Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2021
UPDATE IV:
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After several months with many other earbuds, I decided to go back and order a refurbished pair. At under half the MSRP, I'm happy to live with the issues listed below just for the ANC and sound.
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UPDATE III: Rating reduced from 4 to 2 and now to 1 Star!
I just received my third set, hoping the issues I highlighted below are quality and not design related.
Unfortunately, they are inherent design issues.
The third set of XM4 buds have the same dinging tone when you bang your teeth / a slight echo with the same tone when listening to podcasts/the Assistant voice and the same call quality; from a noisy place it's so bad they are essentially unusable for any meaningful conversation.
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In a final conclusion, I am sorely disappointed in the performance of what is clearly an over-hyped and over-priced Sony "premium" product.
With what it does well, it excels. With what it does poorly, it sucks!
No bud is perfect, but even sub-$100 buds do a better all around job than these Sony WF-1000XM4's. I cannot justify $248 for these just for the ANC and sound quality, which I'll miss. I can have almost as good for much less money.
I really can't recommend these to anyone without money to waste.
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UPDATE II: Rating reduced from 4 Stars to 2 Stars!
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I made a phone call on the WF1000-XM4 in a VERY noisy place and the other end said they couldn't hear me at all well. I was distant and muffled amongst all the ambient noise that could be heard from where I was calling. The XM4 was essentially useless in these conditions. Others online report a similar issue.
I called back using my Galaxy Buds Pro and was crystal clear with almost no ambient noise in the background. Just like it should be. C'mon Sony!!
So, in the space of just over 1 week, I'm awaiting my THIRD set of XM4 buds! I don't have much anticipation these will be any better, but maybe third time lucky? I really hope so because the sound from the XM4 is just so fantastic. That's why I haven't given up on them. My Galaxy Buds Pro are very close, but the warmth, instrument separation and high frequency reproduction just isn't at the Sony's level. With the XM4, I truly feel like I'm in the room with the musicians.
Can I still recommend the XM4? To be honest, NO. I wouldn't want anyone spending $250 to receive a sub-par set of supposedly premium earbuds. If you want THE best sounding buds with top notch ANC, can afford this much money, and don't make calls in public, then go for it.
Really, really disappointing from a major brand.
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UPDATE I:
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With ANC or Ambient mode on and no music playing, I noticed that when I banged my teeth together, I heard a dinging tone, primarily in the left bud. A bit like an echo. I even noticed it when the Google Assistant was talking. There was a slight echo, which was the same monotone ding. It sounds like a knock on a wooden wind chime tube. With ANC/Ambient off, there's no sound. So, it's the ANC system. I've never heard that on any other ANC buds, even the XM3. I had 24 hours on the buds.
I did a chat with Sony Support and after all the usual questions, a bud reset, and a 3-minute hold, I was told the buds needed repair. They were OK with my returning them to Amazon and getting a replacement.
Those arrived today and guess what? NO CHANGE! I still hear the ding sound, though it's perhaps more prominent in the right bud as well now and perhaps less noticeable with the Assistant.
It seems like this is a design defect, as others online report the same 'ringing', with replacements not helping.
I guess I'll live with it.
I was listening to The Living Daylights by A-Ha and realized it's a very difficult mix for buds to reproduce faithfully. All my cheaper buds struggle with the high frequency details and particularly the bright guitar strums in the chorus, some better than others. The XM4 sounds so realistic it's like you're hearing the instruments in your room. The instrument separation and sound stage is outstanding. I was surprised at the difference and now, my other buds really sound inferior. I added that song to my Earbuds Test Track list!
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I’ve been looking for my ideal earbuds over the last few months and have not found them, until perhaps now, with the Sony WF-1000 XM4. My primary criteria are comfort/fit, sound quality, ANC/Ambient performance, app customization and control, particularly volume, in this order.
I am an audiophile only in the sense that I love listening to music (every genre you can come up with, but especially Symphonic Metal) and want to experience it as close to how the sound engineer intended, with perhaps a little warmth and bass added in if lacking in the original mix. I use my buds for serious late-night listening, background music when working outside and for late-night TV, not wanting to disturb the sleeping family. I use an android Moto G Power phone. I am not an Apple fan at all!
