LGR guy can't solder or troubleshoot a simple IT issue even if his life depends on it. He is a very lacking reviewer too. On the contrary of this channel for example. Best wishes.
It makes sense to order more than one when purchasing from the wholesale distributors which are the only place you can purchase these components. You pay the same amount for shipping (about $5 for the cheapest option) whether you order only 1 or 50+ (depending on the component size and weight). You just keep a database of your in stock components, chuck them in a bin, and check your database for the part number if you ever need another one in the future.
@@davidcameron648 I do the same except i don't hold a database and always forget what I have .... Thanks for the reminder that I should really go back and dig everything out and properly organize them. X)
I'm an electronics technician who repairs marine and avionics radios and I compliment you on a very creative fix. Some might say you did this or that wrong but the bottom line is your "fix" worked and you were able to return the equipment to operational status. The end result is what's important, how you got there, not so much.
The battery in my QC35's died. Thankfully I was able to source a replacement, Getting the old one out was a paint, but soldering in the new one and buttoning it up it now functions like new. Glad to know the switch can be fixed also.
That switch probably didn't need to be replaced. You can just take it apart as demonstrated, clean the contacts and wiper with some DeoxIT (the dirt that was cleaned out was the remains of the similar product that is used to keep the contacts and wiper from oxidizing mixed with a bit of dust and the tarnish that the silver plated contacts had built up) -- leaving a thin film of it on the contacts and wiper to keep it from quickly reoxidizing (leaving them bare like shown is probably going to cause it to tarnish rather quickly), then put it back together.
Hi, did you bend the metal tabs a bit out? Wondering if the tabs get bent over time. Also wouldn't a dab of electrical grease do the trick for oxidation? Thanks
i didn't even take the switch apart, just put a drop or two of 91% ipa in and worked it a bit... waited for it to dry and now it works again! FOR NOW...
I have the QC 35 II's and I believe they fixed the switch issue, at least I read that somewhere. I have also replaced my ear cushions 4 times, twice with inexpensive 3rd party options. None of the 3rd party options have anywhere near as good passive isolation as OEM, meaning the tune for the active NC is off. They also don't feel as nice after prolonged use and lasted just as long as OEM. I agree the genuine Bose cushions are a bit overpriced, but I will pay that for the performance. My latest set have lasted the longest so far, even longer than the ones the headphones came with, so I think Bose have actually addressed the issues of early failure as reported by so many reviews on their own site for the cushions.
The QC 35s tend to be really particular about earpads. Unless the spacing and foam density are exactly right, you lose a lot of ANC performance. You definitely don't want just any $8 earpad from eBay. I've found that the WC Wicked Cushions work about 90-95% as well as the stock ones. That might be a worthy tradeoff considering they cost $20 instead of $35+, especially if they last longer.
This kind of power switch failure is one of the most common failures I see on these, but I never even considered the carrying case as the cause. The fact they put the cable pocket right on top of where the earcup is located never sat right with me, so I've always done everything I can to maximize clearance in that area. This usually means winding up cables _around_ where the earcup would be, or just storing them in a different location in the case. So far, so good for my personal set. If guess if you're paranoid about this, you could fold up your headphones in the opposite of the position shown in the tag diagram, placing the right earcup at the top, away from the cable pocket.
Great video, Colin. I had the same issue and was able to repair the internals of the switch without spares, luckily. They have worked for a couple of years now with no fault. What a great feeling to resurrect something so modern!
I don’t understand the hate on Bose. I’ve owned SEVERAL different pairs of over the ear headphones, from all different brands. Yes, Bose doesn’t sound the best in terms of audio quality, but their noise canceling technology is leaps and bounds better than the other I’ve used. They are also really durable. The pair I’m currently using are 12 years old. I also think the price to quality is pretty fair. A $150 - $300 set of headphones isn’t going to sound as good as a $500 - $800 pair. You can still buy the headphones I have today for $250. Over the course of 12 years and how well they’ve held up, I’d say they are pretty damn good.
Since you asked, I own a pair of these which are my only experience with Bose as a brand and here’s what I don’t like: I’m sensitive enough to the noise cancelling (ANC) that it hurts to have on at any level. There is no option to disable noise cancelling by default. I cannot turn ANC off if I’m in a call so I need to race them every time I turn them on for a meeting. The firmware has crashed several times locking them up entirely until the battery dies which can be most of a day since there’s no reset. The only redeeming qualities are that it always connects and the audio quality to me is quite good.
I love these headphones, I actually bought a second one of these, because of a similar issue. after a year, I just found a suitable replacement part and fixed the original one (still with a good battery). And now, I use them both.
QC 35 ii owner here, the original replacement earcups are _NOT_ worth it. I've swapped them twice and they end up flaking off within a year, even taking care of wiping them off. The pleather used on the original ones is way thinner (probably the difference you feel). I ended up buying third party replacement pads last year and seem to be holding up just fine.
OMG! My QC 45's switch is doing the same thing! It won't snap into the ON position. This is such a timely video. I'm gonna get these switches. Thank you!
Bose is extremely overpriced. But worse, is they are wireless. Wireless sucks. You lose the quality of your amplifier. They need charging. Most have impossible to replace batteries. They lag. I absolutely do not like watching a video where the video is out of sync with the audio. It drives me nuts. You cannot unsee it, even if it is only a few milliseconds. It just is so off-putting.
@@tarstarkuszaccording to science(EBU R37-2007), having audio lagging behind by than 40 ms is going to be noticed by very few people. aptX-ll has been able to do this for a while, which is why it's the preferred codec for gaming wireless headphones. also, for example youtube has latency compensation. still miss my 3.5 mm jack tho :/
@@tarstarkuszThat's one of the things I liked about my Audio technica wireless headphones is the battery isn't to hard to get to in the future if I need to replace it and the headphones still work even without bluetooth thanks to the aux jack.
