Sony has been at the forefront of audio technology and has been consistently feeding the Indian market with premium audio products. This time the brand just redefined the flagship TWS segment with the WF-1000XM4 in India. Sony has introduced a completely overhauled successor to the WF-1000XM3 TWS earbuds. A new design language and improved internals are what you see with the new TWS earbuds.
Sony has priced the WF-1000XM4 at Rs. 19,900 in India and is selling it via both online and offline retail channels. If you are wondering how worthy the Sony WF-1000XM4 is of an upgrade, you have stopped at the right place. We at Giznext, have received this premium TWS earbuds for review and are sharing our feedback on its audio as well as overall user experience.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Design: Finally A Compact Design
Remember the WF-1000XM3’s big charging case and earbuds? You don’t see that anymore with the WF-1000XM4. Sony has completely redesigned the new TWS earbuds from scratch. From charging case to eartips and even the packaging, the WF-1000XM4 has it all new. The TWS earbuds ship inside specially designed recycled paper packaging. With this, the company has tried to get rid of the excess plastic wrappings and casings used for retail box shipments.
The WF-1000XM4’s charging case is now compact and designed pill-shaped. You wouldn’t struggle this time with sliding this TWS earbud down your pockets. The charging case is lightweight so are the earbuds. So, you don’t just get an easily portable unit but also one that comfortably sits in your ear. The earbuds still appear bulky, but then looks can be deceptive at times. No silicone eartips; the 1000XM4 sets this league-high with memory foams. This allows for comfortable wear along even for a longer duration.
Likewise the previous-generation model (WF-1000XM3), the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are also touch-enabled. The left earbud has the preset modes to activate Ambient Sound and ANC, while the right erarbuds lets you control audio and media playback. You wouldn’t find any issues while using the tap/slide gestures. Note, the digital voice-based assistant is also supported by this pair which you can activate and use via the left earbud. Sony has also neatly designed the outer microphones that aid the Active Noise Cancellation feature.
The metallic touch on these outer speakers adds to the premium appeal. The charging case has a magnetic flip design and an LED strip is placed right below the flip. A USB Type-C port is mounted at the back with which you can refuel the case. Lastly, an IPX4 certification makes this pair splash-resistant. Sony hasn’t disappointed us in terms of WF-1000XM4’s design this time. But what about the audio? Is it as premium as the last few models or a notch above? Below is our take on the same:
Sony WF-1000XM4 Listening Experience: Yet Again No Audio Compromise
Sony has entirely re-engineered the WF-1000XM4’s internals to deliver the same but improved rich audio experience you expect from any premium audio handset. Specifically, from Sony’s audio product lineup. The WF-1000XM4 doesn’t fail to deliver on the same with its integrated V1 processor. This new Sony in-house audio chipset is promising and we can say it has enhanced the sound stage majorly. Sony has also integrated this pair with DSEE Extreme whose functionality is to upscale any compressed digital audio file in real-time to produce high-res audio.
So, expect a premium listening experience with online music streaming. Additionally, the WF-1000XM4 also supports LDAC Bluetooth audio which is the first for any premium range TWS earbuds in India. And when we speak of premium listening experience, it’s a balanced and pleasant sound output with clear details and punchy bass is what we mean. That’s what you get on the WF-1000XM4. The sound detailing is on higher levels and the bass fills through the room marginally without disturbing the other audio elements. That said, the mids and highs also have balanced notes and don’t overlap with the bass.
We tried this pair with varied music genres and have been totally impressed. At no point, you’ll see the audio distorting or muffling. That’s even at the peak volume levels. The integrated V1 processor also allows for an improved ANC experience. Sony has been leading the audio space when it comes it Active Noise Cancellation technology. The WF-1000XM4 comes as a class leader in the ANC audio segment. Thanks to the additional outer microphones, the outdoor noises are effectively canceled out. You will enjoy binge-watching shows and movies on the go and also get hooked to your favorite music playlists both outdoors and indoors without any disturbances.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Review: Connectivity, Battery Performance
The Sony WF-1000XM4 uses the latest Bluetooth technology that allows for easy pairing with smartphones, laptops, tablets, and PCs. We have also tried pairing this TWS earbuds with one of the smartTVs and were successful with the same without any hassles. It features Google fast pair technology with which it can be connected to any Android smartphone in a jiffy.
Nevertheless, if in case you are unable to somehow get done with the pairing processor, just press and hold both earbuds until you listen “Bluetooth Pairing” command. Go back to the Settings menu on your respective devices and refresh the device list.
Similar to the previous-generation WF-1000XM series TWS earbuds, the support for Sony Headphone Connect mobile app is present here as well. You can head to this smartphone music app to make use of the additional features. Take for instance, activating Quick Attention Mode, Speak to Chat, and 360-degree Reality Audio. This last feature is one of the best to tune into a 360-degree spatial sound experience. The Sony Headphone Connect mobile app also lets you toggle on the Adaptive Sound settings with which the pair optimizes sound output depending on the surrounding environment.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 delivers big on battery backup. The company claims a backup of up to 8 hours (earbuds). It’s close to what we got during our testing. The TWS earbuds deliver over 5- 6 hours of backup with medium/ high volume levels. The case packs additional 16 hours of juice. It doesn’t matter if you’re are short of time for a full recharge. The fast charging support comes to the rescue here.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Final Verdict: The Hype’s All Valid
The Sony WF-1000XM4 can be tagged as one of the best premium TWS earbud in the Indian market. Sony has definitely raised the bars with this re-designed flagship wireless earbud. It is amongst the only few audio products where none of the aspects be it design, audio output, and the battery is compromised. Besides, you can’t really miss out on the improved dynamics courtesy of modern technologies and Sony’s expertise. Keeping it short we just have to add that the Sony WF-1000XM4 ticks all the boxes in the premium TWS audio category.
