[Scratchansniff]

Is anyone *not* hearing an intermittent wooshing or windy sound on their Penrose? It's audible when quiet music or nothing is playing, perhaps 20% of the time. And it's mainly on the left earcup, so it's rather annoying especially for a headset at this price.

After some back/forth with Audeze support, their last message suggests nothing more can be done (i.e. no firmware fixes) and I'd have to RMA it and hope the replacement headset won't have the same problem.

I ask because I wonder if I was just unlucky and received a bad headset.

Mine doesn't have this issue but I've seen comments on here about this issue so you're not alone. Clearly, Quality control is an issue.

 

[petahbyte]

Little rant. I was playing Escape from Tarkov. I'm literally 1-2ft from the dongle. I've had the connection drop 4-5 times during a 30 minute raid. Really frustrating. At times I almost died because I couldn't hear my opponent sneaking up on me.

 

[jameswalker]

Mine has slight whooshing sound from left cup also, using latest firmware. Its only noticeable when nothing else is happening.

I just want the power button to take less time to turn them on!!!!!!!!!!

Must have wasted 5 mins of my life so far just waiting for them to turn on where they turn off so often.

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

Mine has slight whooshing sound from left cup also, using latest firmware. Its only noticeable when nothing else is happening.

I just want the power button to take less time to turn them on!!!!!!!!!!

Must have wasted 5 mins of my life so far just waiting for them to turn on where they turn off so often.

I've noticed the same, it's very quiet but it's there. Hopefully firmware updates can resolve some of these issues. I really wish companies would stop using the public as their testing audience and instead properly invest in their own testing. An off the shelf product should be the end product, not an almost there product, we just need to keep rolling out updates. Seems the headphone world has joined the gaming world in it's attitude to releases.

 

[Smaugtd]

Can anyone connect via bluetooth to a windows machine with anything better than tape recorder quality on the microphone? People on teams keep telling me that my mic quality via bluetooth is quite bad when compared to a Jabra 370

 

[nixonjd]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, support should get back to you within 1-4 business days, however we are experiencing a huge volume of tickets due to the holidays, so we apologize if things get a little behind. Also please wait for a response first before sending a follow up email, unfortunately our email client Zendesk bumps you to the bottom of the queue when you email again on the same ticket, but this ends up showing up at the end of the queue and usually only ensures that your response time will be slower. I used to work support for another really popular audio company and we had this same issue with zendesk. It's frustrating, I know, but please wait for a response first, it'll make everything quicker.

Regarding wireless dropout and connection issues, modems, walls, etc. in the environment have some effect on this so do try assessing those first. We're having issues replicating this, however we are also doing more extensive wireless testing and speaking with our vendors regarding this and will let you know what we find. In the meantime don't stress about return windows, just let support know you're having these issues and we'll work with you to solve them. We don't intend to leave anyone high and dry with a headset that isn't working as advertised.

Thanks for this. Where should we log support issues? I sent a message via your website weeks ago and never got a reply. Maybe I did it in the wrong place.

 

[yukiorui]

My Penrose refuses to charge beyond 29%. Is anyone experiencing a similar issue? No matter how long I charge it for, it is stuck at 29%. Once I power it on, it immediately tells me low battery - this is after having been plugged in for 6 hours and the red light still blinks.

 

[Vinssy]

Hi everyone !

Purchased the Audeze Penrose on 12/30/2020 at my local store (French local store specialized in HiFi), tested it the same day.

First of all I was super happy, I got a MMX300 v2 with a Soundblaster X G6 which was good but the MMX300 v2 broke within the 30 days I received it (low sound and cracks), so I decided to change for a wireless headset, because my daughter is 3yo, and she start running all around the house playing with our lovely dog, and having a 3m cable from the PS5 to my chair is the best way to see both my head and the PS5 flying through my living room.

After reading everything on Reddit and Head-Fi about the Audeze Penrose, I decided to purchase it. It was awesome the first hour, but then, it started to be really annoying, i'll explain.

I've plugged the dongle at the back of my PS5, at 3-4m (10-13ft), it was working well for at least an hour, then it started to have disconnections, pops, annoying cracks then sound loss. So I tried to do everything that is mentionned on their website, and tried to contact them, they did tell me to do exactly I already did, but nothing changed. I tried at the front of the PS5 and played closer, at least at 2m (6ft) but nothing changed... Tried 0.5m (less than 3ft) and still have disconnection issues. Moreover, the dongle is pretty hot, feels like it won't last years by being hot like that.

I kept my ticket from Audeze, and tell them it wasn't working well, all they said is to wait for them working on a solution to that problem. I know it's a low volume production headset, and there is still work to do, but I fint it a little frustrating having à 300€ headsets not working well...
I told that to my local store and they are waiting to see if they give me a new one, or simply refund me (which I don't want because the sound seems awesome !).

I'm looking for a SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, which is great apparently, and more user friendly, but I don't wan't to downgrade sound quality and I got in the past a Siberia V2 who died, and still have a Siberia 200 Series which works perfectly... if I let the volume controller alone. (Or one speaker is shut down... I need to play with the button to make it work again ahahah).