And this is why Im still hanging on to my Bose QC 25s. Yes, the 25 is corded and Im sure the noise cancelling isnt as nice as newer models and it doesnt have all the voice assistant features (which I dont use anyway), but it has an easy user replaceable battery. You just swap out your old AAA and put a new one in. Ive even sourced a couple extra pairs for family. They still work great. I used them on a recent Europe trip and had no problems with the noise cancelling and plugging into the on board entertainment.
I try to get everything with AA/AAA batteries if it's an option, great for longevity. QC25 is unique in that regard, don't know any other great noise cancelling cans that runs on AAAs.
corded is best. PERIOD. There is no such thing as wireless headphones that don't have lag. You lose the quality of your amplifier and get whatever happens to be in your wireless headphones. I do not like them one bit. Hang on to your wired headphones!!!!!
I love my Bose QC25s. I have the special edition triple black ones and they are awesome. Super comfortable and have lasted forever. I got them for $50 on Facebook marketplace with some worn ear pads. Managed to get some new ones for free from Bose! Bought them nearly 4 years ago and still going strong. Don’t think I’ll need a new pair for a while. It’s a shame headphones aren’t built to last anymore. Some family friends have gone through countless pairs of cheap wireless headphones only to have the batteries die or they just fall apart. The QC25s haven’t had a single issue since I bought them. I have 2 other pairs I bought for my other family members aswell 👍
Bose makes cool headphones, but their design flaws is why many audiophiles hate them, if they focused on quality control, they would have a better reputation! So glad that power switch was an easy fix!
@@sihaz1969 Bose sound quality is debatable, I listened to their older headphones were pretty good, but I don’t like how they cut corners with their products and they have design flaws.
They sound rather bad, that's why audiophiles hate them. But yeah, we also hate the Sony XM headsets because they make music sound processed. Regarding wireless headphones, the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless was the first I considered acceptable sounding and these days I've been running Mark Levinson 5909 (not recommended due to poor build and other quirks though).
@@puciohenzap891 I’m not a fan of wireless headphones in general, because they have battery and connectivity issues! Things are getting too complicated, I’m still mad that both Apple and Samsung have got rid of the headphone jack for their phones, and I have to use the dongle for my wired Bose headphones that were really good!
Did it, couple of quick notes take a pick of the switch before you pry off the metal top. On mine the switch was on the rt side of the headphones. So the spring is on the bottom of the switch. Also the metal piece you have to pry off has one side that clips down and faces towards the left of the headphones the other side has nothing...both ends also clip and that is where you pry off from. On the black plastic piece a hint when putting back together is there is a hole in one side that will hold the spring. Put the spring in the hole then put the black tab back in the switch then the silver plate with the metal side facing the left. I also used contact cleaner and a glasses cleaning cloth to clean off the oxidation. I also put a tiny amount of dielectric grease to prevent further oxidation....but not sure if this is necessary or overkill. Good luck, use reading glasses and cellphone light for better light.
I guess we're in the minority judging by this comment section - I love my quietcomforts and have for 15+ years. My QC15 are still kicking with my gaming rig, and I'll keep this video in my back pocket should my beloved QC35 succumb to a similar fate as yours. The idea of refreshing the headphones with a replacement pad is a great one! Keeps things clean and fresh, feeling like new. I even replaced the headband on the 15s - a little more of an involved (and one-way) process but easily worth doing
6:35 Sennheiser 600-series owners will chuckle a bit here. Our OEM pads are over $50 a pair. And since aftermarket pads often drastically (and negatively) change the sound, you're pretty much stuck buying the official ones. If you're careful and tension the headband correctly, you might get a few years out of a pair of pads before it's time for a replacement.
You don't need to remove the earpad liners to access the screws that secure the outer shells shells to the earcup assembly. They are all directly accessible if you pull back the top or bottom of the liner (which you can do since only the sides are glued into place).
Nice job. I recently changed out the ear pads on my QC35s and that really refreshed the headphones. Great to see that there's other ways to maintain them as well!
This is the reason I tend to try and fix certain electronics I own, depending on the price and whether it makes sense financially to repair (price of parts does not exceed their value).
I've had my QC 35 IIs for 7+ years but never keep them in the case - just chuck them in my bag or on the desk. They're still going as strong as day 1. I use them for an average of 6 hours a day, every day, and the battery still holds up. These things are insane. When they got discontinued a few years ago, I picked up a spare pair in a sale, but I've had no cause to use them yet.
It seems like a lot of these switches get this issue. My GBA SP that I got secondhand had really low volume, bad headphone output, and a constant low battery light (even on a full charge) until I took apart the power switch and cleaned it. MattKC did a video on a Gameboy Pocket that was completely dead, whose only major issue was (surprise surprise) a dirty power switch.
Oh my lord. I had the same problem, and broke my QC35s whilst soldering on the replacement switch. There are some small components nearby I must have upset. I ended up trading them in with Bose at great expense to get the QC Ultra, which aren't much better and make terrible noises on public busses and whilst running due to over-active noise cancelling. I wish this video had come out a few months earlier!
I had this exact issue a few months ago. If only your video had been available back then! Fortunately Bose replaced them free of charge for a new pair as it’s a known fault with the QC35 2s.
I still have a set of Bose AE2s (wired) and outside of the ear pads, they have been working flawlessly - through moves, clacking around all over the place, and just general thrashing from day to day stuff, the cord is still in great condition and they still sound phenomenal. People rag on Bose stuff but ill be damned if they don't make some good products. Besides, they have a tuning that I enjoy. Audio is subjective, and you should just listen to what you like through what you like.
