If you liked this video, I have several other BIG ones coming soon! Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out! ua-cam.com/users/mikeobrienmedia EDIT: *These don't really have master-slave connection (sort of) - You can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. In my original testing, I had the voice assistant enabled (as I assume most people would) and my device would never connect to the left bud while the right was in the case. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange!*
Mike O’Brien…The only way I’ll strongly consider these is if, and only if, the call quality on these are 1000 times better than their predecessors because outside the sound, the fact that they kept disconnecting, the call quality was straight GARBAGE!👎🏽👎🏽
It's not the price that I mind so much as the fact that these will end up in landfill in less than 2 years. I have a pair of WF-1000XM3's which are less than a year old and the right earbud already keeps flaking out on me. That was the last time I'll drop that much money on a pair of earbuds.
This unit is not a master slave connection, they are independent earbuds, but you cannot use voice assistant or they will not function independently. I turned on voice assistant and lost independent use, then turned it off and regained it.
This nearly made me cancel my order, but i had seen them tested on another channel and they worked independently. Very misleading statement. Needs to be corrected asap.
11:19 I just watched Flossy Carter’s review of these and he tested having one bud in case and one in ear and both worked for him. If you are curious, time stamp for this testing in his review is 18:43
These earbuds have a strange quirk. I really dug into this after seeing many comments like yours and it turns out you can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. In my original testing, I had the voice assistant enabled (as I assume most people would) and my device would never connect to the left bud while the right was in the case. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange. Thanks for sharing!
@@MikeOBrienMedia Don’t other non master slave connection suffer from this? Are those only Sony’s? If so, it really is strange. If it wouldn’t be too much of request for you, I would ask you to test if with other non master slave’s (if they do connect without turning off voice assistant) does the voice assistant itself work with only 1 earbud (both for left and for right). Thanks for the effort
I currently use the precious version of these earbuds (the Xm3) and I frequently listen to only 1 earbud. I also choose to not use the voice Assistant because I don't think it's that useful on earbuds.. but I'm not sure if they changed the type of connection from 1 Gen to the next
Good! I wanted to get these but when I heard you can't use only one earbud I've started to think my galaxy buds are good enough. Now I have an excuse to spend more money!
Increasing the high end level within the equaliser is something I also do whenever I get a new device or headphone. Those details go a long way in improving the overall sharpness of the audio... Thanks for highlighting the core difference between the XM3s' and XM4s'. I really love Hi-Res audio.
i love that sony makes one of the best consumer headphones but don't touch "pro" name, because they make actual professional stuff and knows what that mean
The "pro" naming is purely marketing. Professional earbuds would be in-ear monitors. Really, anything could be deemed "pro" if you use them and they effective in a professional environment. It's really telling when you have to throw "Max" in with the "pro". Lol The other ones were pro, but these are pro to the max! 🤣
I was listing to an audiobook last night with one in my ear and switched to other ear when laying the opposite way . You can use one bud just to be clear
You can listen to just one separately while the other is charging…either left or right. That’s one if the features I was looking for and it can be done. I’m sure you’ve figure that out by now. It’s a great feature. ✌️
Is there a reason he said the opposite in his video? Is it a setting out something? That’s a big issue for me as I only use one at a time during working hours
The xm3 earbuds were some of the easiest to repair earbuds so I think these should be relatively easy as well. Might be a little tougher due to the water resistance.
Personally, I preferred your typical blurred green background thumbnails. This style reminds me of Gamesky and other reviewers, and it's almost a bit typical. Still not bad though, I just think the green blurred background was more unique
They fit good, but if your ears are too small like mine the top part even with proper adjustment will strain them after 5 minutes, I had to take mine back which is unfortunate because I love the quality, also they literslly sound the same as the 3s
Hi Mike, those work like WF-1000XM3, you can use either left or right. Just remove google assistant on one of the earbud. Can you please comment the sound quality vs XM3, MTW2, PI7, etc... Thanks
I was just looking for ear bud reviews, and early in the video I saw callouses on your fingers and thought, "That's an unusual spot for a callous, I bet he's a drummer." At 10:40 you confirmed it! Ha, I can recognize those callouses anywhere! Thanks for the info!
About a year ago I was turned on to your channel, and I watched a bunch of your earbud videos to find one that checked all of the boxes. I really wanted something on the high end with a small form factor, good ANC, and wireless charging, and the only one that checked all those boxes at the time was the Jabra Elite 85t's, so I ended up picking those up even though their sound quality isn't on the same level as Sennheiser, Bose, and Sony. Now you're telling me there is a set of buds that checks all of those boxes AND has top level sound?? I may have to see if anyone would want to buy my Jabras so I can pick these up... Thanks for everything you do, ever since I found your channel I have been loving all of your reviews.
Tony, please send me your source. When listening to these earbuds, I have tried taking the right out and placing it in the case. When you do this, the earbuds disconnect. My testing has yet to produce different results EDIT: you can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange. Thanks for sharing!
I have pre-ordered them in Germany two days ago and have watched basically every review that has been released for them. This one was definitley one of my favorites, great job :)
You won't be disappointed. I've had mine since the 10th and they're my new favorites. Easily has the best ANC I've ever used. It's almost a safety hazard it's so quiet haha.
@@tommoshos Happy to hear that :D Yeah, I can't wait! I never had ANC headphones and I used the Jaybird Vistas before. I really really loved them for their portability. The size of the case and buds was what turned me off the XM3s originally, although I would have liked the ANC. Also their shape and not being IP cetified made them seem a poor choice for sports in general. Now since my Vistas broke and Amazon refunded me the full price, upgrading to the XM4s was a no-brainer :) I just hope it's possible to use them for sport aswell but that's not my main priority. The ANC seems like the more important feature in retrospect but the XM4s seem to have adressed most flaws that made me go with Jaybird Vista over the XM3s anyway.
