A completely renewed and more comfortable design
If I start with the design of the headphones, it is essential to talk about the design change compared to the previous ones. They are not even similar: Sony has changed the whole body of headphones and also the way they rest on the ear. While on the XM3 most of the earpiece was off the ear, now on the XM4, most of the earphone rests inside.
This is due to its considerable size reduction. I have taken the scale out for a walk and the data speaks for itself. The XM4s weigh 7 grams each, while the XM3s weigh 10 grams. They are smaller and rounded. Now it is easier for them to fit well in your ear, even if it is smaller than normal.
Placing them is extremely simple, as they have a only way they rest properly over the pinna. In addition, several adapters of different sizes are included for you to play with. I recommend that you take a few minutes to choose the one that suits you best, as the difference can be enormous.
The XM4 still have touch panels in each of the headphones, which is larger and better hidden than in the XM3. It works perfectly and it’s easy to get used to knowing where to press.
I can confirm that Sony has made a great job with the design of these headphones, because now they are more comfortable, lighter and it is easier to forget that you are wearing them. In addition, having a body that is inserted further into the ear, the isolation is greater.
You may have skipped the on-ear anatomy class, which is why I anticipate some users: of course, the design on the headphones is very relative and each human being has a different ear. In my ear the headphones fit perfectly and yours may not. This does not mean that they are uncomfortable, just that your ear is different from mine. Now, I can’t tell you if I have a common ear or a rare one …
The box, another great design success
Probably the most criticized of the WF-1000XM3 was the size of your box. At the time, and also today, it is one of the largest charging cases on the market. Sony has managed to optimize resources and now the size of the box is a 40% smaller.
- WF-1000XM3 | Headphones + Box: 92 grams
- WF-1000XM4 | Headphones + Box: 55 grams
The whole does not weigh half, but almost. The case is now incredibly smaller and more transportable. Carrying it in your pocket is no longer uncomfortable and it is on par with the rest of in-ear headphones of this style. Of course, the box is made entirely of plastic, although this is not shiny and has quality.
Despite considerably reducing the size and weight, Sony has allowed itself the luxury of include wireless charging. Yes, you can charge the headphones by leaving them on top of a standard Qi charger. If you want a cable, you can use the one from your smartphone, as it is a USB C.
The only downside I put to the box is the small clearance that the cover has with respect to the body. I don’t know why it’s there, and it’s tiny, but it is. It may be necessary for everything to fit perfectly inside. It’s for putting a hit, because after 5 minutes you forget about it.
High-end sound and near-perfect noise cancellation
Of course, the most important part of any headset is its sound. As you can imagine, Sony has not forgotten about the sound. The headphones have renewed their internal components, specifically the sound and noise cancellation chips. Is it noticeable compared to the XM3? If you compare them directly, yes. Well, if you have a decent ear.
The reality is that these Sony WF-1000XM4 they sound better than other in-ear headphones on the market. The summary may be too brief, but it is reality. These headphones have a sound of very high quality which is fused with excellent noise cancellation.
All frequencies have a good presence and the bass does not step on the mids or treble, something that does happen with much of the in-ear headphones catalog on the market. The volume is strong, forceful and is supported by the great isolation to need only 50 or 60% if you want to listen to very loud music.
If you come from headphones of 30, 50 or 70 euros the difference is abysmal. The set of build quality, noise cancellation algorithms and sound quality will take you to another league. The big question here is whether you need this quality.
You may settle for a poorer quality and save some money, but the key of these XM4 is in the noise cancellation. It is the best on the market and takes you to an empty room with reinforced concrete walls. This is why you really want to spend almost 300 euros on these headphones.
There is no other product on the market that has this noise cancellation, have so much battery and be so portable. You will find headphones with the same, or even better sound quality, but not with this quality and the same noise cancellation.
If you lend him one minimal attention to the quality of the music you listen toIf you travel a lot or work in a noisy environment, these headphones are likely to be a very good life companion. Of course, the investment you must make will be high. They don’t cost 100 euros, and they don’t cost 150 euros either. Its official sale price is 280 euros in Spain.
Extra details of the WF-1000XM4 that are very cool
These headphones include certain aspects and features that are not in the rest of the options on the market. I have to start with his drums, which is really crazy. According to Sony they offer 24 hours of autonomy between charging the headphones and the case. It is difficult to test such an autonomy, but I can say that I have not had problems at any time.
A full charge makes you forget about going through the plug for days. If you listen to 2 or 3 hours of music daily you will have to charge them, at most, once a week. That is if you don’t follow my strategy of putting them on the wireless charger every time I use them. If they always rest on one, forget about using the charging port.
Also, its load is no longer slow. Now headphones allow fast charge and with just 5 minutes on the plug you can enjoy 60 minutes of music. It is one of the most important things, because if you take them and they do not have a battery, it will only take a few minutes to be able to use them for hours.
Another incredible detail of these XM4s are their adapters. The tip of common headphones is silicone here is foam. And yes, it may be less durable in time, but the experience goes to another level. These foams offer a superior sound quality and better adaptability to the pinna. You should press them lightly before inserting the headphones into your ears and they will finish fitting themselves. It is similar to the behavior of a memory foam pillow.
On the software side there are two key new additions: the wind drop and pause when you speak. The first offers a significant improvement when there is wind, something that in the XM3 could be annoying. Now the microphones pick up the wind and reduce it considerably so it doesn’t hinder noise cancellation.
If you activate the automatic pause option when voices are detected you will be in the Olympus of technology. It is a function that detects when they speak to you -or you speak- and pause music playback. It does this perfectly and you no longer need to press and hold the touchpad.
The first word someone outlines to you causes the audio playback to stop and the microphones to activate to hear what they are saying. The function works so well that you should deactivate it if you like to sing or hum music: it also activates if you speak.
There are cheaper mobiles than these Sony WF-1000XM4
At all times I have shown that they are expensive headphones and that they are not designed for everyone. His price is 280 euros, about 330 dollars. It is one of the highest prices for commercial brand in-ear headphones.
The good news is that you will also have the best experience in the market and that its price will go down over the months. I can only recommend these Sony WF-1000XM4 to users who take music seriously that they listen to and that, in turn, need noise cancellation to be able to enjoy that music.
After testing them for a few weeks I can say that they are the best noise canceling in-ear headphones that you can buy right now. They do not have the best quality / price ratio, but if you want the best, and price is not a problem, you should buy them.