume I want in the Macbook/iPhone volume keys accordingly. Here after I’m connected the volume on the Bose App, on the QC35 keys and on the iPhone/Macbook themselves are all the same and can’t change them separately.

So basically I’d like to know if there’s a way to see the actual volume of the QC35 themselves when connected to my iPhone/Macbook? 

TL:DR - really low volume on QC35 with everything updated and at max volume!

[Tony_G]

Hi pmlcmda,

Thanks for posting. I am so sorry to hear that. At this time, the best thing would be for you to contact your local support team for further assistance. Here is a link you can use. Click on your country, scroll down until see "Contact Us".

Regards,

Tony G - Community Support

[leandro.soco]

That link is not helpful.

I am in the same situation as the original poster. I recently purchased a QC 35 II and I would also like to know if there is a fix for the low volume. It’s ridiculous that a $300+ product does not have independent audio control. My completely $10 panasonic wired headphones are significantly louder.

This really should be as easy as a firmware update. If there isn’t something soon i’m returning them for Sony headphones.

[gazoo001]

also have the same problem, my 30 dollar skull candy headphones sound way louder than my qc 35 II, 

my beats also sound better....

ive always been a fan of bose, but the sound quality disappoints greatly

The only reason I did not return this headphones is because its a gift from my wife 😉

the firmware update did not help.... ive read a lot of people having the same issue.

[Tony_G]

Hi gazoo001,

Thanks for posting I am sorry to hear about your experience. Could I ask a few questions to try and assist? 

• Do the headphones function properly while connected to a mobile device?
• Does the same issue occur when using a cable?

Please come back and let us know.

Regards,

Tony G 

[gazoo001]

thank you for thr prompt reply,

the headphones function properly, they sound the same connected to cable and bluetooth, but the sound volume and quality  is lacking compared to other headphones, they are comfortable and the noise cancelling works well though... I never had this problem with the QC 25 that I used to own... 

[TexTony]

I was having the same problem. I've found that the Bose headphones show up twice on my laptop. As headphones and a headset. Headphones are limited in volume but the headset works well. However the audio quality is lacking with that selection. Just an FYI if anyone else has this issue. Hope this helps some of you out.

-Tony

[joelirwin]

The headphone are supposed to show up twice - that is the Bluetooth 4.x standard.  One is for the HFP protocol which defines voice over IP phone calls for things like Skype, etc.  That sound/device will be a single (left channel) mono the same as you would get on the speaker on the drivers side of your car.  The other is A2DP which is the stereo rendering device used for music streaming.

The other thing to keep in mind is that Bose products (and I have quite a few) don't always do well on Windows machines (7 or 10).  Bose's market is not desktops and laptops - it is mobile and tablets.  The desktop/laptop market has three players in each solution - Bose, Microsoft, and the vendor supplying the hardware and drivers.  On my Dell laptop the vendor is Intel and it does not work well - sometimes not at all.  I have had to disable it and go with a USB BT Dongle from SMK (called Nano about $12 on ebay with CSR driver) which works fine (almost - keep reading).  Bose will not be able to help much troubleshooting a windows problem since there are clearly too many solutions for them to test.

So I can tell you that for my QC35ii on my Dell Precision M4800 (Win 7/64) with the SMK dongle, I just used it working with my laptop on a 3 hour flight two days ago and sound was perfectly loud.  So assuming you have it the + on the QC35ii a gazillion times, maxed the volume on your laptop.  Then I would next test with a wire from your stereo mini plug to the QC35ii.  If the volume is the same with wire and BT, then it looks like it could be an issue with your QC35ii.  I would next check it with a phone/mobile device.  If the volume is louder, then it could have something to do with the volume generated by your laptop.  If the volume is still not loud enough - more data towards a qc35ii issue.  If the wired solution to the laptop is louder than what you can get with the bt solution, then it is either a windows update on your laptop interfering (try uninstalling back 1 to 2 years to troubleshoot) or possibly the bt vendor solution on your laptop.  So you can try changing the bt solution on your laptop and if the problem goes away, great.  If not, you would either need to try another dongle (my first, insignia did not work) or it is 'possible' the bt issue is in the firmware of the QC35ii (though again, I have a QC35ii and don't have a BT issue with my Dell).

I will say, I do have a volume problem that others have with my Revolve which performs at one volume wired and another BT.  I am 'thinking' this could be a firmware issue but of course, it could be my BT solution.  I have not followed up on it yet.

[seelasher]

I got a new pair cuz my other new pair did the same thing. These did it right out of the box too. I don't use them at all. Very unenjoyable if u cant turn the volume up. This dores this on my Android bluetooth and my desktop

[seelasher]

same issue on my second pair right out of the box. I sent the first pair back cuz the same issue right out of the box. Can't even use them,low volume