Sony WF-1000XM4 test: the almost perfect reference of the True Wireless with noise reduction

Guillaume Audio Fourcadiers 23 July 2021 at 10:438

After extremely innovative WF-1000XM3 in their time, but aging, Sony finally updates its True Wireless headphones and offers with WF-1000XM4 the top of its audio and technological art.Has the Japanese firm released the new bosses of the genre?This is what we will see.

9249 €Lire la conclusionSony WF-1000XM4Choix de la rédac

Mounted in compactness, high -end more universal

Without revolutionizing the previous formula, Sony clearly modernized it, on the bottom and in form.First size change with the charging/storage box, having undergone a real weight loss cure.

The old box of WF-1000XM3 was one of the most imposing of its kind, almost impossible to place in a standard pants pocket.Here, although brands like Apple or Samsung (Galaxy Buds Pro) have pushed miniaturization even further, Sony finally offers us a transportable model, 40% less bulky, agreeing with almost all pockets.The whole thing is done by integrating an induction recharge, in addition to the USB-C.

Pas la boite (au sommet) la plus petite du genre, mais largement transportable

The manufacture of the box is good for this range, but nothing more.No luxurious flight or a density that would give us an impression of extreme solidity, Sony rests on a fairly well assembled plastic, a little light, with a slightly non -slip coating.There is no game in the hinge, which is already not bad.

The headphones are much more desirable.Exit the fairly elongated design of the big brothers, the new Sony WF-1000XM4 are based on an almost spherical shape, a slightly tilted back at the top of the ear.Lafabrication is almost exclusively plastic, but the choice of assembly and certain small design touches are particularly successful.Without even knowing the product, we could have guess that it was a high -end Sony.

La touche Sony : des tons mats et des accents cuivrés

Sony does not necessarily detach from other high -ends, such as the Sennheiser Momentum Tw2, but some elements hit the bull's eye, like the small tube with copper accents, housing a microphone.Another advantage compared to the previous generation, an IPX4 certification, namely resistance against water projections.This level of certification is largely the standard in 2021, the Galaxy Buds Pro (IP67) go much further for example, therefore difficult to take this as a real advantage.

Although this is difficult to gauge, Sony announces that these headphones are 10% less bulky than the old.

As such, it is above all the balance in the ear that is superior.While the ancients asked to clearly grop for the outfit, the 1000xm4 have something more conventional.Serve the right tip found, this among the small selection offered, it is enough to be a quarter of a turn in the ear so that the headphones hold in place.

Même si très confortables, les écouteurs restent assez volumineux, et ne conviendront pas à toutes les oreilles

Comfort is not stratospheric, but rather good.Sony bets, like most manufacturers, on a cannule system (plastic rod at the end of the headphones), and the new polyurethane foam tips are more comfortable than the silicone tips of the previous versions.We would have liked Sony to leave the choice, and also offers classic silicone tips, but that would imply less important insulation.

Not everything is perfect either, since the headphones remain voluminous.It is paid in the ear, or rather in the small ears.Indeed, all morphologies will not be made for WF-1000XM4, far from it.In addition, the headphones are quite significantly exceeding from the ear, which means that they are not cut for sport, although it remains possible.The manufacturer nevertheless indicates having worked from very many ear fingerprints, this to adapt the greater number.We can recognize that Sony has found a good compromise between holding and insulation.On the pure comfort side, we are still a little more seduced by what Apple offers or, to talk about intra-ear, samsung and sennheiser, all being smaller in the ear.

Diffficile de vérifier le gain de volume par rapport aux précédents écouteurs, mais l'équilibre est déjà supérieur

Last little detail, Sony opts here for packaging without any trace of plastic, all in cardboard and recyclable materials.The rendering is certainly a little confusing at the beginning, but is a great idea for the future.

The most complete ergonomics of the genre, without being perfect

We have known it for a long time, the Sony Headphones application is in what is most complete in the matter, although some point the finger at a certain complexity.Like what we find with the WH-1000XM4 helmet, the WF-1000XM4 headphones highlight a large number of settings and automation, although it inevitably goes through this application.