I've found the replacement ear pads from several sellers to be fine, although there is one brand that doesn't look at all like the originals but has lasted me a LOT longer. I was going through a set every 6-8 months previously because I fall asleep with mine on, but the new set has lasted well over a year now. As for the battery, that may be a replacement soon enough, although since mine never go in the original case my switch seems fine.
Hmm... I wonder if there's a way to 3D print some type of cover that can fit around and over the switch so the case doesn't put pressure on it and keep causing the issue.
I'm amazed these sliding switches are still around in the 21st century. They were always famous for gradually leaving a trace between contacts causing a short or permanent "on" situation. In the 80s products used to have these and often suffered from this problem. Stories of calculators overheating etc.. glad you could find replacements but I wonder if alternative styles of switched could be fitted?
Trace of what between contacts? The materials are different from the 80s, when carbon tracks are used they have a better polymer matrix binder rather than just a random tar, and this switch uses metal tracks, and the switch isn't used in a current carrying capacity, it's only a processor input.
Could've gotten away without new switches even. Wiping the contacts and slightly shaping the springy legs of the slider for better tension would've been enough.
Assuming these are QC 35 I, I had the exact same issue. My solution was to contact Bose directly and by sending mine in, I received a new QC35 model II replacement. 🤷♂️ I don't know if mine were still in warranty, actually. I think I claimed manufacturing defect and the EU regulations give s bit of extended warranty for those cases, but YMMV. Glad to know that this is a solution if I pick up a spare old pair used.
Ive used my qc35ii's every day for the last 6 years(8-22 hrs a day. Work and or sleep) They have been absolutely flawless, but i dont keep them in the case. Ive bought a few pairs of 3rd party pads over the years and the aftermaket pads seem to not work as well with the noise cancelling. The next time i buy pads ill try to get a set of bose pads.
Great video as always Colin! What’s the video microscope you’re using at 3:01? Looks very useful! I’m getting into repairing older cameras and while my close vision is still pretty good, something like that would definitely come in handy.
The Funny thing about my QC15's is that the cutoff point for low battery is just the noise cancelling clicking on and off, and I wonder if that's due to the resistance of the power switch getting greater and greater until it can't overcome it anymore. makes me wonder.
My wife's headset had this issue or similar, it just wouldn't stay turned off. I put it down to moisture. Three days in a box of rice and it seemed to fix itself. Even easier and stress free solution that's worth a try. But this is a good solution for this problem.
I'd bet on the programmable DSP in the CSR chip doing the noise cancelling because where else would it be? Stock firmware of course doesn't, but that's where Bose's R&D comes in.
Say you hate boses because audiophiles hate them is the same thing as not playing a game because you see a bad frame timing in Digital Foundry. People are losing control
I heard 25s and some others and never found the sound appealing. Don't care about active noise cancelling, prefer passive attenuation. Look it's not like ATH-M40x is some audiophile headphone, but it sounds good.
Nice video! I have used a pair of QC35 for over five years now. They are great, however, due to some annoying Bluetooth issues I experience with my iPhone (not wanting to connect, then suddenly the headphones reboot, for example) and never managing to get these work well with Teams on Windows, and also the fact that they will probably never get a SW update again, I decided to go for a new pair of QC Ultra now, which I love even more. The noise cancelling is phenomenal. I have never experienced this specific issue with the QC35 but it’s good to know, as I want to pass these on to my sister. First I need to tackle the 3rd party pads I put on a while ago and are completely worn out (the quality was apparently not that good 😢)…
Oh and one interesting note about that chip. I am an embedded SW developer and that chip series got considered in a startup project I consulted for. However as it’s virtually impossible to work with Qualcomm as a small startup company we went for something else instead. It is indeed an interesting device though!
Thanks for this video. Just replaced the switch (after exchanging the battery twice :-/). I hope this fixes the problem otherwise Bose won't see any of my money again.
I love this channel and Colin looks a real nice person. In the other side, i won't call it a design flaw, but planned obsolescence. Glad you can repair it, but lot of persons wont do it and buy a new one. Anyway, this video gonna help some persons.
a few years ago I wanted to replace the Earcups of my Beats Pro and called Apple but the only thing they offered is replacing the Headphones for over 300 Bucks. I also ended up buying 3rd Party Earcups and they are Perfectly fine...it's a real shame that you can't even buy a simple thing like this these Days. In my Opinion Parts like Earcups should always be Available at the Manufactures Website for Purchase.
Since it's a design defect, do you expect the replacement switch to fail at some point too? Or do you think the new Switch is somehow made of a higher quality and don't anticipate another failure in the future?
I had a similar issue with my cars turn signal switch/stalk. The internal contacts were dirty and it wasn’t making a connection. A quick clean and rebuild and the problem was gone
Wolfcastle... like.. Wolfenstein? :) Also, I replaced my pads in my sennheiser headphones, and they started to fall apart a year after the replacement. Changing the pads for new ones is a Sysyphus job, I think changing them for a different/better material would be good, but there are no such things on the market.
Mhm you don't think you can install sheepskin real leather pads on these headphones? Perhaps by gluing a snap plate liberated from a worn pair to the back of the pads. I'm also not convinced that the material is always the same. There are different ways to make fake leather. Some are PVC top layer some are PU, and there's different ways to attach the plastic to the textile backing, some are stronger than others. Perhaps Dekoni or some other brand will be better in quality, i don't know. The way the original pads explode eventually, they aren't even sewn on the inner seam, they are just heat bonded together, and once the coating layer starts to depart from the fabric, there's nothing holding them together. Cheapest manufacturing possible.
