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Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

arstechnica.com

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Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#251

Post by com2kid »

mike50 wrote: post #232
PaulHoule wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build quality of Bose products is good in my opinion. The headphones are alright but so are Sony, Plantronics and Apple. I love the sound of Airpods Pro in particular even if they don't want to stay in my ears [1] and the pairing experience even with the iPhone isn't what I expect of >$100 headphones in 2016. If you want really good stereo or 5.1 sound there is no substitute for big speakers that can move a lot of ai…

Build quality is trash consumer with a hefty markup. The older CD player era equipment has the cheapest CD mechanisms I've ever seen for the era. The audio pathway is the same hybrids that everyone else uses. Bose is 100% mass marketing. I'm old enough to remember the endless ads in the back of magazines.

Until the rest of the market caught up, Bose's noise cancelling algorithms were top notch. As soon as Apple entered the fray a bunch of money was thrown at the problem, the bar was raised, and now good quality noise cancelling is the norm.

But for awhile Bose's headphones had the best noise cancelling out there.

Their old ads were super irritating though, and many people (such as you and me!) are still irritated about them decades later.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#252

Post by tw04 »

Wafje wrote: post #225
ktg0215 wrote: post #8

This is how "end of support" should be handled. Instead of turning devices into e-waste, open-source them and let the community extend their life. Kudos to Bose for setting a good example. More companies should follow this approach - especially as right-to-repair becomes a bigger issue.

Bose should not receive praise for this move. Bose only took this action after community backlash. In an older version of their end-of-life announcement, most functionality of the speaker systems would have removed and transformed the devices into dumb-speakers/amps. Good that they changed their statement and took the right action. Even better for the community for stepping up and 'forcing' Bose to do so. Sources: ht…

> Bose should not receive praise for this move.

Remind me of any other vendor in recent history that end of lifed a hardware product and then open sourced it whether they got backlash or not. Because I can’t think of a single one.

So yes, Bose absolutely deserves praise.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#253

Post by sleepybrett »

Teckla wrote: post #75
DiabloD3 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bose hardware quality is rather low and, and their sound quality is sub-par, while forcing you to pay the Bose brand tax, riding the corpse of Amar around for profit. I'd avoid, even if they happened to do this.

My experience is the opposite: Bose hardware and sound quality seems excellent to me. This may be subjective. Bose might sound good to some people's ears and less good to other people's ears.

Similar experience, even after picking up the new airpod pro 3's (the hearing aid stuff i great for my ailing ears) I still prefer, when I'm sitting at my desk working while listening to music, the quietcomfort 2 earbuds. The noise cancellation is hands down better than apple's an it's a more comfortable fit.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#254

Post by sleepybrett »

stewarts wrote: post #125
maximilianthe1 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In current dynamic world product quality of a company 'today' vs '5y+ ago' may drastically change. Sadly, usually to the bad side

Bose's QC/QC Ultra lines continue to receive praise for comfort, durability, sound quality, noise cancellation, etc. They make pretty great consumer quality headphones. Until quite recently, they were widely one of if not the most recommended wireless headphones. The new Sennheiser's that come with a USB-C dongle might have finally stepped past what Bose has been delivering, but at a higher price.

I love my QCII earbuds, comfort and noise cancellation blow the airpodpro3's out of the water. But sadly the new hearing aid features of the airpodpros are very handy to me, so I have both. I wear the QC2's when I'm at home alone, and the app3s when I'm out and about and expect to have to have some conversations. My ears aren't so bad yet that I need hearing aids, but they are bad enough that I'm forced to lean in more than I used to. Aging is the worst.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#255

Post by vovavili »

xnickb wrote: post #196
vovavili wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be an unwise business move. The moment that is done, Linux/WINE will be able to run the bulk of the software that keeps a substantial number of people locked into Windows. Most people don't need the newest version of their software to stay productive.

Those who are willing to move have already moved.

I myself would be more inclined to move if I had an option to run Adobe suite, Excel, TouchDesigner, Ableton and Recordbox through WINE without significant tinkering.

