Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

1926

May 17th, 2016 19:00

Audio issues with Bose Quietcomfort on Alienware M17x R2

Hello,


Just bought the Bose Quietcomfort 25 headphones.

Among other things I want to use them for my Alienware M17x R2 laptop.

When I plug them in, the sound is low and cracking up/distorted, especially with explosion-sounds, crowds cheering loudly etc.

I've tried changing most sound settings and reinstalling/updating drivers, but to no effect.

I've also tried using a "splitter" (4 pin-to-3 pin) on the minijack, to separate headphones and microphone, but it doesn't help either. 

My old headphones have no issues.

Any suggestions?

4 Operator

 • 

13.6K Posts

May 17th, 2016 19:00

My old headphones have no issues.

Hello. If the laptop works okay with one set of phones but not with a new set, I would suspect that the new set is defective. Have you tested them on a different device?

6 Posts

May 17th, 2016 20:00

Hello,

Thank you for answering.

The Bose headphones work just fine with my smartphone and Ipad.

And the laptop works fine with my old headphones.

So I guess it's the combination of my laptop and these particular headphones, since they both work fine separately. I just don't know what the issue is. Any ideas?

4 Operator

 • 

13.6K Posts

May 20th, 2016 04:00

Any ideas?

Sorry for the delay in replying, but I have not been able to come up with anything.

6 Posts

May 22nd, 2016 04:00

Thank you for your reply.

I discovered something odd:

If I change the sliders under "balance", so that either left or right (don't matter which) is turned down completely, the sound appears to be fine. I'm not sure if it's the best quality possible, but it's acceptable.

If the sliders for left and right are the same (don't matter which percentage) the sound is messed up.

I'm not sure what to make of this?

6 Posts

June 10th, 2016 15:00

Anyone?

4 Operator

 • 

13.6K Posts

June 12th, 2016 07:00

If I change the sliders under "balance", so that either left or right (don't matter which) is turned down completely, the sound appears to be fine. I'm not sure if it's the best quality possible, but it's acceptable.

If the sliders for left and right are the same (don't matter which percentage) the sound is messed up.

I just googled the headphones and see that they are noise canceling headphones made specifically for "select" iPods, iPhones, and iPads. Just a guess, but if  the noise cancelling technology is based on phase canceling, and if the Apple devices for which the headphones were intended and the Alienware are wired differently enough to be out of phase, it might create the problem you are having. Eliminating the volume in one channel would remove a phase effect. I don't know enough about either noise cancelling headphones or Apple products to make a more specific guess.

Bose should be able to provide an explanation of why the phones do not work with the Alienware, but I suspect the answer is that the Alienware is not one of the Apple devices for which it was intended..

6 Posts

June 12th, 2016 09:00

Hello Jimco,

Thank you so much for taking your time to answer my question. I truly appreciate it.

I will contact Bose and see if they can shed some light on the matter. If what you speculate is true, I guess there isn't much I can do about it. Which kind of puts me at ease, though the problem isn't solved.

I just wanted to know if there was something I was doing wrong, or could do to correct the matter.

If there isn't, I'll just leave it at that, and look for some other headphones to use with my laptop.

Shame really, since the headphones are quite good and not exactly inexpensive.

Again, thank you for your help and time.

No Events found!

Top