Sony just unveiled its second generation wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, the WF-1000XM4. Here’s how much they cost and when Australians can get their grabby hands on them.
Sony first entered the world of true wireless noise cancelling buds in 2019 with the WF-1000XM3s.
This was a time where many of the major brands were getting in on the game, probably in attempt to rival Apple’s AirPods.
But much like Sony’ over-ear equivalent, the XM3s were truly special. I said they were the best of the bunch at the time, and stand by that statement.
Suffice to say, anticipation has been high for the new XM4 earbuds.
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WF-1000MX4 hardware upgrades and noise-cancellation
The WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds contain a new V1 processor, which expands on the QN1e chip from the previous generation.
This is supposed to improve the noise cancellation and Bluetooth capabilities while using less power.
The new dual sensor microphones are also said to contribute to the noise cancellation — as does the new 6mm driver.
The latter is said to have a 20 per cent increase in magnet volume, meaning that noise cancellation is improved at low frequencies.
I’ll save my opinions for the review but I will say that so far I have noticed this. The noise cancellation is definitely better than the XM3s even when you have the volume quite low.
If you do need to talk to someone, the XM4s expand on the previously-existing ‘Quick Attention’ mode that lets you quickly decrease the volume by placing a finger over the left earbud.
This still exists, but if you prefer a more automated process, the new Speak-to-Chat functionality (which was introduced in the WH-1000XM4 headphones) pauses the music and lets in ambient sound once it detects you’re having a conversation.
Lastly on the noise-cancellation front, the XM4 earbuds can also detect wind and suppress the noise automatically.
Comfort and sound quality
The XM4s will have ear tip choices that are a bit different this time around. The Noise Isolation Earbud Tips are made from malleable foam that mould to your ears.
I can say these do make them quite a bit more comfortable than the previous generation — the smaller size helps, too.
In terms of sound quality the XM4s are injected with LDAC, Sony’s audio coding technology, which it says allows for high res audio that’s very close to a wired connection.
The 6mm drivers as well as the V1 processor also help to reduce distortion. Lastly, the integrated Digital Sound Enhancement Engine upscale compressed digital music files in real time.
According to Sony it can recognise “instrumentation, musical genres, and individual elements of each song, such as vocals or interludes, it restores the high-range sound lost in compression for a richer, more complete listening experience.”
Again, not to spoil my review… but yes, this absolutely works.
WF-1000XM4 battery life
The battery life also gets a boost this time around, offering 8 hours of playback with noise-cancellation toggled on. This is a two hour improvement on the previous gen.
The charging case will also get you an extra 18 hours of playback.
Once again, if you forgot to charge your lads you can get about an hour of playback from a 5 minute fast charge.
And as an added bit of quality of life, the XM4s have an IPX4 water resistance rating. While they aren’t waterproof, they are splash, dust and sweat resistant – which is a step up from the XM3s.
WF-1000XM4 Australian price and release date
Y’all should be used to this by now. Sony audio products do not come cheap, but damn if they aren’t incredible.
The WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds are not different. They have an RRP of $449.95, which is $50 more than the previous generation. However, Amazon is currently offering these earbuds for $389, which is a pretty solid pre-order deal.