On the headphones, a tactile zone, rather effective even if marked by a little latency, provides access to most Serzementonomic Functions.Basically, the left earpiece allows you to switch between ANC mode and transparency mode (sound return), and activate the Quick CAUTION mode (sound return there too) leaving your finger pressed.On the right earpiece, it is possible to navigate the tracks (one, two or three keys) and activate the voice assistant (long support).Also by default, optical sensors allow you to cut/put the music back by removing/replacing one or two earphones.

Nothing incredibly complete, but the application allows you to use other types of commands, putting them by action.Thus, it is for example possible to substitute the controls (control of the ambient sound) of the left earpiece with actions of change in volume.There are thus four action groups: ambient sound control, volume control, navigation control, no action (deactivates the touch).This provision, already integrated on an update of WF-1000XM3, is interesting but still limited.We would have liked to be able to keep both noise reduction control and that of volume, something that would have been perfectly possible.Sony does not seem to have worked more than that the improvements on the touch, since the volume control is, for its part, strangely unrealed, even a little frustrating.At least the tactile zone takes the whole back, it is no longer necessary to grope as with the WF-1000XM3.

Some more advanced options are part, generally vocal.Thus, the brand integrates the trigger of vocal assistants (Google or Alexa) by keyword, which is still quite rare even on the high-end, as well as a Speak-to-Chat mode, which detects a conversation in progress,In order to cut music and trigger transparency mode.We are not necessarily very fans of this last option, which implies not to remove its headphones to speak to people.Nevertheless, this mode can be very practical in the context of an office life, for example.

Au gauche, l'onglet d'accueil de l'application, avec pratiquement toutes les info de base affichées. A droite, l'application Music Center permet déjà de détecter les écouteurs (mais renvoi vers Sony Headphones)

The central brain remains the Sony application.As such, it is possible to activate or deactivate practically all options, extremely numerous options.

Le contrôle adaptatif n'est pas l'option la plus simple à utiliser, mais reste très personnalisable. Difficile toutefois de la considérer comme un argument clé

It is thus possible to:

A lot of things therefore.The only option it is necessary to develop a minimum is undoubtedly adaptive control.This is, so to speak, equivalent to what we had experienced with the WH-1000XM4 helmet, with the same advantages and same faults.Sony's new V1 chip does not transform experience, this automation is therefore rather relevant in some cases, a little strange in others.On the other hand, the V1 allows you to integrate everything into a chip (treatments and bluetooth), like an Apple H1, which optimizes many things.

Pratiquement toutes les options ergonomiques sont personnalisables et activables/désactivables

With these small options, the Sony WF-1000XM4 keep what made the strength of the previous headphones, far ahead of the square and intuitive but a little limited (in options) of the pro AirPods for example.Nevertheless, it is a shame for Sony not to drive the nails, in any case on the touch controls.

An effective and innovative connection

The connectivity of the Sony WF-1000XM4 is particularly modern.The brand incorporates excellent points, such as fast google fast pair (for Android) with precise battery level display (BoitieRinclus), fast swift pair pairing for Windows 10, Ouencore an operation of headphones in sniffing mode.Each earpiece receives the audio flow, no master/slave.Finally, the two can be used in mono.

On the other hand, no multipoint, something that would have allowed him to really detach himself from the other high -ends.The reason is quite simple and very clear on the Sony side, this can still hamper the stability of the signal, particularly in LDAC.

Le bonheur, l'appairage rapide sur appareil Android

In use, pairing is always very fast, without bug or almost (some recognition bugs with the application), and the stability of the overall excellent signal.

But a fairly unique point is added to the headphones: the integration of the LDAC codec, until quality 990 kb/s.This is absolutely not trivial, and is even a real tour de force.Until recently, the brand even refused to integrate this codec, for lack of stability on the True Wireless headphones, not having the power/reception power of a helmet, and making almost the quality 990 and 660 kb/s.Sony therefore managed to reduce this problem as much as possible, and optimize the slightest parameter to maintain good stability and roughly decent autonomy.To ensure the proper performance of the test, we are still entering the developer settings of our phone, in order to define the quality of the LDAC in "optimized for audio quality" (quality 990 kBS defined by default).

