Sony WF-1000XM4 Review

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is an excellent pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones. Read our Sony WF-1000XM4 Review to find out more!

The world of wireless earphones is challenging to navigate, especially given the ubiquity of AirPods from Apple. AirPods or AirPods Pro. It’s a mess of options that claim that they are “AirPods killers,” it is difficult to tell one from the other. In reality, if an “AirPods killer” existed, it would be the Sony WF1000XM4.

Let’s look at the reasons why.

Who should purchase the WF1000XM4 from Sony?

The charging case is large enough, and you don’t have to worry about your pocket space when you purchase this case.

• True wireless lovers with deep pockets will discover a trusted partner in these earphones.
• Wall Street gym-goers will not just be one of the few who can afford them, but the sweat resistance is a reason they can work.
• People looking for cutting-edge audio technology are going to want to take a look as they’re the only ones currently in their competitors.

What’s the experience like using the WF-1000XM4 from Sony?

The Sony WF1000XM4 is one of the top authentic wireless earphones available on the market. The user quality of the experience is as high as you can get in this particular category. Sound quality, noise attenuation, and the user experience are all top-quality. Sony has shown a keen focus on improving things that can make people live their lives more comfortably.

The addition of copper ANC microphone housings gives the Sony WF-1000XM4 look a little more glamorous.

Inside the recycled packaging for the SONY WF1000XM4 are the charger, the case for charging, the 3 different sized earpads, your headphones, and the charging cord. A variety of instructions will help you through the process because they’re an intelligent device like any other. In reality, the setup is pretty easy, but you’ll require to download the Headphones Connect app from Sony to get the most value of your headphones. The app comes with various extras, including altering your control scheme and upgrading the virtual assistant you have, changing the sound quality of your earphones, and much more.

The Sony WH‑1000XM4 is quite enjoyable despite its small size because the earphones’ controls are easy to use thanks to their capacitive touch design.

Under the hood, Sony’s V1 processor lets the Sony WF-1000XM4 use less power for its primary tasks, meaning that noise-canceling and high-res playback won’t eat up the battery as often as they did in the past. The case has been upgraded too and can now recharge wirelessly using Qi-compatible pads. Furthermore, it’s less bulky than Sony WF-1000XM3’s case. If you don’t own an accessory for wireless charging, you can connect the case to almost any USB-C charger.

Make sure you correctly use the foam tips

To get the best sound quality from these headphones, you’ll need to ensure the right-sized earbuds are correctly inserted. To achieve this, you’ll want to insert each bud until its tip reaches the back of your head, then gently pull outwards before pushing in again – if you don’t do this correctly, you could end up damaging the buds. The next thing you’ll want to check is whether the left and right sides of the earpiece line up perfectly.

You’ll know when this has been achieved by using the Headphone Connect App’s Fitting Test. You may find that one side fits better than the other, but there shouldn’t be any gaps between the two pieces. Finally, once you’ve got both halves lined up, you’ll want to leave them in for at least twenty seconds. This ensures the foam stretches enough to fill the canal. When you remove them, you should hear the difference immediately.

The ear tips made of polyurethane of the Sony WF1000XM4 make it easy to fit each time.

Open Headphones Connect and then connect your earbuds within the application. On the next page, you’ll offer the user a range of ways to use your earphones. You will be able to access the test to determine the fit of your ear by clicking on the “System” tab. The test will show you the proper fitting and an examination sweep to ensure that the function is functioning well, and then you’re ready to go.

What controls do you have for this Sony model?

The capacitive touch controls are simple. However, they are somewhat adjustable.

Once you’ve plugged into the earphones of the Sony WF1000XM4, various touch controls let you carry the phone around within your purse. Below is a brief description below.

	LEFT BUD	RIGHT BUD
One tap	Mute/ANC/Ambient sound	Play/Pause
Two taps	Not Applicable	Answer or track forward
Three taps	Not Applicable	Return to the track
Long press	Not Applicable	Smart assistant

The act of taking an earbud from your ear will instantly stop the music. In addition, you can apply the earbud with your finger to turn on Sony’s passthrough feature.

Connecting the Sony WF- 1000XM4 is Easy

If there isn’t any connection icon found on the device itself, you need to set up the Bluetooth settings manually. It is not too complicated, though. You have to follow these steps.

Remove the buds from their packaging and place them inside your ears. Keep your fingertips pressed against the buds for at least six seconds, and they’ll start working automatically. Make sure that the source is searching for a device to pair with and choose the Sony WF-1000XM4 in the list of devices available.