@@aarencochran4505 @FightinhNavyman both the things you're asking tend to need appropriate hardware for it. Do not discard it but definetly do not expect it
So how are they. I’ve been trying to decide between those or the sennheiser momentum 2’s. I have weird ears though that never work with earbuds and may be stuck with the xm2 headphones for a while longer if none of these fit.
Hmmm🤔 , others have said you can listen to the buds independently. You're literally the first one to say otherwise. Edit: went and rechecked and most definitely you are incorrect that The buds cannot be used Independently. Doesn't matter if it's left or right. They don't use hero and sidekick connection. You need to correct that in the video. It's a major oversight.
@@neelsn007 the verge review was the only one who mentioned he had problems with them connecting. Maybe a pre-retail issue I guess. Still he should correct that.
I saw another reviewer say you can't use the buds independently if the voice assistant is turned on. The voice assistant has to be turned off first. If turned on, only the right earbud will work alone.
Great review, Mike! I got the XM3s refurbished from Amazon for about $100 a few months ago. Excellent earbuds, but they have about half the battery life of these (at volume 3 as controlled by Alexa). I get about 4 hours out of them. So I'm really looking forward to trying the XM4s. I'm going to wait until the price comes down a little, though. $280 is a little too rich for my blood. I do wish Sony would improve the touch controls, though. It's kind of irritating to have to choose between the voice assistant (which I use all the time) and volume control. I guess I could sacrifice the playback features, but that wouldn't be a great experience.
@@JoeGillian0 why buy premium earbuds then turn off all their premium features? If you don't care about ANC or the specific codecs then why not buy a budget option? You're wasting the tech, not using it smartly.
I've been going nuts waiting for Amazon to get these in stock. They keep saying _in stock soon.¹_ And the shipping dates keep changing as a result (tbh, it's a little weird to watch). I could just go down the road and get them from _Best Buy,_ but they only give 15 days for returns. I found with something as personally invasive as an earbud, sometimes a design doesn't work for a particular individual. In fact, I've returned two pairs of earbuds already including the XM3's. Given the price, I struggled and sold a lot of things to get the money for these. And I appreciate the luxury of being able to return them in 30 days if they turn out to be uncomfortable for my ear shape, or an emergency comes up.² Didn't intend to write so much. Sorry. ··•✺•·· ¹ ─ Oddly enough, just the other night the silver/white ones were in stock for 45 mins, but then gone. Either it was a technical flub, or they had a few ready to sell and sold out right away.🤷🏼♂️ ² ─ Something suddenly becomes more of a priority later, and I need that money.
Might be an odd question, but what t-shirt were you wearing in this video? I’ve been looking for basic tees that have slim sleeves, and that tee looks great on you!
@Miguel The noice cancelling is top-notch like can't even hear my voice and the sound quality is also real good due to the use of ldac but its a bit on the bassier side rather than the cleaner side. If I had to say it gets too bassy at th max volumes but otherwise its great alot better than my previous galaxy buds
11:20 is NOT a "Master - Slave" connection as you say, you CAN connect to whichever earbud you want, I'm actually listening to this video using the left bud only to make sure 😂 bf typing this. Great review other than that, thanks for sharing. I have the Sennheisers M2's and it's pretty close so far.
Wow, cool! I'm actually just trying to decide between the M2 and the XM4. Feature-wise, the XM4 definitely have it, but how would you describe the sound quality difference? I mainly listen to instrumental/acoustic music, podcasts etc, so a natural sound is important to me. I'd be super glad if you could tell me your experience with those :)
@@hansmuller1846 I was on a similar boat as I have the Sennheisers M2's and was looking to update to the Sennheisers M3's if they came out now but here went Sony to mess up my plan with this M4's release first😂. Long story short I got the Sony's too but I'm really struggling to let go of my Sennheisers as the sound is as good and at times better with instruments separation and sound stage (slightly). The Sony's have better battery 🔋live at 8hrs and I do like that since I travel a lot, they also slightly better noise canceling in some low frequencies, wireless charging and independent earbuds (no master slave crap like the Sennies). They lack in touch customization if you are used to the Sennheisers superb customization controls. If Sound is the main reason I'd go with the Sennheisers M2's that you dan get cheaper around $250 online but if you are looking for updated features as mentioned above I'd buy the Sony's at $300 after tax. Hope this helps
@@SVladimirjb Thanks for the reply! Now that really makes me think whether the Sonys would be such a good choice for me... I'll try to have a test-listening to them and then decide whether that's good enough for me. You helped a lot, thanks! :)
Thanks for the review, Mike. I had XM3s and had to return it because it hurts my ears so bad after about 20-30 mins. How's XM4 on long wear comfort? I really want one but having doubt about it.
I have the senheiser momentum ,dont have the Sony but my friend has and i could say the Sony sound quality better than mine ! What they call LDAC really make a big diference in quality but iphone have a bad bluetooth audio quality no way to make it sound better because iphone doesnt have this LDAC ,fuck apple
@@musicislife7512 My exact thoughts everyday. Still no Ldac and aptx support and we get the headphone jack removed… my next phone just might be an android.
Quick question: If I’ve configured an EQ preset, do they remember the latest one set, or do they need to connect to the app first and then apply it? I.e, if I connect to a device without the app, does it default back to how everything was out of the box, or does it remember custom settings such as different controls? Also, other reviewers have stated that the buds DO connect individually. Are you possibly using an out-of-date firmware? Thanks a ton. Great video!
The buds connect do independently, there's no master slave problem here. Sony specifically mentioned this in their press conference. Please correct it bro.
