Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds review

The Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless buds are the next generation of the WF-1000XM3. With this upgrade, Sony has improved their ANC feature, and they can now block out even extra bass range like the rumble of bus engines.

Though we do not test for this, they also feature Windows 10 Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair but lack NFC pairing. The company has tweaked the profile of sound also, resulting in a warm, smooth sound that keeps instruments and vocals clear. Though, some listeners might find they sound veiled and dark. If you’re interested to read more about the product, let’s jump into the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds review:

Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds Review – The Design and Fit

The Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds have a bit more rounded and less bulky appearance than their predecessor, the Sony XM3 Buds. There is a circular copper accent on both buds, which has a mic in the middle. These buds come in 2 color variants: Black and Silver.

The earbuds have a supreme build quality. They feel premium, solid, and are rated IPX4 water resistance, though we do not currently test for it. Unfortunately, the charging case’s lid can be slightly loose, which is a bit disappointing for me.

The earbuds fit very smoothly in the ear, though some listeners might need to buy additional ear tips as there’re only 2 sets included in the package. As with any pair of buds, the fit is personal, and getting it correct is vital to your experience of the buds, so it is worth assuring your tips are the supreme fit for your ears.

The case is a wonderful design. It is compact and premium quality made. A small light appears when opening the case to inform you how much power it has and generally, it is fantastically tactile.

If you are planning to utilize the earbuds while running or at the gym, then they’re one of the better choices out there. We found that buds stayed in comfortably during short times or light workouts.

Though, a little longer distance saw them become dislodged and fall out sometimes. They do compare well to many same buds in this category. But if you’re specifically looking for running or gym buds, then it is best to choose a pair with over-ear wings, like Power Beats Pro.

Sony WF-1000XM4 – Comfort and Breathability

The Sony WF-1000XM4 buds are very comfortable. They are lightweight and do not go very deep in-ear. Since they come with foam tips, they help form a good seal, and you do not need to change them consistently.

The headphones have an extremely breathable design. Since they do not trap heat in your ear, you should not notice a temp difference when you are wearing them. You should not sweat a bit more than usual when wearing them.

Sony WF-1000XM4s’ Controls 

The buds have acceptable controls. They’ve similar touch-sensitive controls as the WF-1000XM3 buds and are simple to use. On the left bud, you can cycle among talk-though, ANC, and voice assistant modes.

Conversely, the right bud provides music-related options. You can do every call-related control on either bud. You can map either bud with the voice assistant, Talk-through, ANC, or volume. There are a couple of beeps and voice prompts to inform you which setting you have changed.

Though the touch controls can be very sensitive and you might accidentally register a command just by accident. If you are on a phone call, the noise-canceling also turns off and you would not be able to turn it back on until the call ends.

Sony WF-1000XM4 Review – How about the sound quality?

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is some of the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today. Same to their predecessor, they produce the kind of sparkling, rich detail that permits you to hear new things in long-time favorite tracks.

They’re well-balanced producing full not overly bass-heavy sound that suits most genres, though, if you crank up the clear bass setting, you can surely feel it.

When it comes to Highs they are well detailed and precise, Mids are warm and strong, and vocals are ultra-clear. They’re fine separation of instruments and deal with some complex overlapping tones very well.

You can tweak the sound to your individual preferences with a complete equalizer available in the buds connect app. DSEE Extreme system that improves the sound profile of compressed audio using AI feature, works incredibly well, for music streamed through ACC or SBC Bluetooth audio format, but decrease battery life.

The buds have wonderful leakage performance. Leakage is concentrated when it comes to treble range, which sounds a bit thin. That said, if you love to listen to your music at a high volume, you should not disturb others around you.

Sony WF-1000XM4 Review – Driver and Noise-Canceling 

The Sony WF-1000XM4 buds use a newly made 6mm driver, feature a 20 percent boost in magnet volume, which according to Sony provides improved performance in low frequencies. It also improves ANC by generating a high-precision cancelation sign to the low-frequency range.

Combined with noise-isolating tips, the ANC is surprisingly efficient, at least more so than I have ever experienced in a bud as of late. Sony uses 2 noise-sensing microphones for each ear – one forward feeding and the other on the backside of the chassis – to take more of the ambient sound of your surroundings.

Also, the latest integrated Process V1 takes the ANC performance of the acclaimed QN1e chip and goes even further. Improved ANC performance and Bluetooth SOC feature deliver better ANC while using less power.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 buds were able to completely block out surroundings in the workplace, and even some in noisy places. It was comparable to the full-size XM4 because the ear cups create a fine seal around your ear, the tips of the Sony WF-1000XM4 buds help to fill in the open space of the canal. Some might argue it is more efficient at blocking out ambient noise because of this feature.

Sony is currently one of the best contenders in the world of noise-canceling buds and headphones, and the ANC of the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds is outclassed which makes them the best ANC earbuds.

App Support 

The earbuds have excellent app support. Like the previous model, you can personalize their sound using their app’s graphic EQ as well as presets and remap the talk through and noise-canceling, voice assistant feature, or volume control to each bud.

You can also utilize their fit feature to test out whether you are using the correct tip for your ears or turn on/off the auto-off timer, speak to chat-feature, or smart pause feature. Though, while you can access 360 Reality Audio for an immersive listening experience, you’ve to subscribe to this service.

Sony WF-1000XM4 with Good Battery Life

The Sony WF-1000XM4 buds last longer than most other models: just shy of 8hrs of music with ANC, up to 12hrs without ANC, or about 6hrs of talk time. The case can charge them 2 times for a total of at least 24hrs of music listening.

Sony WF-1000XM4 case charged Type C or QI wireless charging in about ninety minutes, while a 5-minute charge of buds when empty is enough for 1hr of music.

Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds Review – Pros & Cons

Sony WF-1000XM4 – Final Guides

After a detailed Sony WF-1000XM4 review, I found buds are some of the excellent soundings, most efficient ANC Bluetooth buds you can buy today.

These lightweight and comfortable wireless buds have an ANC that does a remarkable job of reducing the low rumbles of plane or bus engines. Thanks to their compact size, you can effortlessly fit them into pockets without any issue. They also have over 12hrs of listening time, and there’re 2 additional charges in their charging case if you need it more.

Where to Buy Sony WF-1000XM4

Sony WF-1000XM4 – Leading Noise-Canceling Truly Wireless Earbuds

Noise Canceling, wireless, Bluetooth, playtime: 8 hours/24 hours (with charging case), provide exceptional sound quality and crystal clear class, support voice assistant: Alexa, water-resistant: IPX4

See Detail