Would love to know how to replace the top band. Had my qc35s for 6yrs with no issues (although I don't use the original case). And I replace the ear pads every 12months, just for some different designs (black QCs with brown cups are my fave)
It's very nice to heard that Bose make very easy to repair headphones. In today's world it often feels like all electronics are designed to be discarded when they break and if they can be repaired you need to really know what you're doing. This is a nice breath of fresh air and I hope others will follow suit.
The ability to take off the outer shells is probably the only thing easy about working on these. Everything is soldered together using the thinnest gauge enamel wire possible, including the 12-pin cable that connects the two earcups together. Even the battery is glued shut in its own compartment and soldered directly to the main board. Whoever designed the QC 35s had the upmost contempt for anybody who would dare to repair them. For all the battery and charging issues Sony WH-1000XM3/4s have, at least the battery is on a solderless connector, so replacing it isn't a huge deal.
A while back, I found a Sennheiser 660S in a scrap market for dirt cheap as Non-working. Was pleasantly surprised and confused as it looked in Great Condition! needless to say, just went for it. Troubleshooting it, issue was, one side did not work, I opened it up aaand THERE it was, a broken connection to the external cable (Side Note: The built quality is underwhelming tbh, especially the wiring/poor reinforcement). Anyways, long story short, I soldered the broken connection and it was back to Normal! Probably my best find to date! (Paid less than tenth of the original Price). So happy about it, especially after getting one of those mini Amps to boost it up. I always wanted one, but just could never bring myself to justify the Price! Still think they're overpriced.
Bose quality is pretty low to begin with, so third party replacements cannot be so much worse. I had a couple of Bose ear buds and in both case the wire disintegrated on its own within three years. I have also two wired AE headphones and again cables are worn out and ear pads exploded. Overpriced, mediocre sounding devices. Bose is a "no go" for me, other brands are much better.
there is a WAY less (potentially) destructive way to fix this. TUNER CLEANER! You spray a small amount into the Switch/Potentiometer, then work the mechanics back-and-forth for a minute - et voilá.
Hi bro my Bose qc45 headphone while charging Amber and white led blinking fast checking with multimeter the out put voltage 1.2v comes , and new battery replaced my headphones won’t power on white led blink 2 times can
It would be nice to waych how to fix earphones like the earphones with mic and those silicone things on the ears , i use those earphones on my ipod and i hate when one side of the earphone just stop to sound, i mean every time it happens once I fix ones with my only hand I have but i don’t remember what i did, it would be nice to have one vid of that
Thanks for this video, i haven't encountered this issue with my qc35's and i've used them daily since 2016 but i haven't used the carry case much, just when i take them with me when i travel. Should the issue arise i now know how to fix it.
you can also go into the app and change a setting to make the headphones auto turn off after a certain amount of time. I have mine set to turn off after 40 mins of no audio playing
I've used them for 8 years and I'm wearing them right now and I confirm they sometimes turn themselves on for no reason in the middle of the night, but turn themself off in 15 minutes.
I have the Bose QuietComfort SC and last night the type C connection melted.. not sure what happened, but the battery is at 90%, the type C no longer makes connection, and I had to break the cord off the headphone and pull out the remaining bits from the type C that were welded in place. Does anyone know how to swap out the type C in these? It has plastic melted over one of the 3 screws inside needed for disassembly; gonna have to grind or pry the excess plastic off.
That digi-key and mouser shipping fee is annoying, but you really have no other choice unless you are fine taking a chance on buying knockoff parts from Amazon or eBay. You are buying certified authentic parts that are properly stored. All I can say is take your time making a BOM list- almost as long as the repair if necessary and buy spares.
Hi Colin, Bose headphones are great and usually they last for a long time (I've had Bose headphones since forever ago, including these). Good to know about the fix. Also, please ignore the haters. :)
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You and LGR make IT a zen experience.
Friday afternoons (EU) wouldn't be complete without LGR or TDNC videos.
LGR guy can't solder or troubleshoot a simple IT issue even if his life depends on it.
He is a very lacking reviewer too.
On the contrary of this channel for example.
Best wishes.
Totally agree!
soothing voice😇
"and I ordered a few replacements just to be safe" ... a phrase that will haunt my future generations
Not at this rate
Not just ordering replacements but only needing one part but only being able to order them in packs of 5
It makes sense to order more than one when purchasing from the wholesale distributors which are the only place you can purchase these components. You pay the same amount for shipping (about $5 for the cheapest option) whether you order only 1 or 50+ (depending on the component size and weight). You just keep a database of your in stock components, chuck them in a bin, and check your database for the part number if you ever need another one in the future.
@@davidcameron648 I do the same except i don't hold a database and always forget what I have .... Thanks for the reminder that I should really go back and dig everything out and properly organize them. X)
QC25 owner here. If I ever get to buy a newer model, I hope to remember your video.
I'm an electronics technician who repairs marine and avionics radios and I compliment you on a very creative fix. Some might say you did this or that wrong but the bottom line is your "fix" worked and you were able to return the equipment to operational status. The end result is what's important, how you got there, not so much.
Tuner Cleaner.
It's repairs like these that make me appreciate the whole maker/refurb spaces. Sometimes it's the simplest of approaches that end up working the best.
Super smart to avoid the solder and replace the switch internals, good thinking!
My wife has a pair of these - her's have been threatening to do the same thing - excellent teardown and fix!
I love my QC35 II, they work like a charm since I bought them 6 years ago. Battery life on em is amazing.
The battery in my QC35's died. Thankfully I was able to source a replacement, Getting the old one out was a paint, but soldering in the new one and buttoning it up it now functions like new. Glad to know the switch can be fixed also.
adding the headset model name/type to the video title might would help others to find this repair video
That switch probably didn't need to be replaced. You can just take it apart as demonstrated, clean the contacts and wiper with some DeoxIT (the dirt that was cleaned out was the remains of the similar product that is used to keep the contacts and wiper from oxidizing mixed with a bit of dust and the tarnish that the silver plated contacts had built up) -- leaving a thin film of it on the contacts and wiper to keep it from quickly reoxidizing (leaving them bare like shown is probably going to cause it to tarnish rather quickly), then put it back together.