Only if your phone supports Bluetooth 5.2, if your phone is older the buds will work on master slave mode, even then most earbuds can switch master (airpods / Galaxy buds do), so you still can use then independently, which does not mean the phone connects to each side independently as in by 5.2.
This unit is not a master slave connection, they are independent earbuds, but you cannot use voice assistant or they will not function independently. I turned on voice assistant and lost independent use, then turned it off and regained it.
Most phones using Bluetooth 5.0 and below can't send audio to more than one device at the same time, that's why you can't use two Bluetooth speakers at the same time (or two independent earbuds), but it is supported with newer versions and dual implementations like Samsung's
I have a doubt, does ANC work only when something is being played ? Let's say you just connect the buds to your mobile device and turn on anc, will you be able to hear the outside world?
I would like to request that these are compared head-to-head with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds. These are highly underrated even by Bose. They have significantly better battery time than advertised the noise cancellation is second to none, they even have a decent software stack with no advertisements.
Good video. Hope the foam pads fit my ears. NB: When filming black objects with a brighter background, crank up the brightness, otherwise the detail of black objects get lost .
Do these finally dethrone the Sennheiser MTW 2 (with high end sound tuning on) in terms of sound quality? Do you intend to review the Bowers and Wilkins PI7?
I bought them after seeing your video and they are fantastic! Well worth the money! And I have the TW2 buds which are awesome buds! But theses Sonys are the new king of buds in my book.
Hello Mike, thanks a lot for this review video. Can you say anything about how these XM4's compare to Senny's wireless momentum 2's? Christmas is coming up and I need to decide which one of these to ask santa for :-) I have Sennheiser's momentum 3 over-ear wireless headphones and generally I'm pretty happy with the sound signature but are the Wireless Momentum 2's as good as the XM4's? I'm the kind of guy who pays Tidal for a lossless subscription so sound quality is a big factor for me. Would you say that Apt-X is as good as LDAC in that respect?
I personally prefer In-ear for daily commutes (pre pandemic) and over the ear for home listening when am alone, and speakers when there is someone around, so we can still talk.
@@AshishSharma-dq2ii I have the WH-1000XM4 as well, i dont like it too much and rarely use it at home...If i did not have already the WF-1000XM3, i imagine i would probably sell the headset as well to replace it by the WF-1000XM4 or something else.
How was the fit for these while excersisng? They seem bulkier than most other buds (Sennhiser, Galaxy) but unlike really bulky buds (Bose) don't have wing tips to compensate.
"You're limited to only connecting to one device at a time" - can you recommend another pair of earbuds that can connect to more devices and at the same time are not much worse in terms of sound quality and ANC?
I'm on the same boat. I'm leaning towards the Jabra Elite 85t. Almost universally positive as far as reviews go, and probably the best one with multi point. My only worry is the mic quality and maybe, just the fit. I used the Samsung Ear Buds Plus for about a year. When I ran 10-15k I didn't have to adjust ONCE. I hope the 85t's live up to the same level of fit quality. For mic quality I see mixed opinions on UA-cam reviews.
Great review as always, thanks. Man, great tech but you have to sacrifice ANC/Ambient toggle for volume controls? And no independent use unless you turn off voice controls? C'mon Sony...
I love these earbuds, but the foam ear tips that Sony provide are the most uncomfortable thing I've ever worn. I've had to replace them with the silicone tips from my Galaxy Buds Pro. Any replacement suggestions would be appreciated!
sony silicone tops are available if u look on eBay or Sony shops. Amazon also has them, also if u squeeze the foam tips then put them in and let them expand according to ur ear it’d feel better.
Thank you so much for this review, you saved me a lot of money. I have been eyeing these for ages and was finally going to bite the bullet and get a pair but not being able to use only one earbud while the other is in the case is a dealbreaker for me as I do this all the time.
Was just writing this same exact comment as I was in the same position. But check out this guy's correction in the info and the comments here, mate. He was wrong, you CAN use only one earbud.
I’m wearing these as I watch your review, and with ANC activated, I can even hear a mourning dove hooting in far-off distance, as well as far-off airplanes. Do know that I squished the memory foam, and I jammed and twisted these things into my ears until the app on my iPad said that I had a proper, air-tight fit. So now, my ears hurt badly after all that, and I still hear low frequency noises clear as day!?
Hey thanks for the vid! Always enjoy your work. A question if you don't mind: is it possible to set up the controls so that it can adjust volume, play/pause, skip, and cycle through ANC / ambient mode? Thanks in advance.
Not possible to have all those functionalities at once, unfortunately. The only workaround would be to have some assistant like google assistant turned on and you ask them to, for example, lower and increase volume. I hope they make an update to all for full functionality, esp if I could do it on one earbud
I ordered this yesterday and can't wait to try them out tomorrow when they arrive! Replacing my silly Galaxy Bud Beans. Hoping for louder and more bass!
Hi! Like your channel. I have the jabra elite active 75t. Is there any upgrade if i go for the sony wf-1000xm4 they are now here in Norway over 800kr cheaper. Or is the jabra good enough. regards Kjetil
Hey.. thanks for the video.. had a small question, can you share this earbuds in a call and would mic work for both of the individuals.. I am talking about two people sharing one bud each for music, movies and call.. I am not sure if the mic would work if you are sharing the buds in a call
just picked these up! do you know of any way to quickly turn on ‘speak to chat’ without toggling in the app? would be nice to double tap the left bud to activate for a few minutes when needed then turn back off
I have the WH1000XM3 and don't really see the need to upgrade; but i love the WF line earbuds. I'm def. getting these. Btw, these look great in your ears.
Does it really does not support 2 connections at once? I thought it would follow the XM4 headset that allows it. Another doubt: do they have any sensor do pause automatically when taken off ?