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
I believe I can give a fair review of these Sony’s, based on the fact that I have many, many hours of experience with the following buds…
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Boltune BT-BH024
SoundPEATS H1
SoundPEATS Truengine 3 SE
SoundPEATS T2
SoundPEATS Trueair
SoundPEATS Air 3
Sennheiser Momentum TW2
Edifier NB2 Pro
Edifier Neobuds Pro
Tribit Flybuds C1
Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro
Sony WF-1000 XM3
I also enjoy my CCA C10 wired IEM and Soundcore Q30 over-the-ear ‘phones.
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I did like the Sony XM3 for its sound, controls, fit and app, but couldn’t get a reliable seal when even just out for a leisurely walk. Generally, my issue has been maintaining that all-important seal during activity and the comfort over several hours of continuous use. I have determined that a stem-style bud doesn’t work in my ears and I hate buds touching my outer ear cartilage. Also, my right ear is more sensitive to having a bud in it than the left, which never complains. I also have very large ears and even the largest wings usually don’t fit! I had finally settled on the Galaxy Buds Pro, coupled with Azla Crystal oval tips as being the design that best suited my criteria. The only gripes were the highly sensitive touch controls, which I turned off and the right bud touching my outer ear, due to the bud’s body shape, and being a constant irritation!
So, I was really expecting the Sony XM4’s to be a fit problem since a lot of reviewers complain about the size and foam tips. I’ve tried foam tips and they can put a lot of pressure in the ear canal if too big. Too small and they slide out. It’s expensive the find that perfect size! However, the ANC performance on the Sony XM4 was something I really wanted to experience, it supposedly being the best in the market, as of right now. I decided to take the plunge and order them.
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UNBOXING EXPERIENCE: 1/10
I was disappointed, especially after a $248 outlay!
Sony has gone to the extreme with their environmental concerns and destroyed that initial enjoyment of getting to the buds. Having experienced the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro and Neobuds Pro unboxing, which was a luxurious and high-quality affair, the plain paper/cardboard packaging was a real let down. The whitish colored box looked dirty and used until I realized it was actually compressed paper material with a simple paper wrapping. To get the box open, the paper wrapping has to be destroyed. So, once you have your buds, you are left with just a bland, unbranded container. I like to keep all my product boxes. While I understand the logic, Sony makes it look like they just went for the cheapest packaging they could.
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INITIAL IMPRESSIONS – BUDS AND CASE: 7/10
Again, there was a level of disappointment with these.
The case has little embellishment, unlike the XM3. Plain off-white plastic with a smooth upper lid surface and a fine shot-blasted, i.e., slightly textured rough feel to the rest. Not reflective of a $248 purchase, based on all my other buds. The lid feels firm at the hinge and snaps into the open position. It does seem to be more fragile though, compared with the XM3 case. The size is much smaller with the same form factor as the XM3. Much more pocketable, but not the smallest on the market.
The buds are similarly plain with a fine texture on the outside and smooth plastic inner surface, but for the unique brass-colored accent around the microphone. They are indeed large at just over 3/4-inch diameter at the main round portion of the body. I suspect the dark buds and case might look better. The off-white exhibits the design’s plainness in a more in-your-face way. This is very much in contrast to the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro, which looks awesome in white, less so in black.
These buds have an IPX4 rating which is something, compared with nothing on the XM3. Not the best in the market, but acceptable. I would expect better for the high price, especially since the Galaxy Buds Pro are IPX7!
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FIT & COMFORT: 9/10
Fit and comfort is incredibly personal and you may experience a worse or even better fit than me. I was pleasantly surprised with how the buds fit. I tried the medium tips that came on the buds and they were just right. The tip goes in reasonably deep into my ear canal and the body sits in my outer ear and filled it more than any other bud I’ve tried. I can see how those with smaller ears will not have a comfortable and a tight fit. However, the XM4 doesn’t actually touch my large outer ear, or if it does, it’s so slight I don’t notice it. I admit the foam tip in my right ear is more noticeable as my right ear canal is slightly smaller than the left. The small tip though didn’t seal fully. I simply address that with a slight pull after insertion to slide the tip out just enough to reduce the pressure. Within a few minutes, I just don’t feel the buds.
I tried Spinfit tips (CP100, CP1025 and CP360) and they were perhaps more comfortable, but the ANC performance was reduced and the buds wobbled and hung down, resting against the bottom on my outer ear. The stock tips were better in all respects and I can see why Sony chose them over silicone to hold these bulky buds.