Le passage au codec LDAC passe forcément par le mode Qualité Sonore.

In practice, everything is clearly not perfect, but we are far from the fears that we could have.In most cases, the stability of the signal is fairly well preserved, and the rather good scope.But the quality of the signal in LDAC retains some occasional limitations, especially in a bottled environment, but especially with the phone in the pocket, which can cause serious dropouts, rather common.This problem can quickly become dramatic in a specific case (in any case on our test with a 3 XL pixel): the use of headphones while the phone in 4G router mode.

But, overall, Sony did not make a discount mode, this mode is quite usable, especially a phone obviously (not too far from WF-1000XM4).It is a safe bet that the design of the headphones, far beyond the ear, as well as the type sniffing connection, are not foreign to this good connection quality.

Basic, however, Sony, remains in "priority to lastability" mode, which deactivates any HD codec.It is necessary to pass by the application to switch to LDAC.

A reduction in slight improvement, enough to find the heights

First headphones to democratize active noise reduction on True Wireless, the Sony WF-1000XM3 remain, even in 2021, still very acceptable in the face of competition.Of course, since then, Apple has further enhanced the level (not in passive insulation), and other brands, such as Devialet and Samsung (with a few details) have returned to an almost equivalent level.

Siliconedes WF-1000Xm3 VS Mousse polyuréthane des WF-1000Xm4

As such, the Sony WF-1000XM4 still improves the performance of the previous headphones.The headphones bet not on very marked hollows, even if it means panicking our measurement tool, but on a very regular attenuation, of an excellent level, without any range of frequencies to come too much of this beautiful silence.Above all, the headphones are undoubtedly the most comfortable of everyone to alleviate sudden noises, type strikes on a keyboard, more difficult to spot that a purring engine constantly.

Better than others?No not necessarily.The active insulation on the True Wireless headphones has been so transformed in recent years, that the few champions have been holding in a pocket handkerchief, and no longer seem to detach themselves on the details.Galaxy Buds Pro (except in high-mediums), Apple Airpods Pro, Devialetgemini, and therefore Sony WF-1000XM4, none of the in-between stand out, even if specific points on this or that model can tip the scaleOn one side or the other.To really skip a course, you have to go to helmets.In practice, such insulation is already impressive.

La réduction de bruit est encore en progrès. En rouge : le signal témoin. En vert : l'isolation passive. Même si l'effet semble un peu exagérée (effet de couplage), le modèle commence effectivement déjà à isoler dans les basses fréquences (merci les nouveaux écouteurs). En bleu : la réduction de bruit active, très régulière et très importante

Passive insulation has also been improved, starting enough early in the mediums (it even tickles the bass).As with many other products, we only have a small drop in insulation around 1 kHz, more or less important depending on the placement in the ear (often worse than what we can observe on this curve).

The attenuation of the treble is ultimately quite classic, even if already important.Sony has chosen to mitigate fairly regular, almost equivalent (with large shades) throughout the spectrum.Inevitably, intra headphones with longer cannula, like Etymotic for example (very intrusive earphones in the ear), are still well above.

In addition to this noise reduction mode up to expectations, the transparency mode is quite successful.Really useful once pushed to the bottom, it does not allow you to recover the entire high-medium and treble, but does better than the majority of the other headphones.Only AirPods Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are really superior in natural.Others, like the 85T jabra, are not fundamentally below.

Great novelty, the Main-Libre kit can finally be used, leaving the catastrophic rendering of WF-1000XM3 far behind behind.WF-1000XM4 are not yet the most natural in the world on the reproduction of voices, but rank in good students in the matter.In addition, a bone conduction system makes it possible to recognize and isolate the voice more easily in a noisy environment.Difficult to maintain the sound quality of a bose headphones 700 in these cases, but a conversation remains largely possible.Again, hard to talk about the best of the kind.Other actors, such as the Galaxy Buds Pro or the Airpods Pro are a little better, and the Jabra 85T are generally as good.