I hope I'll help some people which want to buy Audeze Penrose, make sure you have a return policy, so you can test it before keeping it, because some people don't have any problems.

Have a good day.

 

[JeffLo]

- frequent disconnects (connected , connected, voice) 2.4ghz wifi problem
- poping and crackling sound due to 2.4ghz lossing connection (jitter)
- distortions due to 2.4ghz wifi jitter again

im pretty sure this is because of the wifi dongle signal problem, you can test it out using bluetooth or aux just make sure you unplug the wifi dongle so you wont have it on, this headset can have 2 connections with the wifi at the same time, you wont hear any pop crackling and distortion if the wifi is disconnected, but if you plug it in even if your not playing any sound thru the wifi you can still hear the pops and crackling or sort of the wifi disconnecting every now and then

the sound on the penrose if very good compared to other wireless headset like the arctis 7, logitech g933, corsiar void and razer

but the 2.4ghz distortions breaks the experience a lot, the distortions the pop and crackling that the jitter or weak/lost connection makes the sound horrible
its not even a range problem my dongle is sitting infornt of me 2 feet away, tested usb 2.0 3.0 3.1 with or without a powered usb hub, with or without a usb extention cable, thier is a problem with the wifi sending the signal

my 4 other wife headset doesnt have this prob even if its 10 feet away or even behind the pc and even in the next room

the question , is this a hardware flaw? can this be fix by updates on the firmware?

 

[Huntersknoll]

If have these coming in next week. If I adjust the EQ on the PC does it save it on the headphone so it can be used while connected to the XSX or PS5?

 

[Vinssy]

- frequent disconnects (connected , connected, voice) 2.4ghz wifi problem
- poping and crackling sound due to 2.4ghz lossing connection (jitter)
- distortions due to 2.4ghz wifi jitter again

im pretty sure this is because of the wifi dongle signal problem, you can test it out using bluetooth or aux just make sure you unplug the wifi dongle so you wont have it on, this headset can have 2 connections with the wifi at the same time, you wont hear any pop crackling and distortion if the wifi is disconnected, but if you plug it in even if your not playing any sound thru the wifi you can still hear the pops and crackling or sort of the wifi disconnecting every now and then

the sound on the penrose if very good compared to other wireless headset like the arctis 7, logitech g933, corsiar void and razer

but the 2.4ghz distortions breaks the experience a lot, the distortions the pop and crackling that the jitter or weak/lost connection makes the sound horrible
its not even a range problem my dongle is sitting infornt of me 2 feet away, tested usb 2.0 3.0 3.1 with or without a powered usb hub, with or without a usb extention cable, thier is a problem with the wifi sending the signal

my 4 other wife headset doesnt have this prob even if its 10 feet away or even behind the pc and even in the next room

the question , is this a hardware flaw? can this be fix by updates on the firmware?

I hope it's a harware flaw, I am not at home until sunday, but I'll definitely try on bluetooth and wired, I am 100% sure it's due to the dongle...

 

[Vinssy]

If have these coming in next week. If I adjust the EQ on the PC does it save it on the headphone so it can be used while connected to the XSX or PS5?

Yes it does.

 

[itsmewes]

Can anyone connect via bluetooth to a windows machine with anything better than tape recorder quality on the microphone? People on teams keep telling me that my mic quality via bluetooth is quite bad when compared to a Jabra 370

I use the mic on wireless and bluetooth on my PC and have not had this issue at all. Quality is great either way.

 

[Jenza]

Hi

I registered to post my observations. I am not sponsored or otherwise involved.

Current setup: Astro A50.
Previous headphones: Sennheiser HD 700, RT wireless line, HD 555/598/599.
Wired interface: Matrix Mini-i pro 2s + HD 700

Scenario: need classy wireless headphones. Not an audiophile, comfort and function equally important and audio quality is not "above all else" if all else fails.

I ordered Penrose to check if they'd be a viable solution to multiple source problem (PC, laptop, iPhone, TV). Astro A50 being only 2,4 GHz is limited. BT connectivity plus 2,4 GHz low latency, Penrose seemed like a good choice.

Firmware updated 1/13

Audio quality - when Penrose play, they deliver. Easy win over A50. Still, A50 is a strong contender and if AQ is not your sole concern, they do the job, especially since they do not present ANY sort of issues so prevalent in Penrose.

EQ presets - I don't tend to use these a lot, just pick one or use flat profile. Even then I think those presets in Penrose are a joke - you have to connect the USB wire to be able to switch between presets in the software - no way to switch them on the device. Talk about "wireless" headphones.

Penrose / A50 are comparable in clamp and weight. Penrose being much more in "closed" headphones category, although not as closed as for example Sennheiser HD 600, where you can actually hear your heart beat. But closed enough to hear your skin move against the padding. If you move your head much, you will probably hear it. A50 in that regard - no issue since they are open back and suede padded.

Noise floor, crackling, low range, drops. All of these stand out in Penrose. Noise floor I could live with if none of the other issues existed. Range is like two steps away and you get "Connected..connected" love message from Audeze bot. With A50 I can walk around the house and barely lose the connection. Intermittent crackling and noise (probably interference from the mouse and the keyboard and whatnot) are WAY more pronounced and noticeable than in A50 (if it ever picks up any). Still, not a deal breaker for me.