Hi, did you bend the metal tabs a bit out? Wondering if the tabs get bent over time. Also wouldn't a dab of electrical grease do the trick for oxidation? Thanks
i didn't even take the switch apart, just put a drop or two of 91% ipa in and worked it a bit... waited for it to dry and now it works again! FOR NOW...
The microscope recording was amazing! Great quality and composition.
I have the QC 35 II's and I believe they fixed the switch issue, at least I read that somewhere. I have also replaced my ear cushions 4 times, twice with inexpensive 3rd party options. None of the 3rd party options have anywhere near as good passive isolation as OEM, meaning the tune for the active NC is off. They also don't feel as nice after prolonged use and lasted just as long as OEM.
I agree the genuine Bose cushions are a bit overpriced, but I will pay that for the performance. My latest set have lasted the longest so far, even longer than the ones the headphones came with, so I think Bose have actually addressed the issues of early failure as reported by so many reviews on their own site for the cushions.
The QC 35s tend to be really particular about earpads. Unless the spacing and foam density are exactly right, you lose a lot of ANC performance. You definitely don't want just any $8 earpad from eBay. I've found that the WC Wicked Cushions work about 90-95% as well as the stock ones. That might be a worthy tradeoff considering they cost $20 instead of $35+, especially if they last longer.
This kind of power switch failure is one of the most common failures I see on these, but I never even considered the carrying case as the cause. The fact they put the cable pocket right on top of where the earcup is located never sat right with me, so I've always done everything I can to maximize clearance in that area. This usually means winding up cables _around_ where the earcup would be, or just storing them in a different location in the case. So far, so good for my personal set.
If guess if you're paranoid about this, you could fold up your headphones in the opposite of the position shown in the tag diagram, placing the right earcup at the top, away from the cable pocket.
Great video, Colin. I had the same issue and was able to repair the internals of the switch without spares, luckily. They have worked for a couple of years now with no fault. What a great feeling to resurrect something so modern!
I don’t understand the hate on Bose. I’ve owned SEVERAL different pairs of over the ear headphones, from all different brands. Yes, Bose doesn’t sound the best in terms of audio quality, but their noise canceling technology is leaps and bounds better than the other I’ve used. They are also really durable. The pair I’m currently using are 12 years old. I also think the price to quality is pretty fair. A $150 - $300 set of headphones isn’t going to sound as good as a $500 - $800 pair. You can still buy the headphones I have today for $250. Over the course of 12 years and how well they’ve held up, I’d say they are pretty damn good.
I don't get it either. I have a set of Companion 2 speakers for my PC and I love those things
Since you asked, I own a pair of these which are my only experience with Bose as a brand and here’s what I don’t like: I’m sensitive enough to the noise cancelling (ANC) that it hurts to have on at any level. There is no option to disable noise cancelling by default. I cannot turn ANC off if I’m in a call so I need to race them every time I turn them on for a meeting. The firmware has crashed several times locking them up entirely until the battery dies which can be most of a day since there’s no reset. The only redeeming qualities are that it always connects and the audio quality to me is quite good.
I love these headphones, I actually bought a second one of these, because of a similar issue.
after a year, I just found a suitable replacement part and fixed the original one (still with a good battery).
And now, I use them both.
Great timing on this video, my headphones did exactly this today and I was worried I'd have to buy new ones!
QC 35 ii owner here, the original replacement earcups are _NOT_ worth it. I've swapped them twice and they end up flaking off within a year, even taking care of wiping them off. The pleather used on the original ones is way thinner (probably the difference you feel). I ended up buying third party replacement pads last year and seem to be holding up just fine.
Wolfcastle - on clozer inspektion, these are loafers.
OMG! My QC 45's switch is doing the same thing! It won't snap into the ON position. This is such a timely video. I'm gonna get these switches. Thank you!
"Instead of repairing recently sold stuff, give him a discount, we don't repair" (c) Bose (and all the other companies)
Great video!
Unlike Apple and Samsung you were able to buy replacement parts from a 3rd party vendor and the parts were not serialized!!!
Bose is extremely overpriced. But worse, is they are wireless. Wireless sucks. You lose the quality of your amplifier. They need charging. Most have impossible to replace batteries. They lag. I absolutely do not like watching a video where the video is out of sync with the audio. It drives me nuts. You cannot unsee it, even if it is only a few milliseconds. It just is so off-putting.
@@tarstarkuszaccording to science(EBU R37-2007), having audio lagging behind by than 40 ms is going to be noticed by very few people. aptX-ll has been able to do this for a while, which is why it's the preferred codec for gaming wireless headphones. also, for example youtube has latency compensation. still miss my 3.5 mm jack tho :/
@@tarstarkuszThat's one of the things I liked about my Audio technica wireless headphones is the battery isn't to hard to get to in the future if I need to replace it and the headphones still work even without bluetooth thanks to the aux jack.
And this is why Im still hanging on to my Bose QC 25s. Yes, the 25 is corded and Im sure the noise cancelling isnt as nice as newer models and it doesnt have all the voice assistant features (which I dont use anyway), but it has an easy user replaceable battery. You just swap out your old AAA and put a new one in. Ive even sourced a couple extra pairs for family. They still work great. I used them on a recent Europe trip and had no problems with the noise cancelling and plugging into the on board entertainment.