With Bluetooth technology, each time you want to pair up your headphones after putting them into their case, you’ll be able to remove them from the case, and they’ll automatically attempt to connect to an existing device that they’ve paired with before. Most of the time that means connecting to your smartphone.

How does the Sony WF1000XM4 connect to your smartphone?

Unlike most headphones, the Sony WHF1000xM4 doesn’t connect to smartphones via Bluetooth 4.0; instead, it uses Bluetooth 5.2 technology. Suppose you own a smartphone with a processor capable of supporting this particular version of Bluetooth. In that case, it will provide increased battery life, and these headphones may be compatible with all the codecs required by the 5.2 stacks, including the LE audio. We have contacted Sony regarding this issue, but we are waiting to hear back.

It is easy to pair the earphones once you’ve done it the first time.

As with the Sony WH1000XM4, The Sony WF-1000XM4 can use the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. If you are looking for a high-bitrate LDAC, it is necessary to enable developer options in the settings menu on Android. Click on “Bluetooth Audio LDAC codec Selection: Playback quality” and choose from the options available. We think the most optimal results will be achieved using 660kbps. However, your results could be different.

Is the Sony WF1000XM4 waterproof?

An IPX4 rating indicates that sweat, splashes, and humidity won’t harm your headphones.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 may not be waterproof. However, it does come with an IPX4 rating for water. This means that these earphones can fit perfectly in the gym but not in the swimming pool–if you opt to wear them in the gym. One word of warning makes sure you test your fitness before you go to the gym since you don’t want an unsafe condition when you’re about seriously pushing your limits.

Are the Sony WF1000XM4 more suitable for the surroundings?

While I’d like to say that the WF-1000XM4’s recyclable packaging made of paper and plastic is an essential change to the planet, this is just a tiny gesture. However, every true wireless earphone is an environmental disaster, regardless of how eco-friendly the packaging is. tiny batteries that lose effectiveness in a short amount of time due to the charge cycle are an issue, and I don’t think we’ll see any TWS products to resolve this issue anytime soon.

Reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging by a considerable amount is an excellent step and one that I would like to see more of. However, let’s not get too excited about the battery issue: most true wireless earphones can be harmful to the environment. This is because their design is fundamentally unsound in an overall class.

The first version of the WF-1000X M4 headphones uses a new chip called “V2,” which offers better sound quality than its predecessor but at the cost of increased battery usage. The longer you can use them without charging them, the longer the batteries inside each earbud will last. As long as they’re working correctly, stick with them until their batteries run down. If they don’t start charging again after a few hours, replace them.

What is the Sony WF1000XM4’s sound?

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is in the right direction for its price. However, some quirks may require you to tweak to a degree to achieve the sound you would like. The consensus is that the ear tips made of foam provide a solid seal. It ensures that you’re not just blocking out the majority of outside noises that can interfere with your music, and it’s also easy to achieve the highest audio quality possible.

To boost bass and cut highs, you’ll have to experiment using Headphones Connect. Headphones Connect app a bit to get the sound you want.

If you choose to use an equalization setting that is the default (or do not want to install the application), the music will sound as it should, except there’s an aggressive bass bump about the other songs. It’s a very commercial sound and is evident by the emphasis on the bass. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s the practice of manufacturers of in-ears when they think their product to muffle low-end sound from those who wear their earbuds in noisy environments.

In general, we found that the Sony WF 1000X M3 headphones can provide most mid/high frequencies (above 1 kHz) but cut off some low-frequency content at lower volumes. What does that mean for you? Most likely, you’ll want to adjust the volume level down slightly when listening through these headphones.

Adjust the EQ settings

However, if you don’t adjust the EQ settings, you could miss out on details like guitar attacks and ultra highs. But there’s no need for concern because changing the EQ won’t affect the headphones’ quality. There’s also a good chance that your ears aren’t the same size as ours, so comparing them against each other isn’t going to tell us anything useful.

Differently, the WF-1000XM4 is a bit under-emphasized in the highs and strong bass and low-mid emphasis.

This type of sound is perfect for older records that tend to emphasize the bass or vocals and mixes that are heavy on vocals. You may notice that the higher-pitched voices sound slightly a little off, similar to in the track by Fleetwood Mac called “Dreams. In the track, Stevie Nicks’ voice is a bit “hollow” compared to what it sounds like on stereo systems. Some of the hi-hats sound quiet, and the cymbal crashes seem a little muffled.

