[kartoon]

So true, it's so easy to be sidetracked, not always for the right reasons.

I could live with AAC eventually coming to Android, but because I like to use the USB-C cable from my laptop to my headphones, a red line would be the supposed lack of audio over USB-C -- which is what I have been told by B&O Play, and which is also implied by the material published by B&O on the H9i. That said, a forum member here has contradicted that, so I will have to test it for myself. I've also actually asked B&O again in a written submission.

Listening from my iMac connected with USB-c right now!! So no doubt there! They have to be turned on. But that was the same with the PX. But the H9i can be run with normal headphone wire passively also without power!

 

[AaaBaa]

Listening from my iMac connected with USB-c right now!! So no doubt there! They have to be turned on. But that was the same with the PX. But the H9i can be run with normal headphone wire passively also without power!

How can they get it so wrong?! I can't tell you how sure the chap I spoke to sounded! Are you sure the iMac is not feeding the audio signal through Bluetooth, despite being connected via a cable?! (Apologies in advance if this is an silly question!! )

 

[kartoon]

How can they get it so wrong?! I can't tell you how sure the chap I spoke to sounded! Are you sure the iMac is not feeding the audio signal through Bluetooth, despite being connected via a cable?! (Apologies in advance if this is an silly question!! )

I don't know how they can get this SO wrong! And no, the question is not silly.
But yes, Im sure. For several reasons:
They are connected to both my iPhone and my iPad via Bluetooth. Can only be connected to 2 units at the same time. It also shows as not connected when checking my bluetooth connections at the iMac! And most importantly , the sound signature is quite different when connected via USB-C. But yes, 100% sure!

 

[AaaBaa]

I don't know how they can get this SO wrong! And no, the question is not silly.
But yes, Im sure. For several reasons:
They are connected to both my iPhone and my iPad via Bluetooth. Can only be connected to 2 units at the same time. It also shows as not connected when checking my bluetooth connections at the iMac! And most importantly , the sound signature is quite different when connected via USB-C. But yes, 100% sure!

Well, then that settles it. I'll get mine in the next few days and will test it out -- will connect it to my laptop via USB before setting up any BT profiles. Must say -- very poor management/training procedures at B&O Play if they can get it so very deeply wrong.

 

[epaludo]

Listening from my iMac connected with USB-c right now!! So no doubt there! They have to be turned on. But that was the same with the PX. But the H9i can be run with normal headphone wire passively also without power!

Can someone please explain me what is the USB-C connector such a big deal? I don't get it. Isn't the connector in the previous H9 model just as efficient if you have plenty of those cables around? I could be missing something ...

 

[AaaBaa]

Can someone please explain me what is the USB-C connector such a big deal? I don't get it. Isn't the connector in the previous H9 model just as efficient if you have plenty of those cables around? I could be missing something ...

Increasing usage of the USB-C connector is where the industry seems to be heading. Even Apple uses it on its MacBooks. I understand USB Type C standards have more possibilities than previous USB standards in terms of power, audio, video.

For me it's a personal thing -- I want to carry around one charger with a connector that works for my notebook (Dell XPS), phone (S8) and hopefully -- one day(!) -- my headphones.

 

[AaaBaa]

I don't know how they can get this SO wrong! And no, the question is not silly.
But yes, Im sure. For several reasons:
They are connected to both my iPhone and my iPad via Bluetooth. Can only be connected to 2 units at the same time. It also shows as not connected when checking my bluetooth connections at the iMac! And most importantly , the sound signature is quite different when connected via USB-C. But yes, 100% sure!

Just FYI, I've just heard back from my written question to B&O Play -- and they confirm what you've been saying all along, and also thereby directly contradicting what one of their guys on the tech support helpdesk told me on the phone:

<
Thank you for contacting the B&O Play Support regarding your H9i.

Please note that H9i does support audio through USB : if you connect your headphones to your computer using the USB type-C cable, you will be able to select H9i as a sound card and play audio via USB connection.

Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind regards,

Louis R.
B&O PLAY Support
>

 

[josler]

So the treble on the h9i is... bright. Normally I’m pretty ok with super sparkly highs, (loved the H6) but I’m actually worried about ear health with these. Anyone have insight on whether the highs on these are going to risk hearing in the long term?

 

[AaaBaa]

First impressions of the H9i (black), which I received earlier, and have been using...

Build, fit and feel
* stunning, luxurious, understated, elegant
* even the friction of the cups as they extend from the headband, and as they move from side to side, and up and down is set just right -- feels like you're being indulged!
* really does smack and smell (the leather, literally!) of quality through and through -- very impressive!
* comfortable, don't feel heavy, no obvious and immediate signs of duress [unlike the PXs, which unfortunately were aggravating as soon as I put them on]

Setup
* very easy to set up, start, update

Touch controls
* very fiddly, counter-intuitive, not fit for purpose
* e.g. it's so easy to mistakenly go forward or back, or enter "transparency mode" when you just want to press play
* maybe I'd get used to them -- but at the moment I don't like them one bit
[I think B&W nailed the controls with the PX -- elegant simplicity itself -- they should all be copying them quite frankly! Sometimes you just need and want to reach for a button and press click.]

