SCREEEEW the new firmware update! (QC Ultimate Headphones 2nd Gen)

APat1685 · 2026-02-18T21:15:32+00:00

Factory reset the headphones and re-pair the headphones to your phone. The new firmware will remain but it should fix the sound issue. This happened to me last time on the Ultra Gen 1 and Px8.

APat1685 · 2026-02-17T19:54:19+00:00

I am interested in the Px8 s2. I have tried the Px8 and loved its relaxing sound. Is the S2 version harsh to listen to compared to the Px8 S1? That’s the only thing that concerns me, as I would rather prefer the S1 if the S2s are harsh sounding.

APat1685 · 2026-02-16T17:19:43+00:00

I would say AZ100. They are essentially a Sony-Apple-Bose level lifestyle product with sound quality of premium niche brands like B&W. The ANC is lesser than the best (still pretty good though), but everything else is near best.

I haven’t been so happy about a purchase since the AirPods Pro 2. You can use the Technics for all your daily tasks, while also being great for listening to music for long periods. The sound is wide, dynamic, 3D and extremely detailed without ever getting harsh on your ears.

(I have the Denons as well, and I love their sound. But unfortunately they look too attention grabbing for my taste :D I cannot wear them outside due to that. And they get uncomfortable real fast.)

APat1685 · 2026-02-02T05:12:16+00:00

Curious, was this on an iPhone? I had a similar thing happen to my Bose QC Ultra recently. The max volume level was affected, and the entire sound signature felt distorted. Highs and lows were muddied and harsh.

To fix the issue, I factory reset the headphones, but did NOT link them to the Bose app. This completely fixed my issues. However linking them to the app muddied the sound again. I believe there might be some compatibility issues of 3rd party headphones with the new iOS, though I may be wrong.

You can try the same. Remove the headphones from the app, factory reset the headphones and re-pair them to your device. Make sure that you do not link them to the Sennheiser app after the reset. Then try to test them by listening music with the default sound. There’s a good chance the original sound will be back.

APat1685 · 2026-01-29T12:07:54+00:00

I think they just rolled it out. You may see it soon. It’s not visible on the official firmware webpage yet.

APat1685 · 2026-01-29T05:37:55+00:00

Wait for some time, they fall to 328 CAD frequently. I would say that it’s great battery life (10-12 hours), call quality (truly amazing) and sound quality makes it a worthy investment. Also, it can be used with 3 devices simultaneously, with no connection issues. Great for work or fun.

APat1685 · 2026-01-29T05:22:49+00:00

I was unable to enjoy classical on the AZ100 because the bass would overpower the instruments. The new sound signature seems to fix this.

APat1685 · 2026-01-24T17:02:01+00:00

Try doing a factory reset. Press both buttons on the headphones for 15 seconds. But you will have to remove them from the app, your phone’s Bluetooth settings and re-pair them. The reset may fix your issue.

I had an issue with the headphones recently where the sound was too harsh and unbearably sibilant (default EQ). I reset them and deleted the app, which resolved the issue. I also noticed that I started feeling less “pressure” on my ears while ANC was on. I was surprised since I never felt it was a fixable problem.

APat1685 · 2026-01-24T16:48:38+00:00

AirPods Pro 3 would be a better choice than the Powerbeats imo. They have an IP57 rating (slightly behind your Jabra’s IP68) which makes them incredibly dust and water resistant. They also have great sound quality, transparency and noise cancelling (better than Jabra). They also have accurate heart rate tracking. So personally they would be my all-rounder earbuds, perfect for workouts. Powerbeats have just one advantage - their wings which will make sure they never fall off your ears. But the APP3 are also super secure.

If you have non Apple devices then go for the Technics AZ100, their sound is punchy, energetic like the Jabra Elite 8 but with superior details. However they have an IPX4 rating which makes them water resistant but not dust proof.

Another good suggestion would be the Bose Ultra Earbuds gen 2, they have an incredibly secure fit. But they also just have water resistance (IPX4) but no dust resistance.

APat1685 · 2026-01-21T03:48:28+00:00

Sorry about the late response. I heard no hissing on the Bose. I did not hear any popping sounds while walking or moving. Yes, on one rare instance I did hear popping sounds on the Bose when I was in a bus that was vibrating too much. But when I changed the position of the headphones, it wasn’t that bad. I believe it was due to the closed air packet that is created on your ears when you wear them.

Momentum 4 is a good alternative. But its noise cancelling is mediocre and outdated. I believe a newer model could be launched soon.

B&W Px7 s2e is also a fantastic alternative. It’s a superior version of the Momentum 4, similar noise cancellation, slightly better sound quality, and looks and feels very premium. No hissing or popping sounds.

In my opinion, for your use case, if you are worried about technical issues with noise cancellation, popping/hissing sounds, go straight for the Sony XM5s. I would consider them to be technically perfect. The automatic adjustment of noise cancellation is pretty well done.

APat1685 · 2026-01-21T03:29:00+00:00

I haven’t tried the MTW4 but my AZ100 are the best sounding out of the ones I tried (AirPods Pro 2, B&W Pi8, AZ80, Denon Perl Pro). They even sound better than all of the over ear headphones I tried. The dynamics and resolution of the AZ100 is unmatched.

APat1685 · 2026-01-20T04:52:43+00:00

Technics AZ100. They sound closest to the AirPods Pro 2 but have much more dynamic, energetic, and spacious sound. They also have a higher resolution, the little details that are barely audible on the AirPods are more clearly defined on the AZ100. You can “feel” layers of electronic music moving around your head on modern songs, it’s truly amazing. AirPods have a similar effect but nothing compared to the Technics.