I try to get everything with AA/AAA batteries if it's an option, great for longevity. QC25 is unique in that regard, don't know any other great noise cancelling cans that runs on AAAs.
corded is best. PERIOD. There is no such thing as wireless headphones that don't have lag. You lose the quality of your amplifier and get whatever happens to be in your wireless headphones. I do not like them one bit. Hang on to your wired headphones!!!!!
I love my Bose QC25s. I have the special edition triple black ones and they are awesome. Super comfortable and have lasted forever. I got them for $50 on Facebook marketplace with some worn ear pads. Managed to get some new ones for free from Bose! Bought them nearly 4 years ago and still going strong. Don’t think I’ll need a new pair for a while. It’s a shame headphones aren’t built to last anymore. Some family friends have gone through countless pairs of cheap wireless headphones only to have the batteries die or they just fall apart. The QC25s haven’t had a single issue since I bought them. I have 2 other pairs I bought for my other family members aswell 👍
Bose makes cool headphones, but their design flaws is why many audiophiles hate them, if they focused on quality control, they would have a better reputation! So glad that power switch was an easy fix!
They also have quite a coloured sound, not so good if you like your music as the artist intended...
@@sihaz1969 Bose sound quality is debatable, I listened to their older headphones were pretty good, but I don’t like how they cut corners with their products and they have design flaws.
They sound rather bad, that's why audiophiles hate them. But yeah, we also hate the Sony XM headsets because they make music sound processed.
Regarding wireless headphones, the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless was the first I considered acceptable sounding and these days I've been running Mark Levinson 5909 (not recommended due to poor build and other quirks though).
@@puciohenzap891 I’m not a fan of wireless headphones in general, because they have battery and connectivity issues! Things are getting too complicated, I’m still mad that both Apple and Samsung have got rid of the headphone jack for their phones, and I have to use the dongle for my wired Bose headphones that were really good!
Brilliant video. I noticed my QC 35’s started to exhibit this exact problem just a few weeks ago! I’ll definitely be giving this a go!
Did it, couple of quick notes take a pick of the switch before you pry off the metal top. On mine the switch was on the rt side of the headphones. So the spring is on the bottom of the switch. Also the metal piece you have to pry off has one side that clips down and faces towards the left of the headphones the other side has nothing...both ends also clip and that is where you pry off from. On the black plastic piece a hint when putting back together is there is a hole in one side that will hold the spring. Put the spring in the hole then put the black tab back in the switch then the silver plate with the metal side facing the left. I also used contact cleaner and a glasses cleaning cloth to clean off the oxidation. I also put a tiny amount of dielectric grease to prevent further oxidation....but not sure if this is necessary or overkill. Good luck, use reading glasses and cellphone light for better light.
I guess we're in the minority judging by this comment section - I love my quietcomforts and have for 15+ years. My QC15 are still kicking with my gaming rig, and I'll keep this video in my back pocket should my beloved QC35 succumb to a similar fate as yours.
The idea of refreshing the headphones with a replacement pad is a great one! Keeps things clean and fresh, feeling like new. I even replaced the headband on the 15s - a little more of an involved (and one-way) process but easily worth doing
My issue is a cracked button.
I think I'm on my 3-4 set of new ear pads, as mentioned some are better than others.
6:35 Sennheiser 600-series owners will chuckle a bit here. Our OEM pads are over $50 a pair. And since aftermarket pads often drastically (and negatively) change the sound, you're pretty much stuck buying the official ones. If you're careful and tension the headband correctly, you might get a few years out of a pair of pads before it's time for a replacement.
You don't need to remove the earpad liners to access the screws that secure the outer shells shells to the earcup assembly. They are all directly accessible if you pull back the top or bottom of the liner (which you can do since only the sides are glued into place).
Nice job. I recently changed out the ear pads on my QC35s and that really refreshed the headphones. Great to see that there's other ways to maintain them as well!
This is the reason I tend to try and fix certain electronics I own, depending on the price and whether it makes sense financially to repair (price of parts does not exceed their value).
I've had my QC 35 IIs for 7+ years but never keep them in the case - just chuck them in my bag or on the desk. They're still going as strong as day 1. I use them for an average of 6 hours a day, every day, and the battery still holds up. These things are insane. When they got discontinued a few years ago, I picked up a spare pair in a sale, but I've had no cause to use them yet.
It seems like a lot of these switches get this issue. My GBA SP that I got secondhand had really low volume, bad headphone output, and a constant low battery light (even on a full charge) until I took apart the power switch and cleaned it. MattKC did a video on a Gameboy Pocket that was completely dead, whose only major issue was (surprise surprise) a dirty power switch.
Nothing like designing a product and then phoning it in on the case for it. Good job, Bose.
Oh my lord. I had the same problem, and broke my QC35s whilst soldering on the replacement switch. There are some small components nearby I must have upset. I ended up trading them in with Bose at great expense to get the QC Ultra, which aren't much better and make terrible noises on public busses and whilst running due to over-active noise cancelling. I wish this video had come out a few months earlier!
I had this exact issue a few months ago. If only your video had been available back then!
Fortunately Bose replaced them free of charge for a new pair as it’s a known fault with the QC35 2s.
Had exact same problem. Still using my after over 8 years, every day.
How long before the fibre that was caught in the spring interferes with the switch’s function?
Can you modify the case padding to prevent the pressure on the switch?
I still have a set of Bose AE2s (wired) and outside of the ear pads, they have been working flawlessly - through moves, clacking around all over the place, and just general thrashing from day to day stuff, the cord is still in great condition and they still sound phenomenal. People rag on Bose stuff but ill be damned if they don't make some good products. Besides, they have a tuning that I enjoy. Audio is subjective, and you should just listen to what you like through what you like.