If you’re looking for music from the past, it is worth noting that the Sony WF-1000XM4 also introduces the most recent model of the digital sound enhancer engine (DSEE) available and is dubbed DSEE Extreme. Although it doesn’t provide the dramatic outcomes that manufacturers promise, it’s an excellent feature to keep in your bag if you play many lossy music files on your mobile. If you don’t, you won’t see any benefit from songs with higher bitrates since you don’t require you to increase the quality of those files.

Can the Sony WF-1000XM4 earphones work with spatial audio?

To be able to hear the sounds that are spatial in your music, you need to get yourself a pair of headphones that are capable of supporting Sony’s proprietary 360 Reality Sound technology.

How effective is the Sony WF-1000XM4 in canceling the sound?

The Sony WF-1000XM4 can do a great job of reducing the noise in the surrounding noise. They are not just perfect for Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Still, the memory foam tips can seal ear canals with odd shapes exceptionally well, which means they offer plenty of isolation also. Isolation is also a good thing, as it can block out any background noises such as coworkers chatting and the noise of subway platforms or the city streets.

Because the foam tips provide an excellent seal and isolation, ANC is highly efficient on the Sony WF-1000XM4.

Before the ANC unit in the Sony WF-1000XM4 attempts to block out the noise inside the ear, tips of the foam will block at the very most some of the sound that reaches the eardrum. This is pretty good, as it means that street noise will be half to one-quarter of the volume than it would in low or isolated ears.

If you turn the ANC on, droning noises at 50Hz and above will be about one-quarter to one-sixteenth as loud as they would if there was nothing inside your ears. This is awe-inspiring and, while it’s certainly not the most impressive ANC performance we’ve seen, but it’s certainly among the best. A good isolation system is the best way to ensure your hearing and stop the sound from affecting its perceived quality, which is why the above result is a remarkable one.

Block out background noises

It’s best if you don’t use any hearing aids because they can interfere with the operation of wireless devices like Bluetooth headsets. However, if you’re using an assistive listening device such as a bone conduction headset, there may be times where you need to remove one from your ears temporarily. If you find yourself doing this often, consider purchasing a pair of noise-canceling headphones instead.

They won’t block out background noises, but they will allow you to listen to music without having to worry about keeping track of which side of your head has been covered by the headphone cord. The Sony WH‑XB950NNCBT Blue Noise Canceling Headphones come with their carrying case, making storage easy. You might want to get one with a smaller size than the ones pictured here since they tend to fit better in small pockets.

How long will the battery last? 

In case you’re concerned about battery life, don’t be. The Sony WF-1000XM4 will last around 7 hours, 43 mins for each charge. The case is able to charge the buds twice more for a total of hair that lasts less than 24 hours. You’ll probably only need to charge the case on weekends, even when you’re a frequent commuter. While it’s not the most efficient battery life that we’ve recorded for wireless headphones, but there’s plenty of activity in the background here.

Do you think the microphone is good?

The Sony WF1000XM4 comes with a decent microphone, but it isn’t the best compared to AAC. It’s perfect for making phone calls, however. There’s also a feature that can recognize when you speak to aid the microphone to determine which sounds you’d like it to amplify and what’s noise. This is a great feature, though you might not be aware of more. That’s the whole point: Sony doesn’t want you to think about this kind of thing. I just would like your audio to be good.

Should you buy the Sony WF-1000XM4?

If you’re able to pay for this, then the Sony WF1000XM4 is worth every penny not only for its position as one of the top wireless earphones but also due to the fact that it’s equipped with the technology to last longer than the majority of models with regard to battery life. $279.99USD is quite a lot of money for something that’s as durable as wireless headphones. If, however, you’re looking for the most reliable headphones you can choose this one to purchase.

Surprisingly, the Sony WF-1000XM4 will not replace the WF-1000XM3 model from Sony. Instead, it’s pushing the cost of the earlier version lower (reportedly up to $229.99). The WF-1000XM4 may not be as thrilling, but people with less money to spare will find the previous model an excellent but clunky companion. But the Sony WF-1000XM4 is improved than the WF-1000XM4 in almost every way.

But what is the deal with Apple’s AirPods? Here’s where things get slightly more complex. With a price tag of $30 more than AirPods Pro, Apple users will have to consider before deciding to purchase the latest set of headphones. The Sony WF-1000XM4 indeed blocks out the sound better, is more comfortable, and provides a more stable, more robust connection than the AirPods Pro, but the AirPods Pro requires less tweaking to get the most out of their performance. Furthermore, Apple’s integrations with AirPods Pro are quite good. AirPods Pro is also quite excellent because of the H1 chip. However, the Sony WF1000XM4 is plenty of power underneath to make up for the price difference.

Last update on 2025-03-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API