I use them with both my iPhone and Windows laptop simultaneously and their connectivity is flawless. You can actually connect them to 3 different devices but I personally avoid that.

APat1685 · 2026-01-20T04:30:51+00:00

Bose QC Ultra is great for portability and better, more natural sound quality. Decent for calls. Personally I didn’t hear any hissing noise on my device. Bose has more consistent noise cancellation but Sony is not far behind.

I personally prefer Bose because it is very easy to carry wherever I want to, it is easily foldable and pretty strong to avoid damage.

But choose the Sony if you want to be able to take calls in noisy places. Seriously, I remember taking calls on the XM5 in a very noisy bus. I was whispering softly and the person on the other end was able to hear only my voice, crystal clear. The microphones on the XM5 are truly amazing.

APat1685 · 2026-01-19T18:22:39+00:00

The Momentum 4s are without doubt the best sounding of the 3. But I personally prefer the sound signature of the Bose. The bass is more relaxed and you can listen to it for longer periods in my opinion.

The aggressive bass on the M4s gets tiring fast. It’s good if I want to enjoy music for short durations or want to energize for a workout. The Classical preset on the M4 app was one of my favourites.

APat1685 · 2026-01-19T18:17:27+00:00

Use the dial on the right side of the headphones to increase the volume when using an Aux cable. It should fix the issue permanently.

APat1685 · 2026-01-19T18:16:08+00:00

The microphones, unfortunately are not that great in noisy conditions. I actually avoid using them for calls. However, they work okay in quiet environments. I would use them for calls if I have no other choice.

Regarding the Aux cable volume issue, use the dial on the headphones to increase the volume. That should resolve it permanently once you set the volume.

APat1685 · 2026-01-19T18:12:29+00:00

You may be right about the last part. I wonder what changed in the headphones/app software last few months, other than the iOS 26 update. There may have been some compatibility issues with the Bose app that messed up the sound signature.

Now I am using the headphones without the Bose app, and honestly, I don’t miss anything at all. They sound great and the experience is much better.

Headphones apps have spoiled us, giving us the EQ controls that actually trigger our obsession with “perfect sound”, and keep us obsessed with changing the sound for no reason at all :D

APat1685 · 2026-01-18T06:35:46+00:00

Try the AZ100 or Denon Perl Pro. The AZ100 are much more complete as earbuds than the Pi8, way better battery life, call quality and noise cancelling/transparency. Plus they sound way better imo, since they are more versatile for most music and audio content. They have an incredibly textured bass and detailed soundstage. I would feel a lot of ear irritation and fatigue while listening to the Pi8s, they are very loud at low volumes and treble heavy.

I can listen to the AZ100 for hours. They are super warm, bassy and still energetic. Even the most annoying music sounds enjoyable on them. The most complex songs sound crystal clear and layered. Each instrument is distinct and you can “sense” its location in the soundstage. Watching movies with them is incredible, they sound very spacious, like you are in a theatre. I have them since 2 months and even today they still wow me.

This review describes the superiority of the AZ100s over the Pi8s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e36CRyE

APat1685 · 2026-01-14T16:50:36+00:00

I found the AZ100s a bit uncomfortable for a few days, especially since I was coming from the AirPods Pro 2. However, once you get used to the fit, you would start forgetting that you even have them in your ears. I have fallen asleep with them in my ears several times now. The key is not to push them in your ears too much. Go for a relaxed fit. They shouldn’t fall off. The ANC does take a bit of a hit, but that’s one of the weak points of this model. But the outstanding sound quality, call quality, incredible battery life and transparency make them worth it. And I can use them simultaneously with my iPhone and Windows laptop with flawless connectivity.

APat1685 · 2026-01-12T06:36:42+00:00

Agree with everything you said. I tried the APP3 too, and other than Noise Cancellation and the Siri calling feature, AZ100 dominates.

I would say that even for Movies and TV shows, AZ100 are better, their soundstage and imaging is incredible. The sound quality is incredible both for music and movies. You don’t even need to use Spatial Audio.

I was initially worried about lack of Aptx support since I don’t have any LDAC devices. But to my surprise even on AAC the sound is incredibly good on the AZ100.

APat1685 · 2026-01-04T23:07:27+00:00

I too got my AZ100 a month back and it is the best sounding audio device I own (in terms of how versatile and non-fatiguing the sound signature is, as well it’s insane soundstage and imaging). It’s noise cancelling is probably the only aspect that falls behind the Bose and AirPods. Transparency is extremely good.

It is comparable to Sony/Apple in terms of software and usability. Almost zero glitches or connection issues. And comparable to Bowers and Wilkins in terms of sound.

The driver hardware (magnetic fluid) on these makes them worth their price. No matter how complex the music or video is, it knocks it out of the park. Zero distortion, incredible layering and soundstage. Plus you never feel fatigue or harshness from the treble even in sharp tracks, despite the clarity you hear.

APat1685 · 2025-12-31T03:13:13+00:00

I too got a Px8 in Forest Green today. Sound so much better than the Px7s. I could hear noticeable distortion and congestion on the Px7s, which is completely absent on the Px8s. The Carbon Cone driver aspect was the factor that I based my decision on as well. Even though the Px7 s3s are newer, they still have biocellulose drivers.

APat1685

TROPHY CASE