I've found the replacement ear pads from several sellers to be fine, although there is one brand that doesn't look at all like the originals but has lasted me a LOT longer. I was going through a set every 6-8 months previously because I fall asleep with mine on, but the new set has lasted well over a year now. As for the battery, that may be a replacement soon enough, although since mine never go in the original case my switch seems fine.
Hmm... I wonder if there's a way to 3D print some type of cover that can fit around and over the switch so the case doesn't put pressure on it and keep causing the issue.
I'm amazed these sliding switches are still around in the 21st century. They were always famous for gradually leaving a trace between contacts causing a short or permanent "on" situation. In the 80s products used to have these and often suffered from this problem. Stories of calculators overheating etc.. glad you could find replacements but I wonder if alternative styles of switched could be fitted?
Trace of what between contacts? The materials are different from the 80s, when carbon tracks are used they have a better polymer matrix binder rather than just a random tar, and this switch uses metal tracks, and the switch isn't used in a current carrying capacity, it's only a processor input.
and yet they fail?
Could've gotten away without new switches even. Wiping the contacts and slightly shaping the springy legs of the slider for better tension would've been enough.
Good thing about my QC35 II is that i rarely put them in the case. i have a headphone holder so no issues with the switch.
Assuming these are QC 35 I, I had the exact same issue.
My solution was to contact Bose directly and by sending mine in, I received a new QC35 model II replacement. 🤷♂️
I don't know if mine were still in warranty, actually. I think I claimed manufacturing defect and the EU regulations give s bit of extended warranty for those cases, but YMMV.
Glad to know that this is a solution if I pick up a spare old pair used.
Interesting design with this ribbon cable in between ear and the loudhailer.
In the UK, we say Sold-ering. I still like hearing the way you guys pronounce it though!
Ive used my qc35ii's every day for the last 6 years(8-22 hrs a day. Work and or sleep)
They have been absolutely flawless, but i dont keep them in the case. Ive bought a few pairs of 3rd party pads over the years and the aftermaket pads seem to not work as well with the noise cancelling. The next time i buy pads ill try to get a set of bose pads.
Thanks for another great video. I hate how much companies charge for repair replacement parts it's shameful.
I wish there was a (relatively) easy USB-C mod for QC35-II.
Great video as always Colin! What’s the video microscope you’re using at 3:01? Looks very useful! I’m getting into repairing older cameras and while my close vision is still pretty good, something like that would definitely come in handy.
The Funny thing about my QC15's is that the cutoff point for low battery is just the noise cancelling clicking on and off, and I wonder if that's due to the resistance of the power switch getting greater and greater until it can't overcome it anymore. makes me wonder.
My wife's headset had this issue or similar, it just wouldn't stay turned off. I put it down to moisture. Three days in a box of rice and it seemed to fix itself.
Even easier and stress free solution that's worth a try. But this is a good solution for this problem.
This headphone is amazingly durable. Have mine for 7 years, restored the cushions, replaced the battery and they look just impressively new
I'd bet on the programmable DSP in the CSR chip doing the noise cancelling because where else would it be? Stock firmware of course doesn't, but that's where Bose's R&D comes in.
Thank you so much for saving me a fortune! Incredibly well explained. A simply genius repair hack!!! 🎉
Say you hate boses because audiophiles hate them is the same thing as not playing a game because you see a bad frame timing in Digital Foundry. People are losing control
I heard 25s and some others and never found the sound appealing. Don't care about active noise cancelling, prefer passive attenuation. Look it's not like ATH-M40x is some audiophile headphone, but it sounds good.
Nice video! I have used a pair of QC35 for over five years now. They are great, however, due to some annoying Bluetooth issues I experience with my iPhone (not wanting to connect, then suddenly the headphones reboot, for example) and never managing to get these work well with Teams on Windows, and also the fact that they will probably never get a SW update again, I decided to go for a new pair of QC Ultra now, which I love even more. The noise cancelling is phenomenal.
I have never experienced this specific issue with the QC35 but it’s good to know, as I want to pass these on to my sister. First I need to tackle the 3rd party pads I put on a while ago and are completely worn out (the quality was apparently not that good 😢)…
Oh and one interesting note about that chip. I am an embedded SW developer and that chip series got considered in a startup project I consulted for. However as it’s virtually impossible to work with Qualcomm as a small startup company we went for something else instead. It is indeed an interesting device though!
Thanks for this video. Just replaced the switch (after exchanging the battery twice :-/). I hope this fixes the problem otherwise Bose won't see any of my money again.
I have a QC35 and love it. Mine is silver and the soft pads are really worn out.
I love this channel and Colin looks a real nice person. In the other side, i won't call it a design flaw, but planned obsolescence. Glad you can repair it, but lot of persons wont do it and buy a new one. Anyway, this video gonna help some persons.
Life saver.
Thank you for the video. It was helpful to turn on my headphones.
There is something special about fixing your own electronics and make them feel like new again.
a few years ago I wanted to replace the Earcups of my Beats Pro and called Apple but the only thing they offered is replacing the Headphones for over 300 Bucks. I also ended up buying 3rd Party Earcups and they are Perfectly fine...it's a real shame that you can't even buy a simple thing like this these Days. In my Opinion Parts like Earcups should always be Available at the Manufactures Website for Purchase.
Since it's a design defect, do you expect the replacement switch to fail at some point too? Or do you think the new Switch is somehow made of a higher quality and don't anticipate another failure in the future?
I had a similar issue with my cars turn signal switch/stalk. The internal contacts were dirty and it wasn’t making a connection. A quick clean and rebuild and the problem was gone
Wolfcastle... like.. Wolfenstein? :) Also, I replaced my pads in my sennheiser headphones, and they started to fall apart a year after the replacement. Changing the pads for new ones is a Sysyphus job, I think changing them for a different/better material would be good, but there are no such things on the market.
