Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i Wireless Bluetooth Over - Ear Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode and Microphone - Black

I own a few of the Bose headphones - QC20, QC25, QC30 and QC35's. I regularly use the QC25's on my PC and, as they were going faulty, I wanted a replacement. I decided upon these as they seemed to be better constructed than the Bose and that is definitely going to be your first impression - they are obviously heavier, but that is due to better construction and better materials. The Bose are very plastic heavy, whereas these use aluminium. Thick leather adorns the headband with leather earpads which are soft comfortable. They also should fit most people unless you have ears that put Dumbo to shame.Connecting these to a phone and you will probably be informed of a firmware update - definitely ensure this is done!Connecting to my PC, I could either use Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack or even use a USB cable to connect and listen. The first thing that struck me is how much louder these sound at the same sound levels as the Bose - MUCH louder (clearly, these go to 11). The second thing is the sound is great, with a much heavier bass level than the Bose.Music is definitely enjoyable on these - either via PC/Cable or Phone/Bluetooth. I tend to use the controls on the right ear to either cancel the noise cancellation (rare) or to allow myself to hear the outside world without removing the headset (more useful on planes etc).Battery life is decent and included (rechargable via USB) and replaceable if needed. Earpads are also replaceable so the parts that generally go can be replaced and you're not left with an expensive item that you can't use.The only criticism is no storage case included, unlike the Bose, but they are available reasonably cheaply. But for a £400 ish piece of kit, kinda should be included.

Was able to compare these with the Sony WH1000XM3 for a few weeks side -by-side. Felt I was forcing myself to wear the Sony so I could get a good comparison, and always looked forward to wearing the H9i more. Yes, the Sony are better at ANC, but how often are you going to wear headphones just to block out outside noise? With music playing, they are both just as good at ANC. For me, the Sony also had too much bass. Yes, the Sony app is better, but I also don't want to always fiddle with the settings all the time.The H9i are much better looking heaphones. They're also, in my opinion, far superior in build quality and design, and for my ears, they sound better out of the box than the Sony. The replaceable battery on H9i is also a major plus. At this price I'm hoping the H9i will last me a while and I don't want to be buying new headphones in a few years time because the battery no longer holds charge. Sorry Sony!The H9i are a clear winner for me, and now that you can get these for as low as £339 it's a no brainer!

The first impressions of this product is the in boxing experience. The moment you see the box you can tell its gonna be a great exepeince. A minimlist design with good ol' scandivian design. Once you open the box the headphones are there in full show in all their beautiful glory. The box also comes with a carrying bag (Saddly not a hard case), an airplane adapter and aux cord.Bluetooth pairing is like any other wireless headphones.Chances are you're looking st this review for 2 reasons; one you're bored at 1AM and looking at things you'll never buy and the second is because you wanna know if they're any good. Won't talk about design, because you've already decided if you like then or not. Personally it's the reason I bought them.The quality of the headphones is great. The real beef leather on the headband feels sturdy and strong. The sheep skin on these headphones is soft and super comfortable. It's as if the pads meld around your head like a cushion made of clouds. However I wish they had more depth and the tips of my ears touch the drivers. The headphones are also extremely heavy in the head, wish after about an hour (in my case) started to feel uncomfortable and after 2 started to really hurt my neck. The part of the headband that sits ontop of your head is really damn hard and makes a pressure point on the very top. Though that does go away after about 20 minutes of listening.The headphones durability is great; this is because both the ear cups and battery are replaceable which you can find in B&Os website. However the replacements are a little too pricy personally.It's a fairly feature rich set of cans, not as much at the new Sonys but better than the majority of headphones. ANC is pretty good, not the best but it blocks out most of the city scape sounds, and does make yiu feel imeressed. However it does crush in the mids and make the high mids become slightly distorted at high volumes. The touch panel works... Okay? It does feel amazing when it does work, very modern. But most of the time it doesn't work, and you will make mistakes. But skipping tracks is pretty consistent. The proximity sensor is just horrible; turn it off straight away.Fianlly, the sound! Now my tested these using high quality hi-fi files via a streaming services called TIDAL. Over the Bluetooth I can hear alot of distortion during high volumes in the mid-highs and mid-lows and the deep lows. That's annoying, because it doesn't show up while being wired.The sound overall sound profile is well balanced with a nice roundness to the overall sounds. Highs aren't piercing and well controlled, mids are well controlled, lyrics do stand out. The bass is tight, deep and well controlled. These aren't bass lover headphones, but it does have a nice punch to R&B, rock and EDM. When listening to Gatekeeper by Jessie Reyez, the lyrical performance is enhanced by the nice controlled low-mids and deep mids giving the song an ominous sound. Pressure by Muse sounds amazing. The guitar is well controlled and sounds amazing. Unlike some headphones the drums peirce through the highs of the guitar. Sound stage for a closed back is amazing. It isn't like an open back (obviously), but you can pin point certain instruments on the headphones with a great audio balance between each can.Overall they're really over priced and you should wait for a price drop. However I do think they are worth it, but that's because I care about design and audio performance. If you're looking for an alternative the Sony mx 1000 m3 is a great option.*Update*I've had this for a few months now, it's still a great experience using it. However sometimes music and media doesn't play through the headphones with it being paired up to my phone via Bluetooth. I found a trick by using the b&o app, by just playing and pausing from that. However for such an expensive product, even with the recent price drop it still is more expensive than its competitors and things like this shouldn't happen.*update from March 2021*After just over 2 years of use and abuse for almost everyday they’ve finally died and won’t even turn in anymore. They still sound amazing and for the discounted price that it’s currently going for it’s better than their competitors

