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Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones Review

Sony WF-1000XM4

Sony's latest TWS, the Sony WF-1000XM4 was launched recently, it incorporates Sony's Integrated Processor V1 with enhanced noise cancellation performance and Bluetooth "System on Chip" technology.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is priced at P13,999 and is available through Sony Centers and Sony Authorized Dealers. We recently acquired one and here is our personal, hands-on review of these wireless earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM4 Specs:

Wireless Headphones
6 mm driver
20 Hz–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz sampling) / 20 Hz–40,000 Hz (LDAC 96 kHz sampling, 990 kbps)
High-power neodymium magnets
Industry-leading noise cancelation
Integrated Processor V1
DSEE Extreme Sound Engine
Supported Codec: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Bluetooth 5.2 A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
IPX4 Water-resistant
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Battery life: NC on - Up to 24H (8H earbuds + 16H charging case) / NC off - Up to 36H (12H earbuds + 24H charging case)
Wireless Charging
USB Type-C
41 g case / 7.3g (each earbud)

Unboxing
The Sony WF-1000XM4 comes in really compact packaging and looks like it's made of recycled material which is excellent news for the environment. There's product information printed on the detachable paper that wraps around the box.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The box contains the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds, two additional pairs of eartips (small and large), a Type-C charging cable (very shot cable), a warranty card, and some documentation. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is constructed from Sony's proprietary blend of bamboo, sugarcane, and post-consumer recycled paper, so that is a plus point for the environment.

Design
The WF-1000XM4 earbuds appear to be quite large and protrude into the ears, they weigh 41.1 grams and have a flat bottom, which makes them easy to set on a flat surface. It features a matte finish that is really pleasant to the touch.

Sony WF-1000XM4

At the back of the earbuds, there are a metallic piston-like design, and contact points for charging the battery are in the inner part. The eartips are softer than conventional silicon, more like a jelly foam that fits comfortably in the ear canal when inserted.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The WF-1000XM4 has an elegant shape that is designed to fit into the ear cavity with a soft curve for a comfortable, ergonomic fit, maximizing sound quality while minimizing outside noise. The noise-canceling microphones feature a unique metallic appearance that emphasizes their critical function. The tactile coating imparts a nice, high-grade feel to the surface.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The charging case has cylindrical in shape with curves, and the lid edge follows the same design language as the earphones. It's easy to open, and the front lid light up everytime it's opened or closed. The Type-C charging connector is located on the back of the case, it also supports wireless charging.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The case's rounded shape makes it simple to slip into and out of pockets and bags, while also providing stability when placed on a wireless charging pad for wireless charging.

Setup and Features
Pairing the WF-1000XM4 is simple, easy, and fast simply open the case and remove the earbuds and it will go on pairing mode, it does support on Android or iOS platform. It also comes with a companion app, which offers more features.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The Sony Headphones Connect app enables you to access advanced functions of the earbuds such as the Adaptive Sound Control, 360 Reality Audio, sound Controls, and Voice Assistant (Google Assistant or Alexa).

Sony WF-1000XM4

The app can display the battery level of each earbud and the charging case, which is noteworthy given that this is one of the first instances we've encountered an app that can monitor the battery level of the charging case. Additionally, it enables the user to check for earbud software updates.

Sony WF-1000XM4

One of the cool features of the earbuds is the 360 Reality Audio, this allows you to immerse in the sound all around you. It's great if you are listening to concerts or movies with surround sound. If you want to experience this you can try it with the Deezer app.

Additionally, just like any other wireless earbuds, the music pauses when the WF-1000XM4 headphones are withdrawn from the ear and resumes when the headphones are reinserted into the ear.

Sony WF-1000XM4

The headphones have a touch-sensitive surface, and the default settings are that the left earbuds allow you to toggle between ambient sound and noise-canceling modes. while the right earbuds let you control the music playback.

Another cool feature of the WF-1000XM4 is Speak-to-Chat, which allows you to start a conversation with someone without having to remove the earbuds from your ear. This is made possible by Precise Voice Pickup Technology, which combines four microphones and sensors with advanced audio signal processing.

Sony WF-1000XM4

It works when you begin speaking with someone, the music automatically pauses to let you engage in conversation without taking the earphones out of your ears. Once the talk concludes, the music resumes. However, we've noticed that singing along to your music pauses it which is a little annoying so, it's recommended to turn this option off if you want to enjoy your music.

Sound Quality and Comfort
The WF-1000XM4 headphones are powered by Integrated Processor V1 combines Noise Cancelling processor and Bluetooth “System on Chip” technology on a single chip.

Sony WF-1000XM4

It packs a 6 mm driver with improved dual noise sensor feed-forward and feed-back microphones that pick up more ambient sounds in the surroundings to provide a stable and high noise-canceling performance without distortion. It's perfect for handling heavy beats and can reproduce a full range of frequencies up to 40kHz. The WF-1000XM4 headphones are powered by the Integrated Processor V1, which is a single chip that integrates a noise-canceling processor with Bluetooth "System on Chip" technology.

It's equipped with a 6 mm driver as well as upgraded dual noise sensor feed-forward and feed-back microphones that pick up more ambient noises in the surrounding area in order to give a consistent and high noise-canceling performance with minimal distortion.

In addition to being capable of reproducing a wide variety of frequencies up to 40kHz, it is also ideal for powerful beats. Regardless of the genre of music, you're listening to, the WF-1000XM4 headphones sound incredible; we tested them with jazz, classical, heavy rock, and even podcasts and they sounded fantastic.

Additionally, you may experiment with the equalizer settings in the app's presets, and it also allows you to create two unique settings of your own using the app. You can also play around with the presets equalizer settings on the app, and it also allows you to build two custom equalizer settings of your choosing.

Sony WF-1000XM4

These earbuds offer amazing noise cancellation, thanks to Sony's advanced signal processing and the included soft ear tips that adjust to the form of the ear canal for a tight fit. Once activated, you can completely immerse yourself in your music, which is excellent for when you want to spend some personal time with yourself and simply relax. However, we need to switch it off while using it outdoors in order to obtain sound from the surroundings for safety.

It's surprisingly comfortable to wear, with eartips that snugly fit on the ear and don't move around when you do. During our outside jog, we put it to the test and it held its own, which was fantastic. The earphones are extremely light (just 7.3g each), making them pleasant to wear for extended periods of time or until the battery is completely depleted.

Battery Life
At a moderate volume, the battery lasts eight hours and without noise cancellation, it can last up to 12 hours. Another 16 hours of battery life are stored in the charging case when the device is not in use. This earbud's eight-hour battery life beats out most other noise-canceling earphones on the market.

Charging is also quick, taking only approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully charge using the type-c connection, and it also supports wireless charging, which is quite convenient.

Like
Compact and simple packaging
Comfortable design
Excellent sound quality with top-notch noise canceling
Great for making voice calls
Impressive battery life
Fast and wireless charging case
IPX4 sweat-resistant (splash proof)
Transparency mode is more natural sounding

Don't Like

A bit pricey
Does not fit for people with smaller ears

Final Thoughts
Needless to say, the Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones outperform the majority of other TWS on the market today, including the Apple AirPods Pro. It boasts solid noise cancellation, superior music quality, a secure fit, and some unique capabilities found only on these earbuds. If you're in the market for a pair of premium wireless earbuds and don't mind paying a premium price, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is a highly recommended option.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones retails for ₱13,999, it's available in Sony's official store in Lazada and Shopee as well in Electroworld and other offline stores nationwide.

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