Improving an unarguably great product seems impossible, but Sony manages it. It first released the WF-1000XM3 nearly two years ago, and they are still a benchmark for wireless noise-cancelling earbuds. The competition is trying to catch up, but Sony isn’t about to let that happen. The WF-1000XM4 are Sony’s newest high-fidelity TWS earbuds promising a whole new music listening experience. They look nothing like their predecessors, they come with an all-new processor, and sport a compact charging case. With their supreme noise cancellation, they seem to be the most feature-packed TWS earbuds around.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 are smaller than their predecessors. They boast a new ergonomic design that matches the ear cavity for a more secure fit. They are also lighter than the previous model, so you can wear them comfortably for long hours. Even the charging case is 40 per cent smaller, so it now fits easily in your pockets. The earbuds ships with Sony’s new Noise Isolation Earbud Tips made from a special polyurethane foam. They are softer and more flexible than traditional ear tips. Sony says it improves adhesion to the ear canal, eliminates gaps to insulate sound, and reduces noise for a better music listening experience.
The WF-1000XM4 are also IP4X rated, so they can easily manage splashes and sweat. Despite earbuds smaller size, they sport touch controls that let you skip, pause or play songs and activate Noise Cancellation, Ambient Sound, Quick Attention mode. The controls are also available using the three popular voice assistants – Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa. You can activate them by their established wake word. Sony also offers the flexibility of assigning personalised functions to each earbud using the Headphones Connect app.
The Sony WF-100XM4’s new V1 processor promises a next-level noise-cancelling experience. It works with two noise sensing microphones to analyse ambient sound and provide highly accurate noise cancellation. They are also the first TWS earbuds to support the LDAC codec. LDAC transmits nearly three times more data (at its maximum transfer rate of 990 kbps) than traditional Bluetooth codecs. It lets you enjoy High-Resolution Audio with exceptional quality, as close as to that of a dedicated wired connection.
The earbuds also support Sony’s DSEE Extreme feature that upscales audio in real-time. Sony says it recognizes individual elements of each song, such as vocals or interludes, and upscales it to high-range sound for a richer, more complete music listening experience. For a more surround sound, the earbuds also have the Sony 360 Reality feature. There is also an Adaptive Sound Control feature like the overhead WH-1000XM4. It senses whether you are travelling, walking, or waiting and then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience.
The WF-1000XM4’s Speak-to-Chat feature automatically pauses the music and lets in ambient sound, so you can have conversations with those around, without taking the earbuds off. It uses Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup Technology, which combines four microphones and sensors with advanced audio signal processing. The earbuds also have bone induction sensors that pick up vibrations from your voice for clearer conversations. Additionally, the earbuds noise cancelling makes calling in noisy environments an easy affair.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 has a new 6mm driver with a 20 per cent larger magnet that produces dynamic and natural-sounding audio. There is also a new high compliance diaphragm that helps render a rich bass range. Users can also use the Sony Headphone app’s in-built equaliser to personalise their music listening experience. Turning on noise cancellation cuts out ambient noises. So, whether it’s in-flight noise, city traffic or office chatter, you can always have great music listening sessions.
The WF-1000XM4 use Bluetooth 5.2, which offers superior connectivity while consuming less power. Android users can quickly pair earbuds using Fast Pair. You receive a battery notification pop-up on your smartphone when they power up, and you can even track the earbuds’ location down using Google’s Find My Device app. The earbuds also feature NFC, so you can pair them with NFC-enabled devices with just a tap.
The WF-1000XM4 when fully charged offers up to 8 hours of use and up to 16 hours from the case. A 5-minute quick charge gives up to 60 minutes of playtime. The Sony Headphone Connect app also sends a notification when the charging case battery drops below 30 per cent. There is also Qi technology for easy wireless charging. This means you can even use a smartphone with reverse charging to charge earbuds.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 brings significant improvements over its predecessor. They are more compact; they offer better comfort along with supreme noise-cancellation. The earbuds are now available in India, and you can soon order them from www.reliacnedigital.in and your nearest Reliance Digital store.