I read a lot of both positive and critical reviews before buying these headphones, and I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy listening with them so far. This is from the perspective of a non-audiophile who just likes a well-balanced sound, if well-balanced means having a lot of clarity throughout without sacrificing smoothness (for lack of a better word) and bass that has enough of a presence to make electronic and pop tunes enjoyable.They are also the most comfortable pair of headphones I've worn! I don't have a huge head and the ear cups are the perfect size. They feel very light on my head, and do not squeeze my face like other larger headphones might.I wish there were more controls on the app, but what is there has provided me with enough to tweak the sound to suit a variety of tunes, so I GUESS it's okay. For my listening needs, the equalizer has been adequate.I didn't understand the touch controls initially, but now that I've figured them out (swipe down to turn ANC on, swipe down again to turn it off), they work consistently.I expected to hate the way the music sounded with ANC on, but happily that has not been the case. There is definitely a change, but after my ears adjusted to the shift, I found that most things still sounded great. I think this is point is totally subjective. Also note that I did not purchase these headphones for their noise cancelling feature, although it's a nice-to-have for when I need to shut out the world. Whenever possible, I'll be listening with the feature turned off since it'll save battery power, and having music playing drowns out most outside noise anyways.The more I listen with these, the more I like their simplicity (at least on the surface). They make everything sound mindblowingly good, and that's all that matters to me. However, "mindblowingly good" is completely subjective, as is evident through the mixed reviews.

