The M4 in the name stands for “Mark 4” and that’s how I’ll be referring to them in this review because there’s no easy way to say the name otherwise. One can’t refer to them as just ‘1000XM4’ because they might be confused with the WH-1000XM4 - Sony’s excellent over-the-ear headphones. Referring to them as the ‘WF’ also makes no sense. Anyway, Mark 4 it is!
The Sony WF-1000XM4’s are premium through and through. The Mark 4’s are a shrunken version of the Mark 3’s with excellent noise cancellation, refined sound quality and better mics. I’ve been using them for over ten days now and I’d rank them at the top of the pile for most if money weren’t a consideration.
There are two glaring downsides that are immediately noticeable. First and foremost is that it takes time to find a comfortable fit, and even then, it might be too big for some. The second is that these earbuds lack the multipoint feature. As stated on Sony’s website, “the headset can be paired with multiple devices, but can only play music from 1 paired device at a time”. That’s a shame as a lot of consumers these days are connected to their smartphones and laptops at the same time.
Being Smaller Than Its Predecessor Is A Welcome Change
The Mark 4’s charging case is 40 per cent smaller and the earbuds are 10 per cent smaller than their predecessors. I found the Mark 3’s to be chunky and unwieldy and I’m happy to report that the Mark 4’s are much more pocket friendly and easier on the ears. They can now be truly recommended as ‘compact TWS’ earbuds.
The earbuds are now rounded to fully fit inside your ears with nothing hanging out. They also look sleeker and more premium as compared to their predecessors. The Mark 4’s maybe 2 grams heavier than the Airpods Pro but they provide nearly double the battery life with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) enabled.
The Mark 4’s may be the biggest in-ear buds to come out in a while but they are by no means uncomfortable. They can sit in your ear canal’s for many an hour without feeling like they’re weighing you down.
Pin drop silence
Sony provides three sizes of ear tips for ideal comfort. Choosing the right size ear tip is crucial to have the best sound experience possible. Once you get a good fit, turn on active noise cancelling and enjoy the ride. These are by far the best I’ve experienced in any TWS earbuds. Sony’s brand new V1 chip hands down beats the competition in blocking off any external sounds.
The Mark 4’s are the most effective noise cancelling earbuds out there. From the sound of coffee being ground at a cafe to engines whizzing down the streets of Delhi, the Mark 4’s block out any and all sounds with aplomb. The effectiveness in eliminating outside sounds makes it easier for one to listen to music, podcasts and more at lower volumes, which is better for your ears in the long run.
They’re so good at blocking the noise from cars on the street that I have to give a statutory warning. Do not turn on the active noise cancelling feature while you’re walking on the road. Absolutely do not have it on. Instead, switch to the ambient sound mode so that you can let in some of the outside noise and avoid any accidents. There’s also the adaptive sound mode that automatically changes from ANC to ambient sound and vice-versa depending on your location.
Sony promises 8 hours of battery life with ANC enabled and I was able to get very close to that in my testing.
The earbuds may be IPX4 water-resistant, good for plenty of sweat, but I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re looking for earbuds as a constant fitness companion. These earbuds are more of a sitting at a cafe and working away on Google Docs or listening to casual, music earbuds.
Sound Quality For The Ages
Yes, the Mark 4’s are one of the best-sounding TWS earbuds on the market today. The instrument separation is a level apart and something you will notice immediately if you’re coming from any of the low-end buds out there. It feels like you’re listening to songs for the first time, even when it’s your 1000th listen of the same song. The balance is terrific and not heavily leaning into the bass, like some of the competition out there. Across a variety of songs - Rihanna’s Stay to Take Five from Dave Brubeck - the headphones sound terrific and pleasing to the ears. Even with podcasts, the clarity in the voices is remarkable.
Whether it is jazz, pop or even TV show theme songs, the Mark 4’s come across as clean and flat in-ears. Highs are detailed, mids strong and vocals are super-clear (except at full volume).
If needed, one can open the companion Headphones Connect App and tweak the sound with the full equaliser that is available. There’s also Sonys DSEE Extreme system. This basically improves compressed audio’s sound using AI.
The Fit May Be A Dealbreaker For Some
I’ve talked to a couple of people in the USA who were disappointed that they had to return the Mark 4’s. They loved the sound quality but just couldn’t get a comfortable fit that would mean they could listen to music for hours without any strain on their ears. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t. And coupled with the high price, they just couldn’t justify the purchase.
My experience isn’t the opposite, but it’s far better than what they experienced. It took me a long while to find an ideal fit - I had to go through all the ear tip sizes - and then settle in and test the earbuds. Even then, on certain days, I had to keep adjusting them for the first ten minutes or so before I was satisfied.
Are The Mark 4’s Worth The Premium?
The simple answer is yes. The new flagship TWS earbuds from Sony sound absolutely fantastic. Their noise-cancelling is far better than the competition and battery life will last you long enough to watch the first two movies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It’s just that, if you don’t find a comfortable fit (or have smaller ears) then the competitors - Galaxy Buds, Airpods Pro or Jabra Elite 85t (which I absolutely love and use on a daily basis) - may be the better buy.
The absolutely terrible name aside, the Sony WF-1000XM4’s are the best in the business. They’re also more pocketable than their predecessors. If you’re buying earphones for a long-term horizon, then one can more easily justify the high price of the WF-1000XM4’s. It’s a recommendation I’m comfortable making to a lot of people out there.
