The difference is clear when compared by listening, the WF-1000XM4 is not an updated version but a complete model change (Masaichi Honda)

The review of WF-1000XM4 has been lifted, and many evaluation articles have begun to appear. The name is "M4", that is, the mark 4 is positioned as an updated version of the previous work, but this product has improved in terms of sound quality and functionality so that it seems that the model name can be changed.

There are topics such as driver improvements, LDAC support, miniaturization and weight reduction, but the information about that is probably more abundant on Sony's own site.

Therefore, in this column, I would like to focus on the difference in sound quality compared to the previous model, usability and wearing feel. …… And let's write the conclusion before that.

Regarding sound quality, although it is a completely wireless format where noise processing is extremely difficult, it has a wide range and straightforward sound creation, and there are few strengths and weaknesses. In terms of functionality, the points that have been surpassed by rivals in the two years since its release have been steadily crushed, and originality has also been added.

Like the WF-1000XM3 (which will be sold together until the end of the year), it was finished to compete for two years as a new flagship.

WF-1000XM4 Black (Amazon.co.jp)

WF-1000XM4 Platinum Silver (Amazon.co.jp)

More important than DSEE Extreme installed, LDAC, 360RA compatible

Digital products tend to be biased toward spec evaluation, but the WF-1000XM4 is a pure audio product before it was a digital gadget. Therefore, the "quality" of the sound is required above all.

Then, to install DSEE Extreme that adaptively complements the information lost by the compressed sound source by making full use of AI technology, to support LDAC that realizes high resolution of 48kHz / 24bit with Bluetooth, or to create a profile for 360 Reality Audio. However, I personally feel that even that is an additional factor in the case of this product.

The good thing about the WF-1000XM4 is that the S / N of the basic system has improved, and the sound is flatter and wider than the previous work. And along with that, changes can be seen in the sound making.

It is very difficult to improve the S / N of a completely wireless earphone (True Wireless Stereo: TWS) because the wireless part, digital signal processing part, and audio part such as amplifier and driver are mixed in a small housing. It can be said that how to put together the quality of the sound in a difficult situation is the showcase of the manufacturer's skill.

In the case of WF-1000XM3, the lowest range did not extend much, so I pushed the mid bass a little and made it sound like a production. Rather than extending the band or drawing out the amount of information in the high range, it seems to suppress unpleasant sounds. I think it was a tuning that added a certain kind of heat to the music, as well as a production that made the mid bass feel like a push because of the thickness of the midrange.

Rather than listening to music analytically, it was a well-thought-out design in a completely wireless package, considering that it would be used on the move or in a cafe on the go in everyday life.

However, two years after that, the first impression I heard was that the WF-1000XM4 had a scalpel in the essential part. The low-frequency reproduction band has expanded, and the tendency to push the mid-bus has greatly receded. There is an unsatisfactory increase in the high range and an increase in the amount of information, but there is no nuance that seems to be messy or tired to hear due to poor S / N.

In other words, it has become wide range and flat, but since it is closer to the target direction in terms of audio, there is no need to deceive it with ingenuity, that is, even light makeup has improved enough. I think it's the point of the generation.

A wide range of matches from contemporary synth bass to acoustic recordings

If you can compete with the original sound quality of the product with light makeup, the genre of played music that you are not good at will decrease. Let's introduce specific music examples from the playlist used when evaluating AirPods MAX.

Zamvoro's "In love and War" has a deep and elastic baseline, Billie Eilish's "bury a friend" has a synth bass that makes you feel like you're hitting hard rubber, The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" If you compare the songs that are particular about the bass tone, such as the bass tone that hits the brain of the synth, with the previous model, you can see that the drawing can be done more clearly.

This is the same for acoustic songs, and Jennifer Warnes's "Way Down Deep" percussion instrument, which has been often used for sound quality evaluation since ancient times, reproduced the atmosphere without destroying the atmosphere.

Of course, since it is an earphone, it does not require the depth and volume of over-ear headphones. For example, the texture of the bass drum and bass at the beginning of Shelby Lynne's "Just A Little Lovin'" is just the atmosphere, and the super bass sound effect at the beginning of "The Look of love" featuring Fergie by Sergio Mendes is reproduced. You can't, but it's the same with other earphones.

However, since the production of directing sounds is refrained, the sounds made by stacking on the base can be heard in a well-balanced manner. The amount of information is abundant, and the feeling of air clinging around the voice and the goodness of the rim shot are clearly heard.

Well-balanced S / N and no quirks, so I'm not bad at classical music. "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor" conducted by Leopold Stokowski draws the expression of music from the fortissimo of an orchestra with more than 100 people to the solo tone of piccolo. The polite depiction of the sound field may be more different in chamber music such as string trios.

