Sony has unveiled its new WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds — the latest entry in the 1000X series.
The company claims to have developed a new noise-canceling standard with these buds, building a specially designed integrated processor to intelligently eliminate more ambient sounds than ever before.
This processor works in conjunction with dual noise sensor microphones that detect outside noise, and dual 6mm drivers that are purpose-built to block it out. But Sony’s war against any/all sounds not emanating from your headphones goes even deeper than that.
The Bluetooth-enabled earbuds feature Adaptive Sound Control, meaning that they actually respond dynamically to changing listening environments, whether you’re walking the noisy streets or sitting in a quiet café. One particularly cool example of this is Automatic Wind Noise Reduction mode, which detects when it’s blustery and automatically adjusts — so it won’t sound like you just jumped out of a plane when you call your friends on a windy day.
To further optimize phone calls, Sony calibrated the microphones on these buds to pick up sounds from the user’s mouth only, and claims they’ll catch every word, even when you’re in very noisy environments. Lastly, the WF-1000XM4 are built with speak-to-chat technology, which automatically pauses the music as soon as the user speaks to someone, letting in the ambient noise that had been shut out. Touch controls will also allow you to activate/deactivate noise cancellation and play, pause, or skip songs.
Sound quality should get a boost thanks to the latest version of Sony’s upscaling tech, DSEE Extreme, which is designed to improve how compressed music files are rendered. The buds are also compatible with 360 Reality Audio, Sony’s immersive audio format, but you’ll need to use a compatible streaming service (Deezer, Nugs.net, Tidal) to take advantage. Sony’s Headphones Connect app (available on iOS and Android devices) will help you set up 360 RA, manage virtual helpers like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, and customize your audio settings.
In terms of battery life, Sony says you can expect up to 8 hours of use from the headphones (12 hours with ANC turned off), and up to 16 hours from the charging case, which amounts to 24 hours of charge, all told. Sony has added wireless charging to the case so those with Qi-compatible mats (or phones that allow device charging) can forget about using a wire.
In sum, while Sony’s claims about these headphones may seem lofty, we were so blown away by its noise-canceling WH-1000XM4 headphones (part of the same 1000x series product line), that we’re optimistic that Sony has indeed created a new standard for personal audio. Those headphones took the number one spot in three different Digital Trends lists: Best wireless headphones for 2021, best noise-canceling headphones, and best headphones. So, if Sony can do for earbuds what it did for over-the-ear headphones, consider us very much sold.
The WF-1000XM4s are available now on Sony’s website and at Amazon, Best Buy, and other major retailers. The earbuds carry a suggested retail price of $280 and come in two colors: Black and silver.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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