QC35II White noise after firmware update

[chiobes888]

I received my brand new in retail packaging replacement today via UPS overnight. Bose only required to send the headphones so I have the accessories saved aside. Now, I have extra carrying pouch, and cables that came brand new with replacement. Thank you Bose.

The previous one I had with white noise and cutout issue was manufactured in November 2018 which shipped with latest firmware 4.3.6 which I bought sealed brand new from an apple store. The replacement I received today was manufactured at a later date Feb 25, 2019 but shipped with the older firmware 4.1.3 (weird isn’t it)? Now the app is downloading the update 4.3.6 and will force the update when done. (No way!) I closed the app and forget about the AR for now.

I have tested the replacement headphones for an hour. I left my iPhone XS in one room and walked around the house. Covered the right earcup with my hand. No cutout. No white noise. Tucked the iphone in my left armpit to diminish the bluetooth signal while covering the right earcup with my right hand and no cutout. I walked around my neighborhood to test if any possible interference from the outside will disrupt the connection, but no cutout. So far, so great!

I’m skeptical on updating to the latest firmware now that my headphones are kicking without hiccups, as the firmware 4.3.6 maybe the culprit, knowing that downgrade is not an option. Until I’ve updated to the latest firmware, I can’t isolate and confirm where the cutout is coming from (software or hardware). For now, I’m happy with my headphones.

[Prince_O]

Hello Elsig,

Thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to the community.

We are sorry to hear about this issue and I would like to help. I would recommend you giving your local Support Centre a call for further assistance. This can be done by clicking HERE.

@chiobes888 Thanks for contributing

I hope this was helpful.

Kind regards,

Prince_O 

[chiobes888]

After a few hours of testing the headphones with my usually daily routine, I can confirm that the replacement headphones on 4.1.3 is free from white noise and audio cutting out (stutter). I will update to 4.3.6 tonight and will do the same test tomorrow and I will post back the result: whether the headphones stays bug free or will the latest AR firmware 4.3.6 inject the white noise and playback stutter.

[Prince_O]

@chiobes888 Thank you for your response and I can't wait to hear about how it turns out.

Kind regards,

Prince_O

[chiobes888]

I updated to 4.3.6. After the update the headphones are ruined (exactly the same as the ones that were replaced - white noise & very weak bluetooth signal). My iPhone is on the kitchen table, I placed
my hand over the right ear, it immediately cuts out. I walk out of the kitchen, as soon as I go past the door frame, it cuts out. I can confirm that the hardware is not the culprit but the firmware. Hardware worked great on 4.1.3 but no more on 4.3.6. I can’t imagine how the other thousands of people who own the AZ batch with 4.3.6 deal with the bug. All of them must be getting there headphones replaced when all it needs is a better firmware. Just worth mentioning, that the 4.3.6 sounds much better and louder than 4.1.3. To my ears, 4.3.6 has punchier base, crisper high, and of course Bose’s famous super clear mids and vocals. I can feel ANC working really well now on 4.3.6 and seemed faint on 4.1.3. Anyway, I hope Bose pushed a fix for this asap. Hope this helps everyone. I will have these headphones replaced again tomorrow. Can’t stand the weak bluetooth.

[TotoGuile]

Woah, Thank you for your patience and your test! Ican't imagine that Bose need their own community to debug the situation.

your step by strep procedure is quite classic and I guess Bose engineer have already been able to reproduce it.

Why the community manager of this forum is still pushing peope away, suggesting a replacement when it is clearly a software issue ?

Why Bose simply don't say "Sorry about the software, we stop the upgrade for the moment, for the other, we offer a downgrade procedure"

Even Sony, for their TV stopped the upgrade from Adroind 7 to Android 8, apologize and make a clear statement

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/televisions-projectors-lcd-tvs-android-/articles/00204736

When Bose will communicate in the same way as Sony ?

[Legitti]

So its been confirmed to be a software issue?

I'm currently in foreign country where I got mine from and it would be so much hassle just to try to explain this and get a replacement. I feel screwed so many ways I can't even describe.

Here are my top issues since the last update:

1. Weak ANC, can hear static white noise in AZ model
2. No longer able to downgrade firmware
3. Did not mention about new AZ upgrade in stores anywhere, so I bought the bad version.
4. No Support for AR on Android that destroyed issues stated above

[TotoGuile]

Hi Legitti,

based on chiobes888 feedback, it is clear that the white noise issue and bluetooth disconnections issue are introduced by the software :

- 4.1.3 : no issues

- 4.3.6 : issues

Now, except Bose, nobody knows the manufacturing process, and especially if each headset need a calibration process per product.

so I see 4 possible paths :

1 - there is a manufacturing calibration process, the file containing the calibration data is not erased with 4.3.6 and we can expect a software upgrade to correct these 2 issues.

2 - there is no calibration process, and in that case also, a software can recover the product capabilities.

3 - there is a calibration process in factory, the 4.3.6 firmware delete the calibration file, but a software upgrade can include an autocalibration process at bootup to recover the parameters

4 - there is a calibration process, the file is corrupted in 4.3.6, there is no possibility to auto calibrate the product, and the only way to correct the headset is through a RMA process.

A short and quick way to solve solution 1 or 2 is to regenerate a 4.3.7 based on 4.1.3.

As it take a very long time to correct the issue, I'm afraid Bose is facing situation 3 or 4 ...

I hope, again, that Bose will officialy communicate on this issue soon. In the mean time, I encourage everybody to communicate this issue to all website testing such kind of product, to see if journalists could obtain an answer.

[Clawz]

I also head my QC35II's replaced and agree, the issues are with the new firmware.... will definitely not be updating my replacement headphones to the new firmware and will stay on 4.1.3.

[TotoGuile]

Hi,

I did a reset a second time, and this time, I don't hear the white noise anymore.

Seems reset must be well performed to correct the issue.

FYI,

power off the headset 30s

plug the headset 5s on a USB port connected to a wallmount charger, not a PC/Mac

unplug and wait 1m before power it on again.