Sound & ANC
* testing out over the next few weeks, but so far no obvious bloopers

As I've written earlier this week, only after ordering did I realise that it would not come with aptX, so there was always a good chance that it was going to go back anyway...but let's see, trying to keep an open mind about them.

 

[AaaBaa]

I've never seen any BT headphone that had a sound codec patched into it later in its shelf life, I doubt B&O have managed this.

If a headphone model were to have AptX patched on to it later in its shelf life by way of an OTA firmware update, would certain hardware and circuitry need to be physically on the headphones in the first place?

I've finally been able to get some better answers from B&O, and it seems that B&O are aware that omitting AptX may have been a faux-pas. At the same time, they say that omitting AptX was a "forward looking decision" by the management team -- what are they smoking over there in B&O's HQ in Denmark?!

Anyhow, the message continues to say that "they are considering adding AptX". It's not clear whether this means the hardware is ready for this or whether there will need to be be a revised model of the H9i.

Full message here:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting the B&O Play Support regarding your H9i.

I apologize for any confusion with our latest emails. I'd be happy to clear that up and provide a more detailed explanation of why AptX is not currently supported.

As most Android based devices already do or will soon support AAC, it was decided that our focus should be on AAC foremost. The difference in sound quality that we found to have no noticeable difference is between AAC and AptX, rather than SBC. I understand that this is not convenient for all users but was a forward looking decision made by our management team.

We truly appreciate constructive feedback from users like you which is why our management and developer teams are considering adding AptX but there is no final decision or ETA available regarding this currently.

Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind regards,

Allyce
B&O PLAY Support

 

[Marsson]

So the treble on the h9i is... bright. Normally I’m pretty ok with super sparkly highs, (loved the H6) but I’m actually worried about ear health with these. Anyone have insight on whether the highs on these are going to risk hearing in the long term?

Probably not, but during the few days I had the H9i I had to drastically change the sound with the beoapp, sine my hears completely hated the extremely high treble. I vastly prefer the H9, which I now own again.

 

[bedlamite]

If a headphone model were to have AptX patched on to it later in its shelf life by way of an OTA firmware update, would certain hardware and circuitry need to be physically on the headphones in the first place?

I've finally been able to get some better answers from B&O, and it seems that B&O are aware that omitting AptX may have been a faux-pas. At the same time, they say that omitting AptX was a "forward looking decision" by the management team -- what are they smoking over there in B&O's HQ in Denmark?!

I wish i had an answer for you but I honestly don't know. What I do know, again, is that I have never heard of a manufacturer upgrading audio codecs through firmware (changing a aptX headset into a aptX HD one, for example). At least not yet, anyways.

Expecting AAC to land on ALL Android handsets seems hopeful at best. As of right now, Oreo adoption rate is a whopping 1.1% of all handsets on the market, LG's flagship v30 is only getting Oreo now and Samsung users are still stuck playing the waiting game, half a year after Oreo's dropped. Android OS fragmentation is obviously still very much a thing, thus for B&O to make that AAC assumption...that wasn't smart. Seems to me they simply wanted to save on aptX licensing costs, Android users be damned.

 

[epaludo]

I've noticed some serious distortion on both H9 and H8i while listening to a Miles Davis song on Spotify through an iPhone X. Would be glad if anyone else can try it out also. Looks like the problem is gone when I stream the same song from my MacBook.
Miles Davis In A Silent Way LP Mix, on the 4:30-6:30 range. The trumpet get REALLY distorted. Apple earpods work just fine on that song also when I quickly switch between it and the BeoPlay ones.
Would be nice to hear from anyone else. Hopefully this can be fixed somehow with software updates from either Apple or B&O

 

[Marsson]

I've noticed some serious distortion on both H9 and H8i while listening to a Miles Davis song on Spotify through an iPhone X. Would be glad if anyone else can try it out also. Looks like the problem is gone when I stream the same song from my MacBook.
Miles Davis In A Silent Way LP Mix, on the 4:30-6:30 range. The trumpet get REALLY distorted. Apple earpods work just fine on that song also when I quickly switch between it and the BeoPlay ones.
Would be nice to hear from anyone else. Hopefully this can be fixed somehow with software updates from either Apple or B&O

That's weird. It's the first time I see someone mentioning distortion with the H9. The H9i's on the other hand seem to suffer from distortion for lots of people (myself included when I owned them)

 

[epaludo]

That's weird. It's the first time I see someone mentioning distortion with the H9. The H9i's on the other hand seem to suffer from distortion for lots of people (myself included when I owned them)

Could it be something related to the iPhone X perhaps? It would be great if someone else could verify it. May be an issue with iPhone Xs or maybe just mine. Who knows ...