They do have auto play/pause. I tried to connect to two devices at once, but the earbuds disconnected completely from the first device when I established the new connection
My AirPods Pro fall out of my ear even with memory foam tips I love the sound do you guys think these would be better ? Or should I just get over ear ones ?
I'm using these at the gym no problem. I also had the senheiser momentum 2, they fit well. I prefer the Sony for the noise cancelling and battery. The sennies sounded a bit better.
One doubt.. 1.Either these earphones or Sony wh 1000 mx4 .. is battery replaceable after 2 or 3 years?.. And another question is.. 2.Heard that in Sony wh 1000 mx4 when they are used via wire , mic doesn't work.. Is it true?
My old earbuds+ gone dud on the left completely Im thinking of getting these, are they good for the gym, i've been thinking whether these or an over the ear design thats great to work out in and for commuting, portability isnt a concern I always keep my gym bag which fits a large headphone
I’ve listened to the right earbud on its own and used it for phone calls which must mean that the right bud is the master. Is that right channel only or does it switch to mono when you use only one bud?
If you use specialized voice assistance (Google/Alexa) and want to use an earbud independently, it will only work with the earbud with playback functionality.
If you liked this video, I have several other BIG ones coming soon! Subscribe to make sure you don't miss out!
ua-cam.com/users/mikeobrienmedia
EDIT: *These don't really have master-slave connection (sort of) - You can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. In my original testing, I had the voice assistant enabled (as I assume most people would) and my device would never connect to the left bud while the right was in the case. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange!*
I wanna se the new wear OS watch. I am so exited!
You should seriously review the sony against the Jabra elite t85 ....you will be impressed
too much warp stabilizer bro.
Mike O’Brien…The only way I’ll strongly consider these is if, and only if, the call quality on these are 1000 times better than their predecessors because outside the sound, the fact that they kept disconnecting, the call quality was straight GARBAGE!👎🏽👎🏽
It's not the price that I mind so much as the fact that these will end up in landfill in less than 2 years. I have a pair of WF-1000XM3's which are less than a year old and the right earbud already keeps flaking out on me. That was the last time I'll drop that much money on a pair of earbuds.
This unit is not a master slave connection, they are independent earbuds, but you cannot use voice assistant or they will not function independently. I turned on voice assistant and lost independent use, then turned it off and regained it.
Also he said if its a master-slave connection you cant use one only but you can only use the master side.
Yeah same I have them and it’s not master slave, but they keep their same controls as when you have both in so it could seem like it.
This nearly made me cancel my order, but i had seen them tested on another channel and they worked independently. Very misleading statement. Needs to be corrected asap.
Hey so I can use a single earbud to listen for music then use the other earbud when the other one is low in battery like samsung earbuds?\
@@markopolov2207 yes, the reviewer was mistaken. Flossy Carter shows both sides working with the other side in the case.
Got these today and they make my AirPods Pro sound like cheap knock offs, was so surprised
hows the fit?
@@tonyc2376 very well actually. Not as comfortable as the AirPods Pro, but definitely a better fit than them
Rich kid
@@amaansyed8709 32 full time working adult. So yeah… “RiCh KiD”
@@MF_OXF Do you find them falling out when moving your head and you'd have to constantly adjust them back in?
11:19 I just watched Flossy Carter’s review of these and he tested having one bud in case and one in ear and both worked for him. If you are curious, time stamp for this testing in his review is 18:43
Exactly I got these 2 days ago and can confirm this feature works.
These earbuds have a strange quirk. I really dug into this after seeing many comments like yours and it turns out you can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. In my original testing, I had the voice assistant enabled (as I assume most people would) and my device would never connect to the left bud while the right was in the case. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange. Thanks for sharing!
@@MikeOBrienMedia Don’t other non master slave connection suffer from this? Are those only Sony’s? If so, it really is strange.
If it wouldn’t be too much of request for you, I would ask you to test if with other non master slave’s (if they do connect without turning off voice assistant) does the voice assistant itself work with only 1 earbud (both for left and for right). Thanks for the effort
I currently use the precious version of these earbuds (the Xm3) and I frequently listen to only 1 earbud. I also choose to not use the voice Assistant because I don't think it's that useful on earbuds.. but I'm not sure if they changed the type of connection from 1 Gen to the next
Good! I wanted to get these but when I heard you can't use only one earbud I've started to think my galaxy buds are good enough. Now I have an excuse to spend more money!
Increasing the high end level within the equaliser is something I also do whenever I get a new device or headphone. Those details go a long way in improving the overall sharpness of the audio...
Thanks for highlighting the core difference between the XM3s' and XM4s'. I really love Hi-Res audio.
i love that sony makes one of the best consumer headphones but don't touch "pro" name, because they make actual professional stuff and knows what that mean
Seems they don't like literal names, maybe the current name means pro in their language.
@@MrJleonp more like they like literal names and do not throw the word pro when it's not for pros
I like sonys names. The other brands just sound the same, pro this and pro that.
The "pro" naming is purely marketing. Professional earbuds would be in-ear monitors. Really, anything could be deemed "pro" if you use them and they effective in a professional environment. It's really telling when you have to throw "Max" in with the "pro". Lol The other ones were pro, but these are pro to the max! 🤣
Love ur video mate...
Waited for these buds for atleast a year!!
I was listing to an audiobook last night with one in my ear and switched to other ear when laying the opposite way . You can use one bud just to be clear
You can listen to just one separately while the other is charging…either left or right. That’s one if the features I was looking for and it can be done. I’m sure you’ve figure that out by now. It’s a great feature. ✌️
Is there a reason he said the opposite in his video? Is it a setting out something? That’s a big issue for me as I only use one at a time during working hours
The xm3 earbuds were some of the easiest to repair earbuds so I think these should be relatively easy as well. Might be a little tougher due to the water resistance.
So what did we think of the new thumbnail and intro designs?