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SOUND QUALITY: 10/10 with some EQ adjustment
I did like the sound profile of the XM3 and was expecting the XM4 to be very similar if not the same. I was not disappointed this time! As mentioned, I like a warm sound and punchy bass, but with a crisp treble. I used my XM3 EQ settings as a baseline and adjusted from there. Over time, my preference has changed and I now like a brighter sound than when I started this search. When you experience the brightness, and perceived clarity, of the Liberty 3 Pro and Neobuds Pro, for example, you don’t want to go back to a soft sound.
I have a large collection of Earbud Test Songs on Amazon Music and I listen to all of them to find the one EQ that meets my desired sound.
Check out my Earbud test tracks playlist on Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/6c1a03929ed947ab82cc33db24d7c001sune?ref=dm_sh_I4ZRJmh4tIHTtEUHGvvCYkvPi
I found the XM3 treble could sound a little artificial on some tracks, but not so on the XM4. I really, really like the sound from them and with a little ClearBass boost, the bass is powerful and not overpowering or muddy. I have noticed that the bass is slightly stronger with ANC on. I use ANC all the time, so that is the mode I set my EQ for.
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ANC: 9.5/10
I have been really impressed with the Galaxy Buds Pro ANC performance, closely followed by the Liberty 3 Pro. The Neobuds Pro are in that class also. The Sony XM4 is slightly ahead, but not by much. I actually think the electronics are just as effective on the others mentioned, but the foam tips are what give the XM4 the edge. The passive noise blocking is better. Using Spinfit tips, which, being thin, typically let more noise in, the XM4 is worse at noise reduction than the others. Also, the foam insertion depth and seal, if not deep and perfect, can really affect the ANC performance. As with any earbud, the noise reduction is not as good as over-the-ear headphones. Too much noise gets in around the ear. So, the XM4 wasn’t as impressive as I’d hoped. My advice is not to spend this much money just for ANC. You can get the same performance for less with the other brands!
Ambient mode on the XM4 is not super-hearing, like the Galaxy Buds Pro, but it works well. I leave mine at the maximum level. The ambient volume is adjustable. I don’t use Speak-to-Chat as if I briefly tell my dogs to stop doing something, the buds switch to Ambient mode, which is annoying. You can adjust the sensitivity, but then you might not activate it soon enough if you’re talking with someone. It is definitely useful in an office environment on the high sensitivity setting.
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TOUCH CONTROLS: 7/10
Unlike SoundPEATS, where you get full control via the single, double, triple and touch/hold functions on both buds with all their models, the Sony XM4 limits your options, even though you get single, double, triple and touch/hold for just playback control. You can change the left and right touch functions, but the options for each are Ambient Sound Control, Playback control, Volume control or None assigned. You can choose one of each per bud. I use playback control (including Google Assistant) on the left and volume control on the right. I have to use the app on my phone for ANC/Ambient/Off control.
The touch surfaces are well away from the edges of the buds. So, you can adjust them as much as you want without any accidental touch operations. Samsung, please note!
The Galaxy Buds Pro will speak to me automatically for incoming notifications for apps you select, like text messages. That’s my absolute favorite feature of any bud. I never miss the wife’s texts when listening to music, which keeps me alive! The Sony XM4 can do the same, but only after you touch and hold the left bud (only with Playback controls set) and then let go after the tone. Google will then read your new notifications to you. You can also just say “Hey Google, read my notifications”, which is nice, but you hear all notifications, not just from selected apps. I have also used Google to adjust volume and switch ANC modes, though Google often annoyingly goes to an article about ANC and reads that to me!
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BATTERY LIFE: 8/10
I haven’t had a chance to do a more detailed check. However, it seems like I can get between about the design 5 hours with 50% volume, ANC on, Custom EQ active, DSEE off and using LDAC codec. That’s at least 25% better than the XM3 and better than the Liberty 3 Pro. I’m OK with that amount of time as I usually need to go do things without buds by then. The left bud loses more juice than the right due to the Google Assistant always listening on my left bud. It is about a 7% difference over 3 hours.
I believe the XM4 has a user-replaceable button battery like the XM3. So if you’re mechanically-gifted like me, you’ll appreciate the ability to extend the life of these buds. Sony also sells XM4 cases, individual buds, and tips! Who else does that? Awesome!