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#256

Post by interroboink »

patja wrote: post #174

On a related note, I'm eternally grateful for the conversion to open source of the Squeezebox platform (now known as Lyrion Music Server) and SageTV. I use both of these every day.

Hear hear. I'm also a daily LMS/squeezebox user, across many years.

In fact, given the full-throated open source nature of that platform (you can even build your own player with a raspberry pi[1]), I doubt I'll ever need to use anything else for the rest of my life for playing music in my home, even as my devices die and need replacement over time.

... which does make me wonder: that's great for me, but I can definitely see it as a deterrent for companies to do similar. If they want to make a competing future product, they'll be competing against an open-sourced version of their past selves, too.

[1] https://www.picoreplayer.org/

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#257

Post by spogbiper »

bartread wrote: post #95
jeffwask wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This def needs to be celebrated and rewarded. I am more likely to purchase Bose now.

Exactly this. "Bose blows" is a popular comment amongst the audiophile community but, to me, it seems like they don't blow at all[0]. In fact quite the opposite: this is a fantastic example for other companies to follow. Top marks, Bose! [0] What is actually true is that they are opinionated about sound reproduction in ways that a bunch of people don't agree with but which in the right context are often effective and…

i always heard "no high, no lows, must be bose"

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#258

Post by walterbell »

utopiah wrote: post #238
walterbell wrote: post #70

Thanks Bose for opencycling Bose hardware into OSS audio ecosystems that could support multiple vendors. https://github.com/captivus/bose-soundtouch This library provides a clean, Pythonic interface to control SoundTouch speakers over your local network, ensuring your speakers remain fully functional even after cloud services end. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrion_Music_Server Lyrion Music Server (LMS) is a stream…

> opencycling Is that a word? Seems interesting but never read it before.

If more vendors follow the lead of Logitech and Bose, opencycling would be a subset of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#259

Post by filoleg »

com2kid wrote: post #251
mike50 wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Build quality is trash consumer with a hefty markup. The older CD player era equipment has the cheapest CD mechanisms I've ever seen for the era. The audio pathway is the same hybrids that everyone else uses. Bose is 100% mass marketing. I'm old enough to remember the endless ads in the back of magazines.

Until the rest of the market caught up, Bose's noise cancelling algorithms were top notch. As soon as Apple entered the fray a bunch of money was thrown at the problem, the bar was raised, and now good quality noise cancelling is the norm. But for awhile Bose's headphones had the best noise cancelling out there. Their old ads were super irritating though, and many people (such as you and me!) are still irritated abou…

> Until the rest of the market caught up, Bose's noise cancelling algorithms were top notch. As soon as Apple entered the fray a bunch of money was thrown at the problem, the bar was raised, and now good quality noise cancelling is the norm.

A minor nitpick: while Apple entering the ANC arena certainly set fire under the existing mainstream brands to improve their ANC headphones, imo Bose started facing serious competition on that front even before Apple moved in.

I remember Sony releasing their MDR-1000X par being the first crack in the wall. I specifically remember this, because I picked up those headphones in favor of Bose options at the time.

P.S. Yes, the naming scheme on Sony's side is atrocious, because MDR-1000X is the first gen of their very popular WH-1000XM line of ANC headphones that people treat as a flagship ANC headphone pair (with the most recent one being WH-1000XM6).

Re: Bose has released API docs and opened the API for its EoL SoundTouch speakers

#260

Post by nish__ »

fortran77 wrote: post #235
Wafje wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bose should not receive praise for this move. Bose only took this action after community backlash. In an older version of their end-of-life announcement, most functionality of the speaker systems would have removed and transformed the devices into dumb-speakers/amps. Good that they changed their statement and took the right action. Even better for the community for stepping up and 'forcing' Bose to do so. Sources: ht…

I believe that if someone (or some company) changes their ways we should accept that and not condemn them forever.

Honestly. Bro needs to chill. Big companies don't really do anything unless they recieve backlash. That's just how it works.
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