It's great keep up the good work 👏
Drawing some inspiration from MKBHD.
Nice intro.
Cool edits!, just one comment in some shots the picture is too dark and details are lost on black surfaces
Personally, I preferred your typical blurred green background thumbnails. This style reminds me of Gamesky and other reviewers, and it's almost a bit typical. Still not bad though, I just think the green blurred background was more unique
It's great!
How secure do they fit. Do you think they will stay in ear while doing light workouts, jogging, or cycling?
Absolutely, foam eartips give you very good and secure fit.
They fit really good, I love them so much more than the xm3s
Flossy carter did a video and he was shaking his head like crazy and they stayed in fine
They are actually pretty secure but it didnt fit my ear so i had to sent them back. It was hurting me all the time
They fit good, but if your ears are too small like mine the top part even with proper adjustment will strain them after 5 minutes, I had to take mine back which is unfortunate because I love the quality, also they literslly sound the same as the 3s
Was waiting on your review before I spent a penny on any earbuds. Thanks Mike
Hi Mike, those work like WF-1000XM3, you can use either left or right. Just remove google assistant on one of the earbud.
Can you please comment the sound quality vs XM3, MTW2, PI7, etc...
Thanks
Been waiting for this to come out! Saw it and dropped everything lol
I really appreciate it. As always, thanks for watching!
haha i know what you mean. same right here! thanks Mike!
Wish it had multipoint. Dealbreaker for me
I was just looking for ear bud reviews, and early in the video I saw callouses on your fingers and thought, "That's an unusual spot for a callous, I bet he's a drummer." At 10:40 you confirmed it! Ha, I can recognize those callouses anywhere! Thanks for the info!
About a year ago I was turned on to your channel, and I watched a bunch of your earbud videos to find one that checked all of the boxes. I really wanted something on the high end with a small form factor, good ANC, and wireless charging, and the only one that checked all those boxes at the time was the Jabra Elite 85t's, so I ended up picking those up even though their sound quality isn't on the same level as Sennheiser, Bose, and Sony. Now you're telling me there is a set of buds that checks all of those boxes AND has top level sound?? I may have to see if anyone would want to buy my Jabras so I can pick these up... Thanks for everything you do, ever since I found your channel I have been loving all of your reviews.
The fact is u can actually use either buds separately while other is in the case.....idk why he said u can't do it without making sure
You couldn't with the Xm3, so maybe he was thinking of those
@@SnakeEyes58 actually u can with the XM3s as well....I have a pair of those
Tony, please send me your source. When listening to these earbuds, I have tried taking the right out and placing it in the case. When you do this, the earbuds disconnect. My testing has yet to produce different results
EDIT: you can listen to just one earbud, but you need to disable voice assistant. I am not sure why this design decision was made, but it is certainly a drawback. So strange. Thanks for sharing!
@@T0NYMANUEL you couldn't do it with the xm3 when you had the Google assistant selected as one of the touch control, it may be the same here
@@MikeOBrienMedia Same with my Xm3 pair. About 18 months later, and I still can't get them to play individually while one is in my case
I have pre-ordered them in Germany two days ago and have watched basically every review that has been released for them. This one was definitley one of my favorites, great job :)
You won't be disappointed. I've had mine since the 10th and they're my new favorites. Easily has the best ANC I've ever used. It's almost a safety hazard it's so quiet haha.
@@tommoshos What other earbuds have you tried? Glad you like them!
@@tommoshos Happy to hear that :D Yeah, I can't wait! I never had ANC headphones and I used the Jaybird Vistas before. I really really loved them for their portability. The size of the case and buds was what turned me off the XM3s originally, although I would have liked the ANC. Also their shape and not being IP cetified made them seem a poor choice for sports in general. Now since my Vistas broke and Amazon refunded me the full price, upgrading to the XM4s was a no-brainer :) I just hope it's possible to use them for sport aswell but that's not my main priority. The ANC seems like the more important feature in retrospect but the XM4s seem to have adressed most flaws that made me go with Jaybird Vista over the XM3s anyway.
Wow dude. I love how you give us your real opinion, not just a spec list and some "these are the best". Keep it up dude
I'm glad you liked the video! I try to keep things honest and I try to have no brand preferences. Nobody gets a free pass on this channel!
And he is so handsome
the next update for this earbuds needs to be multi-device connection support :) would be dope
They are also need to change the style of touch pad. Instead of just tap, double tap etc. Stuff like swipe up, down, back and forth.
duable by an update?
@@Nothingactual Don’t count on it. And I doubt anyone but Sony knows if that’d be possible on their custom silicon.
@@aarencochran4505 @FightinhNavyman both the things you're asking tend to need appropriate hardware for it. Do not discard it but definetly do not expect it
The Sony Momentum 2 TWS got an update about 4 months ago that allowed for multi-point device support. I wish these can as well
I just purchased my first pair by hearing and reading all the great reviews many people are saying about the Sony WF1000XM4.
So how are they. I’ve been trying to decide between those or the sennheiser momentum 2’s. I have weird ears though that never work with earbuds and may be stuck with the xm2 headphones for a while longer if none of these fit.
Could you please make an comparison between the XM4 Earbuds and the Momentum True Wireless 2?
My biggest debate right now.
They do not use Master Slave connection nor did the XM3's and AFAIK if you disable the Assistant you can use either bud on its own.
Correct. OP is mistaken.
Hmmm🤔 , others have said you can listen to the buds independently.
You're literally the first one to say otherwise.
Edit: went and rechecked and most definitely you are incorrect that The buds cannot be used Independently. Doesn't matter if it's left or right. They don't use hero and sidekick connection.
You need to correct that in the video.
It's a major oversight.
The xm3 buds did allow individual bud use too
@@neelsn007 it's wild he put it in the video as a con and it wasn't true now or as you said with the xm3's.
