Home Wireless Earbuds Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Ex Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4

A Review By Comparison of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Ex Vs. Sony Wf 1000Xm4

Last updated on Apr 20, 2023   9 min read
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Sony WF 1000XM4

Sony WF 1000XM4

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Reasons why you might like the Sony WF 1000XM4

Overall Score 7.9 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 4 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

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Reasons why you might like the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Overall Score 6.6 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP57
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Sony WF 1000XM4 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IP57
weight 7.1g 12g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has an earbud foam
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 6mm 9.2mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 40000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 105dB/mW
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 8hours 8hours
battery life of charging case 16hours 20hours
charge time 1.5hours 1.5hours
battery power 40mAh 70mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has ldac
has aptx adaptive
has aptx hd
audio latency 40ms
MICROPHONE number of microphones 4only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
warranty period 3Years
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Sony WF 1000XM4 IPX4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX IP57

IP ratings is the rank of protection given by a casing, against solids and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value means protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).

Having a value of IP57, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's rating for solids indicates that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and of liquids that they are protected against temporary immersion in water under set conditions, say 1 metre for 30 minutes.

In comparison to the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX, Sony WF 1000XM4 have a rating of IPX4 meaning that no data available to specify a protection rating and that of liquids is that, Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX has a higher liquid rating than Sony WF 1000XM4

Weight

Sony WF 1000XM4 7.1g
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 12g

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a weight of 12g . We consider a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

The Sony WF 1000XM4, at 7.1g are lighter than the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX with a difference -4.9g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a key distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the 2 earbuds together.

Sony WF 1000XM4 also is true wireless because it doesn't have cables linking the two earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have sweat resistance

Sony WF 1000XM4's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has An Earbud Foam

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The earbud foam is designed to be ultracompact and lightweight, with almost no interference with earrings, spectacles, hats, or hairstyles. The Sony WF 1000XM4 have an earbud foam for some people it is more comfortable than the in-ear foam.

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have stereo speakers, what this means is that Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Sony WF 1000XM4 and Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have stereo speakers

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero which results in a reduced level of noise.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the device volume to overcome background sounds.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too have ANC making both devices ideal for flights and morning travels. The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX and Sony WF 1000XM4 operate with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX stay well in place, creating a sound covering that reduces background sounds while preventing the earbuds voice audio from leaking out .

Both Sony WF 1000XM4, and Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have passive noise reduction which means that both limit ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Sony WF 1000XM4 6mm
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 9.2mm

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is the component that makes sound in the earbuds, the unit size corellates with the sound made by the earbuds.

Sony WF 1000XM4 driver unit is 6mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX by 3.2mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Sony WF 1000XM4 20Hz
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 20Hz

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device produces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

Sony WF 1000XM4's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that both devices can make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

Sony WF 1000XM4 40000Hz
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 20000Hz

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component produces high audible frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.

Sony WF 1000XM4's highest frequency is at 40000Hz, this means that Sony WF 1000XM4 can generate a clearer and crispier treble than the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Sound Pressure Level

Sony WF 1000XM4 105dB/mW
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, Sony WF 1000XM4's measurement is 105dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Sony WF 1000XM4 have neodymium magnets, when used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help generate music at quite a high SPL, using high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

Sony WF 1000XM4 8hours
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 8hours

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Sony WF 1000XM4's battery life is equal to that of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX . Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Sony WF 1000XM4 16hours
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 20hours

This is given by the vendor, and the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's case is said to have a full charge of 20 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Sony WF 1000XM4's charging case has a battery life of 16 hours, less than that of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX by 4 hours

Charge Time

Sony WF 1000XM4 1.5hours
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 1.5hours

It takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.

Sony WF 1000XM4 takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery, equal to that of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Battery Power

Sony WF 1000XM4 40mAh
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 70mAh

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX's battery capacity is 70mAh, battery power, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Sony WF 1000XM4's battery power is 40mAh. less than that of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX by 30mAh

Has Wireless Charging

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just place down on a supported charging pad.

Sony WF 1000XM4 also support wireless charging, always look out for the charging standard of a device.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging status of your earbuds and case.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

Sony WF 1000XM4 v5.2
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX v5.2

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Sony WF 1000XM4 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, equal to that of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony WF 1000XM4 10meters
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 10meters

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Sony WF 1000XM4 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Has Aac

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX will work fine with your iPad. If you are planning on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Ldac

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Sony WF 1000XM4 support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It can reach a high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Has Aptx Hd

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Audio Latency

Sony WF 1000XM4 40ms
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Latency refers to the time it takes for the audio signal to be transmitted to your earbuds. Sony WF 1000XM4 have a latency of 40ms, a lower latency reduces audio lag and is particularly important when playing games or watching videos.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony WF 1000XM4 4only
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 6only

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have 6 microphones.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 microphones are 4, less than that of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX by 2 . More microphones result in better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce background sounds from the desired sound.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too use a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Sony WF 1000XM4
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds

The Sony WF 1000XM4 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a run but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Sony WF 1000XM4 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Sony WF 1000XM4 have a find earbuds feature.

Supports Fast Charging

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX support fast charging. Most often, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

Sony WF 1000XM4 2only
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 2only

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 have a multipoint count of 2, equal to that of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX . Bluetooth multipoint is useful because you can be on one call and not miss notifications coming from another device.

Has A Mute Function

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 too support the mute function. The mute function means that you can turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

With the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX 3Years

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX have a warranty period of 3 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use following instruction manuals.

Has Voice Prompts

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.

The Sony WF 1000XM4 also support voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you if the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony WF 1000XM4
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX come with a special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them in your pockets without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Sony WF 1000XM4 also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

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