A autonomy of all records, without LDAC

With an autonomy announced at 12 noon without anc, and 8 a.m. with Anc, Sony hits very hard on paper.And the least we can say is that the brand has not lied.Listening to the same sound level as in our habits, we reached just over 9:15 a.m. with ANC (AAC Codec), and around 1:45 p.m. without ANC, which is really in the best of its kind.Note that the WF-1000XM4 sound fairly strong.Thus, a volume of 50 % is more than enough in most cases, which undoubtedly explains the performance in our test.

Conversely, and we could suspect it, the use of the LDAC codec changes the situation.Very demanding in a strip-through, heavier to treat, and therefore more energy-consuming, it brings back autonomy at approximately 5 h 10 with anc and approximately 7:40 am in AAC, about 45 % less than in AAC in thetwo cases.A logical figure, very impressive, but paradoxically quite optimized (loss of rather 60 % on the few LDAC Bluetooth headphones with neck).

Complete recharging of headphones takes approximately 1 hour, knowing that barely 20 min is enough for a load of 50%.Finally the charging box loses just over 35 % per recharging, which involves approximately 3 additional charges.In the end, it is possible to count on approximately 36 h in anc (cycle of headphones in AAC + 3 box charges) in total.

Powerful and sweet

The sound part of WF-1000XM4, even more than all the others, is expected at the turn.The manufacturer does not revolutionize its recipe, since it is always a transducer made in Sony of 6 mm which built.Nevertheless, it is of new design, with in particular the use of a 20% wider locking torque.For the rest, mystery.We can put on that the manufacturer incorporates a polymer membrane, quite classic in the Sony universe.

We could expect the WF-1000XM4 to take the rather in vi (fairly sharp) signature of the WF-1000XM3, Sony, on the contrary, was tempted by a more passout approach, much closer to what existson its WH-1000XM3 and Wh-1000XM4 helmets.

Petite canule, petite transducteur, mais gros effet

The sound is powerful, fairly round, slightly behind in the treble, but above all very intelligently set for headphones of this type.Ace title, there are some similarities with the Sennheiser Momentum Tw2.The latter are not sound clones, far from it, but remain the nearest high -end headphones, whether in terms of sound signature and technical quality.

Without being the best of its kind, the bass are in the full mastery, with obvious accentuation, but far from being too advanced.The WF-1000XM4 know how to combine a good base with great technicality, which makes it a product perfectly suited to all genres, at least on this level.Quite balanced, the mediums follow this trend, being perfectly in their place, without giving a feeling of lack (no veil) or exaggeration.They are quite technical in their balance, with a beautiful reproduction of the voices.Of course, users will prefer a little more marked accentuation around the 1 kHz, which would have made it possible to open the scene a little more.

Différentes réponses en fréquence (compensées) des écouteurs. En violet (placement un peu plus naturel) et en rouge,la réponse avec ANC avec différent positionnement dans l'oreille. Envert et orange, réponses sans ANC (différents positionnements également)

But precisely, even by noting treble (between 1 and 8 kHz) sufficiently set back for it to be felt on listening, the headphones retain an excellent level of details and an extremely wide and deep sound scene for True Wireless, potentiallyIn what is best in the matter.

Sony places a fairly dry peak around the 10 kHz, quite aClassical thing, which has the effect of bringing shine and ventilation to listening.If this accentuation can become a little excessive or even artificial on certain sounds (cymbal type), most of the tracks are almost impeccable in the genre.

In pure quality, as we have said, only the Sennheiser Momentum Tw2 really approach.The technicality of their transducers, their ability to collect difficulties without becoming drafts, all this places them extremely close to each other.Sony will however offer a slightly rounder and ample rendering, when the Sennheiser are a little more sharp and dry in the bass.

Samsung, Sennheiser, Bose, autres Sony, les WF-1000Xm4 se classent dans l'excellence

The Samsung Galaxy Pro, very different on sound architecture, are less technical on bass and mediums, but display a slightly superior mastery of treble (even if further).The Devialet Gemini, excellent technically too, will satisfy much more lovers of bass.The French brand is certainly not as brilliant on the treble and mediums, but the impact and the power of the headphones is really at the top.