Bottom Line for meI am befuddled (it's a word - look it up!) by some of these reviews. But, to each their own, I guess. Awesome, awesome headphones. My search is over.BackgroundI have tried so many headphones, I can hardly count. Sony 1000XM3, B&W PX, B&W P7 (which I owned for a year and LOVE), Senheiser Momentum, etc etc. For the last few days I have been comparing my 4 moth old Sony 1000XM3 with the H9i.VolumeI like my music loud sometimes. Only occasionally do I top out the volume. Most of the time I am well below maximum with these H9i’sComfortQuite good. Overall just as comfortable as the Sonys, just different. I was initially discouraged because they feel more cramped. But somehow, over time, I have concluded that these are quite comfortable. They just feel different.SoundNote that I have the H9i EQ set to heavy bass and accented highs. Same for the Sony’s.Overall the best sounding headphones I have heard, ever. Above the B&W PX, Sony 1000MX, Sennheiser, B&W P7 etc etc.Bass: The bass has precision and authority, if that makes sense. The Sony has strong bass (adjustable) that never gives in. It shovels out bass, but without purpose. In comparison, it’s sloppy. The H9i delivers bass with more precision and power, if that makes sense. When a song really has demanding bass, the H9i will outshine the Sony 1000XM3. Even punchy bass is punchier than the Sony. B&O are doing something special with these speakers. Finally, the H9i delivers bass without screwing with the rest of the instrument content. Sony’s fumble occasionally in this task.Treble: Some have described the high end as “harsh”, and I think I understand. However this can be tamed with EQ. However, the competent upper end is one thing that I really love. With a guitar strum, you don’t just hear each string being struck, you hear the slide of the pick on the strings. Horns shine more than the competitors. I wonder if the little nubbin in front of the main speaker is responsible.All of the above really shine on tracks like Radiohead “Ripcord”, Helio Sequence “Shed Your Love”, Gypsy Kings “Hotel California”, Stevie Wonder “Higher Ground”, 10,000 Maniacs “What’s the Matter Here”.I thought that Young the Giant’s “Amerika” sounded great on the Sonys. Then I heard it on the H9i. Can’t go back.Noise IsolationPretty good. Those around will only hear your music if you have it pretty loud and the room is quiet.Touch ControlsI find these controls to be clearly better than the Sony 1000XM3. I am confused that some find the touch controls frustrating. I have no problem and strongly prefer them to the Sonys. For example, the volume control. Within the first hour of use, I feel like a have a volume dial that I can instantly command. On the H9i, there is a subtle but easy-to-locate raised ring on the right ear cup that easily guides your finger to make the circle. And the touchpad seems to never get confused. The Sonys misinterpret my intentions regularly.Noise CancellingThis was not my highest priority, and I am perfectly happy thus far. People generally say it is quite good, but not up to Sony and Bose. That’s OK with me. The sound quality does suffer, and I keep NC off unless I travel.

Acabo de recibir estos auriculares, y aunque todavía me falta rodaje con ellos, estas son mis primeras impresiones:Cuando los tienes en las manos, se sienten unos auriculares premium, muy bien construidos, sólidos, que reflejan una larga durabilidad del producto. Además me han resultado muy cómodos.Antes de pasar al sonido, os cuento que he tenido y aún tengo, muchos auriculares, entre otros; los Bose QC15, B&W P5, P7 y PX, los Grado RS1e, AKG K3003 y un larguísimo etc, pues me gusta ir variando de vez en cuando.En cuanto a su sonido, me han parecido realmente espectaculares, y me han sorprendido mucho los detalles que se pueden apreciar en la música, sobre todo si tenemos en cuenta que son bluetooth. Eso si, es importante utilizar música en streaming de gran calidad como Tidal.Su sonido se parece mucho al que obtienes con el altavoz Beoplay P6, del mismo fabricante B&O: Unos bajos muy profundos, pero que no “emborronan” el sonido, medios claros y agudos muy, muy nítidos.Como pega, el mando táctil del auricular derecho, me está resultando un poco complicado cogerle el truco, aunque supongo que será cuestión de práctica y tiempo.Su app para controlarlos es un plus, ya que te permite ecualizar el sonido a tu gusto, sacándoles más partido aún.En fin, que los recomiendo sin dudarlo, aunque sí que es verdad que por su elevado precio, no está al alcance de todo el mundo.