What breaks it for me are:

- clicking in the right speaker
I have no idea what that is, but a slightest move of my head produces a barely audible click in the right speaker. I thought for a sec it was indeed in my head, but no. Moving the pad with a hand also produced a slight clicking sound. Annoying.

- balance
My Penrose is leaning left. Just that tiny little bit, but still. Once noticed, it will not go away. I even tried to blow my nose to balance the pressure in my ear canals. Still there.

- connectivity
AUX I don't care about. 2,4 GHz is of the "two feet max" sorts, not impressive but I haven't noticed any substantial drops while remaining within two feet from the transmitter. It also serves well to use a USB extender to put the transmitter away from the PC. Once I connected it directly to the motherboard it picked up all sorts of interference to the point of zero usability.
A50 lacks BT connectivity. But BT connectivity in Penrose is limited (not sure if it's Audeze issue or BT in general). There does not appear to be a way to dynamically switch between BT sources (like Apple Airpods). The volume knob double click only connects to the last device, it does not switch between them. Also Penrose does not seem to be able to disconnect from the paired device by itself. For example my TV set, once paired and connected must first disconnect before I can reconnect to my iPhone. Not a convenient way, esp when somebody's calling. Maybe I expected too much from BT but being unable to switch between BT sources without unnecessary hassle is an annoyance to say the least. I can pretty much forget about multi device use (TV, laptop, iPhone). I wanted to love these cans, but as it stands now, too many issues and shortcomings, some of which are unlikely to be fixed.

 

[Vinssy]

Hi

I registered to post my observations. I am not sponsored or otherwise involved.

Current setup: Astro A50.
Previous headphones: Sennheiser HD 700, RT wireless line, HD 555/598/599.
Wired interface: Matrix Mini-i pro 2s + HD 700

Scenario: need classy wireless headphones. Not an audiophile, comfort and function equally important and audio quality is not "above all else" if all else fails.

I ordered Penrose to check if they'd be a viable solution to multiple source problem (PC, laptop, iPhone, TV). Astro A50 being only 2,4 GHz is limited. BT connectivity plus 2,4 GHz low latency, Penrose seemed like a good choice.

Firmware updated 1/13

Audio quality - when Penrose play, they deliver. Easy win over A50. Still, A50 is a strong contender and if AQ is not your sole concern, they do the job, especially since they do not present ANY sort of issues so prevalent in Penrose.

EQ presets - I don't tend to use these a lot, just pick one or use flat profile. Even then I think those presets in Penrose are a joke - you have to connect the USB wire to be able to switch between presets in the software - no way to switch them on the device. Talk about "wireless" headphones.

Penrose / A50 are comparable in clamp and weight. Penrose being much more in "closed" headphones category, although not as closed as for example Sennheiser HD 600, where you can actually hear your heart beat. But closed enough to hear your skin move against the padding. If you move your head much, you will probably hear it. A50 in that regard - no issue since they are open back and suede padded.

Noise floor, crackling, low range, drops. All of these stand out in Penrose. Noise floor I could live with if none of the other issues existed. Range is like two steps away and you get "Connected..connected" love message from Audeze bot. With A50 I can walk around the house and barely lose the connection. Intermittent crackling and noise (probably interference from the mouse and the keyboard and whatnot) are WAY more pronounced and noticeable than in A50 (if it ever picks up any). Still, not a deal breaker for me.

What breaks it for me are:

- clicking in the right speaker
I have no idea what that is, but a slightest move of my head produces a barely audible click in the right speaker. I thought for a sec it was indeed in my head, but no. Moving the pad with a hand also produced a slight clicking sound. Annoying.

- balance
My Penrose is leaning left. Just that tiny little bit, but still. Once noticed, it will not go away. I even tried to blow my nose to balance the pressure in my ear canals. Still there.

- connectivity
AUX I don't care about. 2,4 GHz is of the "two feet max" sorts, not impressive but I haven't noticed any substantial drops while remaining within two feet from the transmitter. It also serves well to use a USB extender to put the transmitter away from the PC. Once I connected it directly to the motherboard it picked up all sorts of interference to the point of zero usability.
A50 lacks BT connectivity. But BT connectivity in Penrose is limited (not sure if it's Audeze issue or BT in general). There does not appear to be a way to dynamically switch between BT sources (like Apple Airpods). The volume knob double click only connects to the last device, it does not switch between them. Also Penrose does not seem to be able to disconnect from the paired device by itself. For example my TV set, once paired and connected must first disconnect before I can reconnect to my iPhone. Not a convenient way, esp when somebody's calling. Maybe I expected too much from BT but being unable to switch between BT sources without unnecessary hassle is an annoyance to say the least. I can pretty much forget about multi device use (TV, laptop, iPhone). I wanted to love these cans, but as it stands now, too many issues and shortcomings, some of which are unlikely to be fixed.

I have heard that the click in right speaker is due to pressure inside speaker, and it can damage the planar speaker... be careful with that.