Again, as a result of raising the basics of an audio product, we have climbed the stage from the area of ​​"adjusting the quality and listening to music happily" to the area of ​​"expressing music more straightforwardly". I think it's a change from M3 to M4.

Noise canceling is on par with over-ear models

On the other hand, regarding the noise canceling function, as Sony itself is appealing, the accuracy of signal processing has improved, and the amount of noise reduction and the band have increased. However, the most noticeable thing is that the change in the eartips has increased the amount of "passive" noise cutoff.

Active noise cancellation (adding sounds of opposite phase in signal processing) can be removed more accurately and more in the lower frequency band due to its mechanism. Passive is more effective in blocking high-frequency noise, even though it has become possible to handle even higher frequencies due to improved capabilities.

The eartips of WF-1000XM4 are urethane foam that is also used for earplugs. It is a material that is also used in Comply ear tips, but it is harder and has a smoother surface finish than Comply. Earwax is hard to get on and it seems to be durable. Sony itself says that it has made it as durable as conventional ear tips.

With this combination of eartips and improved active noise canceling ability, noise canceling ability close to that of the over-ear WH-1000XM4 has been obtained.

In addition, the "external sound capture" function, which was a personal dissatisfaction with the conventional model, has also been improved, making it possible to feel the surrounding atmosphere more naturally. This function can be said to be indispensable when walking or running in the city while enjoying music, but since the captured sound has become natural, there is less discomfort to your voice when using it for online meetings etc. feel.

It should be noted that "Speak to Chat", which automatically mutes when you start talking and allows you to talk without stopping the music, was very convenient.

DSEE Extreme and LDAC that make sense after improving the basics

Now, I would like to talk a little about DSEE Extreme and LDAC.

Perhaps you've been looking forward to seeing these two features in your fully wireless earphones, and you'll be wondering why the ratings are postponed. In the first place, these two technical elements have no meaning unless they are at a certain level as an audio device.

The former is a technology that makes compressed music sound like high resolution, and the latter is a function that allows you to enjoy high resolution with Bluetooth. It should be noted that LDAC is not supported by the iPhone and not all Android devices are equipped with it, but it should be considered more than that, unless both have the ability to convey more than a certain amount of information. It doesn't make much sense in the first place.

With that in mind, the WF-1000XM4 has the slight nuances of a high-resolution master sound source, the power to convey a sense of air, and the sound that can be conveyed, so I think it makes sense to install it. However, this depends on the situation in which it is used, and isn't it necessarily an important point in evaluating this machine? That's an honest impression.

The image of using completely independent wireless earphones is stronger when you are on the go or on the move than when you use them calmly in a quiet place. If you use it in a quiet and calm environment such as at home, the elements of DSEE Extreme and LDAC may be important, but if you use it when you are on the move or at a cafe on the go, you do not need such detailed nuances. think.

Rather, I personally think that it is better to use the WF-1000XM4 for a longer period of time without recharging, although the total battery life has increased.

Therefore, DSEE Extreme and LDAC are not high priority, but if they are effective, of course. In particular, DSEE Extreme is well-made, and it is a well-made function in the sense that it feels like a purely wide range without side effects such as a strong feeling of high frequencies.

However, what readers should emphasize in their own evaluation is their own sensibility, "how they feel" when listening to this product. Information such as support related to sound quality should be considered as a reference only.

The forerunner and favorite of the new generation TWS that will appear in large numbers

As I said, fully wireless earphones are a tough product in terms of sound quality. Since various elements are packed in a small body, it is difficult to manage noise, so various means are required to adjust the sound quality. The more you do, the lower the quality of the sound, so the manufacturer's true intention is that you don't want to mess with it if possible.

This is the same for all manufacturers, and it is influenced not only by the audio design but also by the making of the chip that controls the entire product. In that sense, the WF-1000XM4 may have a strong meaning as a pioneer in the sales battle after this year.

Although the price range is one step lower, Beats, an Apple company, has announced that Beats by Dr. Dre, Beats Studio Buds will be released this summer. Although it is a Beats brand completely wireless earphone, it is set at 17,800 yen including tax, which is lower than this product. Since the brand of "Studio", which is the origin of the company, is listed, it is expected that the sound will be different from the Apple brand.

There will be some other rivals towards the end of the year, but considering the sound quality, noise canceling ability, variety and perfection of various functions, the year-end sales season is still far away, but the new generation It is no exaggeration to say that he was the forerunner of TWS and jumped into his favorite.

WF-1000XM4 Black (Amazon.co.jp)

WF-1000XM4 Platinum Silver (Amazon.co.jp)