Viel zu teuer, dachte ich erst. Heute sieht die Sache etwas anders aus, nachdem ich u.a. auch diverse Konkurrenzprodukte probegehört habe (QC35ii, WH1000mx2) und ich zunächst auch auf den Bose QC35II eingeschossen war, den man mittlerweile bei vielen Pendlern am Kopf sieht und der durchaus ein tolles Produkt ist (wenn da nicht die "Datenkrakenproblematik" gewesen wäre).Zunächst: B&O bietet eine überdurchschnittliche Verarbeitungsqualität (feines Leder, Aluminium) und hebt sich allein schon damit von der Konkurrenz deutlich ab, was ich in dieser Preisregion aber auch erwartet habe. Alles ist stabil und robust, keine möglichen Schwachstellen wie Gelenke oder möglicherweise später brechende Plastikverbindungen. Ein Kopfhörer für die Ewigkeit, so fühlt er sich jedenfalls an. Vielleicht ist das auch einer der Gründe, weshalb „nur“ eine Stofftasche statt einem Hardcase mitgeliefert wurde. Diese Stofftasche wirkt jedoch nicht billig, sondern ist ziemlich dick und lässt dadurch einen platzsparenden Transport zu.Obwohl ähnlich schwer wie der „Kunststoffbrummer“ von Sony, sitzt er bei perfekten Anpressdruck luftig auf dem Kopf, nichts drückt. Die weichen und austauschbaren Leder-Ohrpolster schmiegen sich zart um die Ohren. Auch um den Hals gelegt macht er eine gute Figur und störte mich dabei nicht so, wie die anderen genannten Kopfhörer.Und natürlich kann man sehr, sehr gut Musik hören. Der H9i bietet eine dermaßen breite und anpassbare (App) Klangbühne, eine solche Performance und detaillierte Stereotrennung, dass Musikstücke teilweise ganz neue Hörerlebnisse bieten. Jedes einzelne Instrument lässt sich gut heraushören, die Höhen sind präzise, „funkelnd“, klar, die Mitten voll, der Bass (je nach persönlicher EQ-Einstellung über die optionale App) durchaus präsent und knackig. Gerade im Vergleich zu Bose (keinerlei EQ-Einstellungen möglich), aber auch zu Sony, ist der Klang meiner Meinung nach überragend. Wobei sowohl Bose als auch Sony schon sehr gut sind. Kritikpunkt meinerseits ist allerdings die Beoplay-App, die trotz der durchdachten Funktionen scheinbar bei älteren Android-Betriebssystemen manchmal etwas hakt. Allerdings sicherte man mir bei B&O zu, dass man an weiteren Updates arbeite.Die Akkulaufzeit beträgt zwischen 18 Stunden mit Bluetooth und ANC oder bis zu 24 Stunden mit 3,5-mm-Kabelverbindung. Und selbst in ausgeschalteten Zustand mit Kabel klingt der H9i perfekt, kein Vergleich mit dem QC35ii, der aufgrund des stromlosen EQ einfach nur enttäuschend klang. Auch wenn der Sony WH 1000mx2 mit 30h eine längere Laufzeit bietet (zumindest in den ersten Monaten), kann man beim H9i die Laufzeit mittels Wechselakku unendlich erweitern.Das Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) beim H9i hat mich positiv überrascht. Er filtert in vergleichbarer Weise wie der QC35ii oder der WH 1000mx2 Störgeräusche. Sonys ANC ist zwar gut, aber mit einem deutlichen weißen Rauschen und teils auch mit Störgeräuschen von Handys in der Nähe. Boses ANC war bisher die Referenz, aber leider ohne Transparenzmodus, wie es Sony und B&O bietet. Insgesamt ist die ANC-Funktion wirklich erstaunlich gut, fast kein Eigenrauschen wahrnehmbar und ebenso wirksam wie beim Marktführer. Mir kam es sogar so vor, dass B&O teilweise noch etwas besser als Bose mit bestimmten höheren Frequenzen umgeht. Leider schaltet sich das ANC, ähnlich wie beim Sony, nach 15 Minuten ab, wenn keine Töne übertragen werden. Dauerhaft kann man aber ANC nutzen, wenn das beiliegende Audiokabel eingesteckt ist. Positiv hervorzuheben ist auch der neue USB-C-Ladeanschluss, quasi der neue USB-Standard, welchen weder Bose noch Sony eingebaut hatte.Die Bedienung des Touchpanels klappt nach kurzer Übung intuitiv. Alles lässt sich damit bedienen, bei Sony musste man für die Bedienung des ANC/Ambiente noch eine fummelige kleine Taste am linken Hörer drücken, bei B&O geht dies auch über Wischgesten am rechten Hörer. Gut gelöst ist auch die Initiierung des Transparenmodus über lediglich eine kurze Wischfunktion am Hörer nach oben – man muss also nicht die Hand in merkwürdiger Art und Weise am rechten Ohr halten, um auf „akustischen Durchzug“ zu schalten. Spätestens, wenn ich in 2, 3 Jahren beim B&O den Akku tauschen muss, hat sich der H9i amortisiert. Für mich ist er aber schon heute den Preis wert.

Love the exceptional sound quality, B&O do so well. High quality product, which you would expect given the price. Comfortable. Noise cancelling is good but others do that better but don’t necessarily give the clarity the audio quality offered here.