It is important to specify that in passive mode (without anc), the bass are a little less highlighted, even almost balanced.The difference is not gigantic, but already very noticeable.

As often with Sony, everything is a matter of noise nuances.Unlike WH-1000XM4, WF-1000XM4 never sounds veiled or soft, which is one of the possible reproaches that we can make in the helmet.WF-1000XM4 are a little more measured at the bottom of the spectrum, which is more pleasant most of the time.

In short, headphones that are in the best in the matter.Not the kings of balance, nor the model that ranks at this point above the fray, but the proof that Sony perfectly controls Sonsujet.

LDAC, DSEE Extreme, Hi-Rés, and other frivolities

There is not only one listening method with the Sony WF-1000XM4, at least in theory.Indeed, the brand implemented, a bit like a mass argument, the LDAC in zero-fil headphones, this in addition to the classics SBC and AAC.Although not lossless in theory, this 24 -bit/96 kHz codec (allowing to reproduce up to a frequency of 48 kHz) created by Sony is almost inseparable from a CD quality.As such, it even exceeds the possible signal/noise ratio of a CD (without déher) and enjoys a much lower distortion rate than on the other codecs.The security codec in short.In practice, this is not what will transcend listening makes a "correct" codec.

This is found quite well with the Sony WF-1000XM4.Even if 100% Sony Hardware side, they only very difficult to forward the difference between LDAC and AAC.It is possible to find the difference between the two, but on fairly specific points, on which the ear do not stop necessarily in normal times (you just have to know where to look).Ex: lower background noise by pushing the volume on the end of notes/echo, or even a lower drop in the treble (AAC which generally flakes from 16 kHz on most Android encoders).In short, if it brings security, the difference in quality does not honestly worth the drop in autonomy or the few instabilities.The quality of transducers and sound processing makes the vast majority of work, and a good mix of sound tracks makes the rest.

Fenêtre plus précise (14 kHz - 20 kHz) de la réponse en fréquence suivant les codecs (encodeur du pixel 3XL). En vert, codec AAC ; rouge, AAC avec algo DSEE Extreme ; en violet, LDAC ; en bleu, LDAC et DSEE Extreme

For those who are looking for the sacrosanct quality hi-res, which would allow these headphones on paper (hi-res certified), with the supposed contribution of frequencies beyond 20 kHz (subject to debate), the observation is already complicated: With a dedicated Sennheiser microphone, which can reach the 50 kHz without too much worries, we could see that the headphones, however in LDAC (24 bits/96 kHz) were not further than 25 kHz.Already very good, but far from the 40 kHz that involves on paper a hi-res certification.

The DSEE Extreme, algorithm of sound improvement Sony, is still a little more vague.Indeed, this algorithm offers to use AI to improve the sound rendering of music, especially on the treble.For lack of technical detail, we cannot go further.For our part, we were not able, blind, to perceive any difference.This difference exists well to the measurement (although the measure is not the optimal solution), in any case with the AAC codec, partly slowing down the decline from 17 kHz.

Price and availability

Sony WF-1000XM4: Clubic opinion

Mastered from start to finish, the Sony WF-1000XM4 are headphones that take almost all boxes.Extremely enduring, veryizing, technically brilliant, with an impressive number of relief, they also improve on the hand-free part.An autop product, but which could have really sink the point.

Sony WF-1000XM4

9

At the top of the True Wireless pyramid, the Sony WF-1000XM4 offer a good improvement compared to the previous generation.Sound quality, insulation, autonomy, almost everything is impeccable.Not perfect, not yet, but almost.

Most

The lessers

Construction8

Comfort8

Ergonomics9

Insulation9

Autonomy9

Sound quality9

249 €

Construction 8

Comfort 8

Ergonomics 9

Insulation 9

Autonomy 9

Sound quality 9

249 € Cet article contient des liens d'affiliation, ce qui signifie qu'une commission peut être reversée à Clubic. Les prix mentionnés sont susceptibles d'évoluer. Lirela charte de confiance