Maybe he had a defective pair....idk🤷🏾♂️
@@acmeanimebhabie7623 reviewer switch between many buds all the time. Probably just confused.
@@neelsn007 the verge review was the only one who mentioned he had problems with them connecting. Maybe a pre-retail issue I guess.
Still he should correct that.
I saw another reviewer say you can't use the buds independently if the voice assistant is turned on. The voice assistant has to be turned off first. If turned on, only the right earbud will work alone.
Great review, Mike!
I got the XM3s refurbished from Amazon for about $100 a few months ago. Excellent earbuds, but they have about half the battery life of these (at volume 3 as controlled by Alexa). I get about 4 hours out of them. So I'm really looking forward to trying the XM4s. I'm going to wait until the price comes down a little, though. $280 is a little too rich for my blood.
I do wish Sony would improve the touch controls, though. It's kind of irritating to have to choose between the voice assistant (which I use all the time) and volume control. I guess I could sacrifice the playback features, but that wouldn't be a great experience.
If you disable noise cancelling and dsee HX, you should reach 7 hours with XM3 depending on the EQ on or off too
@@JoeGillian0 so just disable what makes it good
@@himlolo Nope, just use the tech and be smart about it :-)
Also DSEE HX is not great and pretty useless to me
@@JoeGillian0 why buy premium earbuds then turn off all their premium features? If you don't care about ANC or the specific codecs then why not buy a budget option? You're wasting the tech, not using it smartly.
I've watched so many reviews but nobody mentioned the auto play/pause feature
I really appreciate it 🙏💛💯
Picking these up as soon as they drop $100. They look awesome and reviews have been phenomenal. Shame the mic is so weak but oh well.
You gon wait a while then. Lol I got mine today for $280
How well do they fit inside your ear? Are they good for running?
Was waiting for this from you, mine have literally just arrived now lol. Haven’t finished watching yet but glad it’s up just in time!
I've been going nuts waiting for Amazon to get these in stock. They keep saying _in stock soon.¹_ And the shipping dates keep changing as a result (tbh, it's a little weird to watch).
I could just go down the road and get them from _Best Buy,_ but they only give 15 days for returns. I found with something as personally invasive as an earbud, sometimes a design doesn't work for a particular individual. In fact, I've returned two pairs of earbuds already including the XM3's.
Given the price, I struggled and sold a lot of things to get the money for these. And I appreciate the luxury of being able to return them in 30 days if they turn out to be uncomfortable for my ear shape, or an emergency comes up.²
Didn't intend to write so much. Sorry.
··•✺•··
¹ ─ Oddly enough, just the other night the silver/white ones were in stock for 45 mins, but then gone. Either it was a technical flub, or they had a few ready to sell and sold out right away.🤷🏼♂️
² ─ Something suddenly becomes more of a priority later, and I need that money.
Wf-1000xm4 vs jaybird Vista 2? Sound quality? Anyone out perform the other?
Was waiting for your review on these Mike. Hope you can do a comparison video of the top buds soon
The earbuds were so good, I almost forgot to make a review
Might be an odd question, but what t-shirt were you wearing in this video? I’ve been looking for basic tees that have slim sleeves, and that tee looks great on you!
I just ordered the sony wf-1000xm4s will receive them this friday. Hopefully its worth it 🙂
@Miguel The noice cancelling is top-notch like can't even hear my voice and the sound quality is also real good due to the use of ldac but its a bit on the bassier side rather than the cleaner side. If I had to say it gets too bassy at th max volumes but otherwise its great alot better than my previous galaxy buds
Amazing review and channel! Thanks for it. Now I want these earbuds
11:20 is NOT a "Master - Slave" connection as you say, you CAN connect to whichever earbud you want, I'm actually listening to this video using the left bud only to make sure 😂 bf typing this. Great review other than that, thanks for sharing. I have the Sennheisers M2's and it's pretty close so far.
Wow, cool! I'm actually just trying to decide between the M2 and the XM4. Feature-wise, the XM4 definitely have it, but how would you describe the sound quality difference? I mainly listen to instrumental/acoustic music, podcasts etc, so a natural sound is important to me.
I'd be super glad if you could tell me your experience with those :)
@@hansmuller1846 I was on a similar boat as I have the Sennheisers M2's and was looking to update to the Sennheisers M3's if they came out now but here went Sony to mess up my plan with this M4's release first😂.
Long story short I got the Sony's too but I'm really struggling to let go of my Sennheisers as the sound is as good and at times better with instruments separation and sound stage (slightly). The Sony's have better battery 🔋live at 8hrs and I do like that since I travel a lot, they also slightly better noise canceling in some low frequencies, wireless charging and independent earbuds (no master slave crap like the Sennies). They lack in touch customization if you are used to the Sennheisers superb customization controls.
If Sound is the main reason I'd go with the Sennheisers M2's that you dan get cheaper around $250 online but if you are looking for updated features as mentioned above I'd buy the Sony's at $300 after tax. Hope this helps
@@SVladimirjb Thanks for the reply! Now that really makes me think whether the Sonys would be such a good choice for me... I'll try to have a test-listening to them and then decide whether that's good enough for me.
You helped a lot, thanks! :)
Thanks for the review, Mike.
I had XM3s and had to return it because it hurts my ears so bad after about 20-30 mins. How's XM4 on long wear comfort? I really want one but having doubt about it.
Does this beats out the momentum 2 in terms of sound quality?
That’s the million dollar question
@@weihsiang84 any updates on the million dollar question ?? Sitting in micro center parking lot about to go These or The Momentum 2s
@@worldview3182 How you like the momentums?
How would you compare the sound quality to the senheiser momentum wireless 2s?
