Vive Pro audio quality

[odmlover]

Dear Lestation, 

Just checked with R&D, your firmware is updated via latest SteamVR update. 

 

Display Firmware: 2105635 / 2105635

 

Regards, 

 

[Lestaticon]

thanks for clarifying. I do not have any way to manually install an update to the HMD firmware (or other devices - like the controllers or lighthouses) because all of them show as "up to date" when I go to Devices, update firmware, in SteamVR. If you saw your HMD out of date there, then maybe it was the scenario I mentioned before. Perhaps your HMD came with a version or two older than the unit I received. did at least confirm that we both are on the latest version. So I guess my point from all of this is that there has been no update to the HMD resident firmware since release of the Pro. So nothing has been installed to it directly to correct the audio issue. All the updates have been to the SteamVR files (and their own firmwares, which do not get pushed to the device).

 

Which just makes me wonder if the fix they had been working on is just the SteamVR update or is there an actual HMD firmware update in the works? It would great to know what is currently being worked on and if we can expect more to come.

[Lestaticon]

Thank you, . I appreciate the time. This just confirms that my unit has not received any HMD resident firmware updates since release and that all updates connected to this audio fix have been SteamVR files only.

[CGar]

That is awesome PanFX! If that really works long-term and doesn't damage the headset, I would totally purchase one of those.

[Lestaticon]

I came across this detailed review of the Vive Pro audio and found it interesting. https://www.lesnumeriques.com/casque-realite-virtuelle/htc-vive-pro-p42559/labo-htc-vive-pro-que-valent-ecouteurs-hi-res-n73909.html

It is in french, but it essentially says that the technical aspects of the headphones are excellent (which I also agree with), but the issue is in the engineered design of the headset and the pressure applied to the ears. They found that, in their office, about 50% experienced the attenuated frequencies, depending upon head shape and size.

This falls in line with what others have said here, reddit, and other places. If it IS actually a physical design flaw, is it unreasonable to think that HTC could come up with a solution and be able to ship that to those affected?

[CGar]

Yeah when I press the headphones on my head the Bass absolutely BOOMS (probably because I also have the bass enhancer turned on).

 

It's absolutely a hardware design flaw where they didn't take the different shapes of peoples' heads into account.

[biopharmacist]

I agree that it's a hardware defect, but I don't think we should give HTC the "different head shapes" excuse. My head is large enough that I have trouble finding hats that fit well, and the headphones still don't have enough pressure against my ears.

[Lestaticon]

Which is a little odd because the deluxe audio strap for the non-pro Vive doesn't give me this issue. Though, the springs were more sensitive on my head (meaning, sometimes would not click down just right). The pro springs seem more ridgid and clamp down easier. I'm sure we can come up with mods like did with the 3d printed springs, but I prefer HTC stand behind their product and come up with something. They were working on something, then the SteamVR patch came and I'm worried they have stopped.

[PanFX]

Right, there are still issues on the software side. Somehow some kind of audio-profile switching takes place if you press the mute button in the SteamVR dashboard. If you unmute again, the sound is muffled. To reset, you have to double click the system button (to bring up camera mode) and double click again to end camera mode. Then sound is switched back to normal.

[Lestaticon]

Also, if you look at the Vive Pro manual, it says you can go to the Vive app (IN SteamVR - the rows of icons on the SteamVR dashboard) and click the gear icon in the Vive app to select a sound profile. I haven't really heard anyone mention that. I checked and it has 3 settings. The settings seem to allow you to control how much outside sound gets to you. I was set on "normal" by default. The other options appear to be there to let more outside sound in. I guess that would only work if the headphones were actually isolating well.