Ingress protection ratings is the rating of protection given by a casing, against dust 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 protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IPX4, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's rating is read as, the first number of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes. Compared to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, Sony WF 1000XM4 have a rating of IPX4 meaning that
we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust)
and that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a weight of 12.5g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.
Sony WF 1000XM4, at 7.1g
weigh less than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 with a difference -5.4g
True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are true wireless for this case since they don't have cables. This is a key difference as some wireless earbuds have wires linking the two earbuds together. Sony WF 1000XM4 also is true wireless because it has no cables connecting the two earbuds together.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have wingtips, these are commonly used for earbuds for workouts and are usually an optional add-on to the separate silicone ear tip for a better fit. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have sweat resistance
Sony WF 1000XM4's resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience. The Sony WF 1000XM4 also have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation utilises more advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise.
How it works, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) then producing -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 thus "diluting" the noise.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears as you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background sounds.
Sony WF 1000XM4 too have Active Noise Cancellation making both earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour travels. Each operate with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that suits your commute or that enhances your chill time. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 sit well in place, this creates a sound seal that tones down background noise and also prevents the device voice audio from leaking out at the same.
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this implies that they tone down ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 driver unit is 9.3mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device, the unit size determines the loudness of the device.
Sony WF 1000XM4 driver unit is 6mm in diameter,
which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 3.3mm
, 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 can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio device generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.
Sony WF 1000XM4's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that
both devices can produce equal bass
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device makes high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any adjustments to the signal while at it. Sony WF 1000XM4's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this implies that
Sony WF 1000XM4 produce a clearer and crispier treble than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's battery life is 6 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.
Sony WF 1000XM4's battery life is
more than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 2 hours
. Each time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. This is given by the vendor, and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's case has a full charge of 18 hours.
A charging case with a longer battery life enables 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 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 2 hours
It requires 2 hours to fully charge the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.
Sony WF 1000XM4 takes 1.5 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 0.5 hours
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your device and case. Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable. Sony WF 1000XM4 too use USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current laptops, phones, and tablets.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have Bluetooth version of 5.3, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Sony WF 1000XM4 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2,
older than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
Sony WF 1000XM4 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 will work fine with your iPhone. If you intend 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. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have 8 microphones.
The Sony WF 1000XM4 microphones are 4,
less than that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 by 4
. More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the desired sound. The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a noise-canceling type of microphone.
This is useful in noisy environments. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing them
The Sony WF 1000XM4 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a jog but still want to be able to hear traffic. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears so that the music is paused.
The Sony WF 1000XM4 too support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life. If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a find earbuds feature. The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have the find earbuds feature.
You can use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to find them. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
The Sony WF 1000XM4 too support fast charging. It's very 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.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect. The Sony WF 1000XM4 support multipoint count of 2,
equal to that of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
. Bluetooth multipoint is useful because you can be on one call and not miss notifications from another device.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds. The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have the mute function. The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.
With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds. The Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a control panel on them. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have voice prompts.
With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection. The Sony WF 1000XM4 also have voice prompts .i.e the device will notify you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge the device. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 come with a special case.
Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them inside your pockets without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged. Sony WF 1000XM4 too have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.