Mhm you don't think you can install sheepskin real leather pads on these headphones? Perhaps by gluing a snap plate liberated from a worn pair to the back of the pads.
I'm also not convinced that the material is always the same. There are different ways to make fake leather. Some are PVC top layer some are PU, and there's different ways to attach the plastic to the textile backing, some are stronger than others. Perhaps Dekoni or some other brand will be better in quality, i don't know.
The way the original pads explode eventually, they aren't even sewn on the inner seam, they are just heat bonded together, and once the coating layer starts to depart from the fabric, there's nothing holding them together. Cheapest manufacturing possible.
@@SianaGearz I kind of resigned to do anything, but if I come across a set of good real leather pads I'll give it a try. Thanks.
Are they any good though?
Great video! Curious when you wear these vs. AirPods ?
The new switch with fail too. You probably could have cleaned the old one and it would have worked again. How long is to be seen.
Would love to know how to replace the top band.
Had my qc35s for 6yrs with no issues (although I don't use the original case). And I replace the ear pads every 12months, just for some different designs (black QCs with brown cups are my fave)
It's very nice to heard that Bose make very easy to repair headphones. In today's world it often feels like all electronics are designed to be discarded when they break and if they can be repaired you need to really know what you're doing. This is a nice breath of fresh air and I hope others will follow suit.
The ability to take off the outer shells is probably the only thing easy about working on these. Everything is soldered together using the thinnest gauge enamel wire possible, including the 12-pin cable that connects the two earcups together. Even the battery is glued shut in its own compartment and soldered directly to the main board. Whoever designed the QC 35s had the upmost contempt for anybody who would dare to repair them.
For all the battery and charging issues Sony WH-1000XM3/4s have, at least the battery is on a solderless connector, so replacing it isn't a huge deal.
A while back, I found a Sennheiser 660S in a scrap market for dirt cheap as Non-working.
Was pleasantly surprised and confused as it looked in Great Condition! needless to say, just went for it.
Troubleshooting it, issue was, one side did not work, I opened it up aaand THERE it was, a broken connection to the external cable
(Side Note: The built quality is underwhelming tbh, especially the wiring/poor reinforcement).
Anyways, long story short, I soldered the broken connection and it was back to Normal!
Probably my best find to date! (Paid less than tenth of the original Price).
So happy about it, especially after getting one of those mini Amps to boost it up.
I always wanted one, but just could never bring myself to justify the Price!
Still think they're overpriced.
It is a good Friday when "This Does Not Compute" posts a new video.
I‘m so glad that I got myself the mezes wired headphones
Listening on my repaired QC 35s. 🥰 🎧🤫
Headphones Jack forever!
both these and the 45s have this option
long live the repair!
Bose quality is pretty low to begin with, so third party replacements cannot be so much worse. I had a couple of Bose ear buds and in both case the wire disintegrated on its own within three years. I have also two wired AE headphones and again cables are worn out and ear pads exploded. Overpriced, mediocre sounding devices. Bose is a "no go" for me, other brands are much better.
The best thing about fixing a bose headset is it means it doesn't have to go into someone else's hands.
TBH their products are hyped up as bad as Apples are, they're very litigious too. I avoid them like the plague.
I rarely put mine in the case so that's probably why I had no idea that this was an issue.
I'm sad they did not call wolfcastle
there is a WAY less (potentially) destructive way to fix this.
TUNER CLEANER!
You spray a small amount into the Switch/Potentiometer, then work the mechanics back-and-forth for a minute - et voilá.
Hi bro my Bose qc45 headphone while charging Amber and white led blinking fast checking with multimeter the out put voltage 1.2v comes , and new battery replaced my headphones won’t power on white led blink 2 times can
Did I miss the part where you modify the case so it doesn’t happen again?
Mine do this. I discovered it because my phone would keep connecting to them after I turned them off. So frustrating
Hello, please could you tell me the desktop microscope you are using? Thanks
It would be nice to waych how to fix earphones like the earphones with mic and those silicone things on the ears , i use those earphones on my ipod and i hate when one side of the earphone just stop to sound, i mean every time it happens once I fix ones with my only hand I have but i don’t remember what i did, it would be nice to have one vid of that
I think you should change the case of the earphones just to be sure it won't damage your repair like the last time.
I enjoyed the video and just happened to watch it with my QC-35s on.
Thanks for this video, i haven't encountered this issue with my qc35's and i've used them daily since 2016 but i haven't used the carry case much, just when i take them with me when i travel. Should the issue arise i now know how to fix it.
you can also go into the app and change a setting to make the headphones auto turn off after a certain amount of time. I have mine set to turn off after 40 mins of no audio playing
I've used them for 8 years and I'm wearing them right now and I confirm they sometimes turn themselves on for no reason in the middle of the night, but turn themself off in 15 minutes.
I have the Bose QuietComfort SC and last night the type C connection melted.. not sure what happened, but the battery is at 90%, the type C no longer makes connection, and I had to break the cord off the headphone and pull out the remaining bits from the type C that were welded in place. Does anyone know how to swap out the type C in these? It has plastic melted over one of the 3 screws inside needed for disassembly; gonna have to grind or pry the excess plastic off.
Colin, what magnifier station are you using and do you like it?
Any idea how to fix the jack?
That digi-key and mouser shipping fee is annoying, but you really have no other choice unless you are fine taking a chance on buying knockoff parts from Amazon or eBay. You are buying certified authentic parts that are properly stored. All I can say is take your time making a BOM list- almost as long as the repair if necessary and buy spares.
Hi Colin, Bose headphones are great and usually they last for a long time (I've had Bose headphones since forever ago, including these). Good to know about the fix. Also, please ignore the haters. :)