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VOLUME, BLUETOOTH & CODECS: 9/10
The volume is plenty loud for me. I rarely use more than 65% as I value my hearing! I do have the ‘Absolute Volume’ disabled in Developer Options. I set my phone’s BT volume to maximum and then use the buds to control the volume. This increases the number of volume steps and negates the annoyingly large Android volume control steps that can mean one setting is too loud and the next step down is too quiet. The media volume can be controlled almost as finely as a volume knob.
I set the buds to highest sound quality over having a stronger BT connection. So, the Sony Headphones app shows I am using the LDAC codec, not SBC or SBC and DSEE. I turn DSEE off as I really don’t have much need for it as I listen to mostly high-quality files and that saves battery life. On the XM3 app, you are warned that EQ + DSEE use more battery, but not on the XM4 app. However, the DSEE still has to work harder in real-time to modulate the sound with a customized EQ setting, so the effect is the same on the XM4 as on XM3.
I never really noticed a difference with LDAC on the XM3 or the Liberty 3 Pro, but strangely I do on the XM4. A much better sound with respect to clarity and crispness.
I use the Sony Media Center app as well. That can automatically adjust the phone settings for the bitrate you want without having to go into Developer Options. I set mine to the best possible. That does affect the BT signal and I get some dropouts if the phone is in my back pocket or if I go more than a few feet from my phone. I can set the bitrate to a lower level if I want to reduce the dropouts when outside working. It’s a cool companion app and saves having to set the bitrate every time you connect the buds via the Developer Options and guarantees a higher quality sound all the time.
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CALL QUALITY: 9/10 (SEE UPDATE II and III - 4/10)
I haven’t had a chance to evaluate this in detail, but I heard and was heard very clearly with a natural sound in a quiet location when I did one call. The buds do go into Ambient mode. While comfortable and quite acceptable, not as good as the Galaxy Buds Pro, where you almost feel like you have no buds plugging your ears.
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APP: 10/10
I won’t go into detail on the app. You’ll be here another hour! But I will say the app is as comprehensive as you’ll find in the market and is a customizer’s dream. It’s not as colorful as and is more word-based than the Liberty 3 Pro app, which is also very comprehensive with other unique features.
I personally have no need for the location/activity-based auto-adjustment of ANC/Ambient modes and recording of earbud usage while walking, running, etc. and I turn that off. I use the buds mainly at home and prefer to make my own adjustments. I also don’t need Sony knowing my whereabouts. Google is more than enough. It is nice to know though how much/long per day that you use the buds. A feature which is always active. I’m at 2 ¾ hours of listening so far since starting this review and my battery life is at 52%.
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VALUE FOR MONEY: 7/10 (SEE UPDATE II and III - 2/10)
If it weren’t for the fact that these have the best and most comfortable fit of all the buds I’ve tried, combined with a great sound and good ANC, I would NOT have kept these. I’m wearing them right now and I do love them. All genres sound fantastic.
I really don’t think they are worth the extra $ over the Liberty 3 Pro, which is the best value of all buds at the current time. What you get for $170 is incredible, but you have to tame the overly boosted high frequencies with the EQ and vocals can still sound a little thin for my taste even then. Their warranty support is superb. I just couldn’t get a good fit with the wings.
The Neobuds Pro at $130 are also superb, but stem-style.
I bought the Galaxy Buds Pro for just $148 recently and they were my number one, but way too sensitive with inadvertent operation of the touch controls.
Sony is now my number one as it pretty much meets all my earbud criteria. Shame it cost $248! Yes, the Sony app has more unique GPS features than any other brand, but I don’t use/need them. The ANC is the best around, but not worth another $80 and more than the competition! Sony does offer spare parts and that is worth a little extra for an extended life, though the technology is advancing at such a rate that these will be for sure outdated within their expected 2-year life.
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CONCLUSION: (SEE UPDATE III)
So, would I recommend them? I would recommend you try them but I can’t tell you you’ll love them. One thing I learned this year is that there is no one perfect bud that does it all well. Also, sound and fit are so personal that what I like, you could hate. I even find what I like today can change next week with extended use.
The Sony WF-1000 XM4 are absolutely a bud worthy of a try if you can afford them.