They might just be better. Its a tough call, but also very subjective and dependent on your eq settings
I have the senheiser momentum ,dont have the Sony but my friend has and i could say the Sony sound quality better than mine ! What they call LDAC really make a big diference in quality but iphone have a bad bluetooth audio quality no way to make it sound better because iphone doesnt have this LDAC ,fuck apple
@@musicislife7512 My exact thoughts everyday. Still no Ldac and aptx support and we get the headphone jack removed… my next phone just might be an android.
One of the best review!! You are the best in the business. Using pixel 4 ..which one you prefer sony or momentum true wireless 2?? Thanks!
Thanks I have been waiting for you to do this ,you never disappoint me
hows the long term wearing comfort ?
hows the sound quality compared to MTW2 OR GEMINI
Can you compare this model with sennheiser momentum wireless 2? I'm looking to get one of these but I can't decide yet :(
Quick question:
If I’ve configured an EQ preset, do they remember the latest one set, or do they need to connect to the app first and then apply it? I.e, if I connect to a device without the app, does it default back to how everything was out of the box, or does it remember custom settings such as different controls?
Also, other reviewers have stated that the buds DO connect individually. Are you possibly using an out-of-date firmware?
Thanks a ton. Great video!
The buds connect do independently, there's no master slave problem here. Sony specifically mentioned this in their press conference. Please correct it bro.
Only if your phone supports Bluetooth 5.2, if your phone is older the buds will work on master slave mode, even then most earbuds can switch master (airpods / Galaxy buds do), so you still can use then independently, which does not mean the phone connects to each side independently as in by 5.2.
This unit is not a master slave connection, they are independent earbuds, but you cannot use voice assistant or they will not function independently. I turned on voice assistant and lost independent use, then turned it off and regained it.
Most phones using Bluetooth 5.0 and below can't send audio to more than one device at the same time, that's why you can't use two Bluetooth speakers at the same time (or two independent earbuds), but it is supported with newer versions and dual implementations like Samsung's
Thank goodness... that freaked me out. Thought it was BT 5.2 that allowed either or or both.
@@RayCabrera1 Okay. I'm fine with turning off voice assistant, don't need it anyway.
I have a doubt, does ANC work only when something is being played ? Let's say you just connect the buds to your mobile device and turn on anc, will you be able to hear the outside world?
Just copped these! Love the review & can't wait for your Top 5 earbuds video 👌🏼
Hey Mike. My left ear is like yours, when I smile or move my ears, other earbuds have slipped out. How did these do for you?
When i planning to buy a new buds this dude is get-go🙏
I would like to request that these are compared head-to-head with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds. These are highly underrated even by Bose. They have significantly better battery time than advertised the noise cancellation is second to none, they even have a decent software stack with no advertisements.
Good video. Hope the foam pads fit my ears.
NB: When filming black objects with a brighter background, crank up the brightness, otherwise the detail of black objects get lost .
Do these finally dethrone the Sennheiser MTW 2 (with high end sound tuning on) in terms of sound quality? Do you intend to review the Bowers and Wilkins PI7?
I wanna know how these match up to the B&W PI7 too as I'm torn between the two..
Hello Mike, don't you have a video for the SONY WF-1000XM3? Tried to watch your older videos, but couldn't find it. Thx
I bought them after seeing your video and they are fantastic! Well worth the money! And I have the TW2 buds which are awesome buds! But theses Sonys are the new king of buds in my book.
Hello Mike, thanks a lot for this review video. Can you say anything about how these XM4's compare to Senny's wireless momentum 2's? Christmas is coming up and I need to decide which one of these to ask santa for :-) I have Sennheiser's momentum 3 over-ear wireless headphones and generally I'm pretty happy with the sound signature but are the Wireless Momentum 2's as good as the XM4's? I'm the kind of guy who pays Tidal for a lossless subscription so sound quality is a big factor for me. Would you say that Apt-X is as good as LDAC in that respect?
I have the option to buy either these or the over the ear XM4s. I have no preference. Which one would be better?
If you dont need wired connection then the earbuds are probably just as good
I personally prefer In-ear for daily commutes (pre pandemic) and over the ear for home listening when am alone, and speakers when there is someone around, so we can still talk.
@@MrJleonp but I would want to buy only 1 of them. They both are basically the same price (a bit up and down).
@@AshishSharma-dq2ii I have the WH-1000XM4 as well, i dont like it too much and rarely use it at home...If i did not have already the WF-1000XM3, i imagine i would probably sell the headset as well to replace it by the WF-1000XM4 or something else.
@@AshishSharma-dq2ii I think the WF will be a better option for most situations and places.
Really measured and informative review. Thanks!
Hi how do they compare with Sennheiser MOMENTUM 2 in terms of sound quality and noise cancellation? I am debating which one to get.. thanks.
Excellent Review. Subbed.
Hi Mike, great video as always. I'm wondering, how do you record using the microphone from the earbuds?
How was the fit for these while excersisng? They seem bulkier than most other buds (Sennhiser, Galaxy) but unlike really bulky buds (Bose) don't have wing tips to compensate.
How is this compared to Bowerd and Wilkins PI7? Are they in the same category?
Samsung pro or sony which one are you going to prefer to purchase?
Please tell me
"You're limited to only connecting to one device at a time" - can you recommend another pair of earbuds that can connect to more devices and at the same time are not much worse in terms of sound quality and ANC?
I'm on the same boat. I'm leaning towards the Jabra Elite 85t. Almost universally positive as far as reviews go, and probably the best one with multi point.
My only worry is the mic quality and maybe, just the fit. I used the Samsung Ear Buds Plus for about a year. When I ran 10-15k I didn't have to adjust ONCE. I hope the 85t's live up to the same level of fit quality. For mic quality I see mixed opinions on UA-cam reviews.
Thanks for the video, can you make a video comparing the Jabra 85T and the Bose Quiet-Comfort. 👍
Great review as always, thanks.
Man, great tech but you have to sacrifice ANC/Ambient toggle for volume controls? And no independent use unless you turn off voice controls? C'mon Sony...
This kind of thing may be sorted in a firmware update in the future
@@amie2949 I agree "it may be" and will raise you a "it should be" for that kind of money... LOL $30 earbuds have already figured it out.
Are they stable enough in you ears so you can use them while running or exercise?
It depends but for me yes they're stable and have good battery life I used them for 10 hours yesterday while working
Am I need to buy this or Bose QC EarBuds?
Thanks for this detailed review and this realistic call quality test
Nice review 👍🏻
Please make a comparison video between the XM4’s and the Sennheiser TW2’s.
I love these earbuds, but the foam ear tips that Sony provide are the most uncomfortable thing I've ever worn. I've had to replace them with the silicone tips from my Galaxy Buds Pro. Any replacement suggestions would be appreciated!
sony silicone tops are available if u look on eBay or Sony shops. Amazon also has them, also if u squeeze the foam tips then put them in and let them expand according to ur ear it’d feel better.
Can you PLEASE do another Top 5 with this?
How do these feel to those with smaller ears? They look rather huge.
I've ordered mine I missed the delivery guy hopefully tomorrow
Thank you so much for this review, you saved me a lot of money. I have been eyeing these for ages and was finally going to bite the bullet and get a pair but not being able to use only one earbud while the other is in the case is a dealbreaker for me as I do this all the time.
Was just writing this same exact comment as I was in the same position. But check out this guy's correction in the info and the comments here, mate. He was wrong, you CAN use only one earbud.
@@thegamercomrade Damn, and here I was, hoping to save money :D
Thanks, I´ll check it out :)
@@kefinkamed me too man :D... me too...
I’m wearing these as I watch your review, and with ANC activated, I can even hear a mourning dove hooting in far-off distance, as well as far-off airplanes. Do know that I squished the memory foam, and I jammed and twisted these things into my ears until the app on my iPad said that I had a proper, air-tight fit. So now, my ears hurt badly after all that, and I still hear low frequency noises clear as day!?
No hot swap on these Mike? Can't use individually? Show stopper if so
Make sure you size the tips........These things SMASH!!!!
How is the latency when watching videos?
Hey thanks for the vid! Always enjoy your work. A question if you don't mind: is it possible to set up the controls so that it can adjust volume, play/pause, skip, and cycle through ANC / ambient mode? Thanks in advance.
Not possible to have all those functionalities at once, unfortunately. The only workaround would be to have some assistant like google assistant turned on and you ask them to, for example, lower and increase volume. I hope they make an update to all for full functionality, esp if I could do it on one earbud
So I can't use just one earbud while the other is in the case? Cause I can do that using the Sony Wf1000xm3
Looking thru comments, you CAN.
By far the best review. I don’t understand at that price they still use master and slave connection. So annoying.
He got that bit wrong. Check some other comments. Apparently allowing voice assistant messes it up but they’re independent not master and slave
Can you compare the sound quality of the listening experience and the microphones to other popular earbuds?
is the sound quality of the XM4 better or on par with the sennheiser momentum 2?
This or the Jaybird Vista 2?
I ordered this yesterday and can't wait to try them out tomorrow when they arrive! Replacing my silly Galaxy Bud Beans. Hoping for louder and more bass!
Hi! Like your channel. I have the jabra elite active 75t. Is there any upgrade if i go for the
sony wf-1000xm4 they are now here in Norway over 800kr cheaper. Or is the jabra good enough.
regards Kjetil
Hey.. thanks for the video.. had a small question, can you share this earbuds in a call and would mic work for both of the individuals.. I am talking about two people sharing one bud each for music, movies and call.. I am not sure if the mic would work if you are sharing the buds in a call
just picked these up! do you know of any way to quickly turn on ‘speak to chat’ without toggling in the app? would be nice to double tap the left bud to activate for a few minutes when needed then turn back off
thanks for review was gna buy em but only want to use one at a time, any1 recommend a decent pair
I have the WH1000XM3 and don't really see the need to upgrade; but i love the WF line earbuds. I'm def. getting these.
Btw, these look great in your ears.
Does it really does not support 2 connections at once? I thought it would follow the XM4 headset that allows it. Another doubt: do they have any sensor do pause automatically when taken off ?
They do have auto play/pause. I tried to connect to two devices at once, but the earbuds disconnected completely from the first device when I established the new connection
My AirPods Pro fall out of my ear even with memory foam tips I love the sound do you guys think these would be better ? Or should I just get over ear ones ?
I'm using these at the gym no problem. I also had the senheiser momentum 2, they fit well. I prefer the Sony for the noise cancelling and battery. The sennies sounded a bit better.
One doubt.. 1.Either these earphones or Sony wh 1000 mx4 .. is battery replaceable after 2 or 3 years?.. And another question is.. 2.Heard that in Sony wh 1000 mx4 when they are used via wire , mic doesn't work.. Is it true?
My old earbuds+ gone dud on the left completely
Im thinking of getting these, are they good for the gym, i've been thinking whether these or an over the ear design thats great to work out in and for commuting, portability isnt a concern I always keep my gym bag which fits a large headphone
Glad you had timestamps. The others I watched did not
Mike, you look like you are in the Skarsgard family. You should be Pennywise for Halloween next year!
I’ve listened to the right earbud on its own and used it for phone calls which must mean that the right bud is the master. Is that right channel only or does it switch to mono when you use only one bud?
He's incorrect. You can use them independently, left or right.
If you use specialized voice assistance (Google/Alexa) and want to use an earbud independently, it will only work with the earbud with playback functionality.