Sony WH 1000XM4
See price on AmazonOverall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Sony WH 1000XM5
See price on AmazonOverall Score 6.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Sony WH 1000XM4 | Sony WH 1000XM5 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | weight | 254g | 250g |
has a detachable cable | ✓ | ✓ | |
ingress protection (ip) rating | IPX4 | ✗ | |
can be folded | ✓ | ✗ | |
has a tangle free cable | ✗ | ✓ | |
sweat resistance | ✓ | ✗ | |
cable length | 1.2meters | 1.2meters | |
has an over-the-ear foam | ✓ | ✓ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (anc) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
lowest frequency | 4Hz | 4Hz | |
highest frequency | 40,000Hz | 40,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 105dB/mW | 102dB/mW | |
driver unit size | 40mm | 30mm | |
impedance | 16Ohms | 48Ohms | |
has a neodymium magnet | ✓ | ✓ | |
POWER | battery life | 30hours | 30hours |
charge time | 3hours | 3.5hours | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
battery power | 1,100mAh | 1,200mAh | |
has a rechargeable battery | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | can be used wirelessly | ✓ | ✓ |
uses 2.4ghz wireless | ✓ | ✓ | |
bluetooth version | v5 | v5.2 | |
has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ | |
has ldac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has a 3.5mm male connector | ✓ | ✓ | |
supports bluetooth pairing using nfc | ✓ | ✗ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 5only | 8only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✓ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✓ | ✓ | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
multipoint count | 2only | 2only | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
can be used as a headset | ✓ | ✓ | |
warranty period | 1years | ✗ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
The Sony WH 1000XM4 have a weight of 254g, these weigh below 320g, which we consider as the highest average a headphone should weigh for comfort during long use. We prefer a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to carry. Sony WH 1000XM5, at 250g weigh less than the Sony WH 1000XM4 with a difference -4g Detachable cables are cables that have connectors on both ends.
One end goes into your headphone earpieces, while the other end is inserted into an audio source. Some new headphones, and not just the expensive ones, are coming with detachable cables, Sony WH 1000XM4 are one of those. With a detachable cable, Sony WH 1000XM5 too can use alternative cables and if the cable is pulled, it will pop out instead of breaking.
IP ratings refer to the level of protection offered by an electrical enclosure, against solids and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two numerals The first number of the IP rating refers to protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to protection against liquid.
Having a value of IPX4, the Sony WH 1000XM4's rating is read as, the first value of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second value of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.
Sony WH 1000XM4 are foldable, which makes them more portable. Foldable headphones are easier to transport and take up less storage space. By sweat resistance we mean that the wireless earbuds are protected in the presence of low-pressure water jets at any angle, this is determined by the IP Rating of the earbuds.
Based on the ingress protection rating of the Sony WH 1000XM4 they do have sweat resistance A long cable ensures more freedom of movement, but remember that every cable based on the conducting material used has a certain amount of parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance. How much depends on the length and construction. Sony WH 1000XM4 comes with a 1.2meters cable.
Sony WH 1000XM5 comes with a 1.2meters cable. Almost any cable should be fine in sound quality If you're looking at lengths up to 2 - 3 meters. Over-ear headphones have larger earpads that fit around your entire ear Sony WH 1000XM4 have a comfortable full-size form with earcups that fully enclose your ears.
This design is loved for its increased sound isolation and the fact that it won't leak sound to your neighbors. Sony WH 1000XM5 with this design offer potential for maximum bass and loudness levels. Sony WH 1000XM4 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Sony WH 1000XM5 and Sony WH 1000XM4 have stereo speakers Active noise cancellation uses more advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 outside (noise from your surrounding) and adding -1 inside (counter sound within the device) to make zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.
Sony WH 1000XM4 allow you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise. Sony WH 1000XM5 too have active noise cancellation making both devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Each may work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting, mode, or noise cancellation type that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time.
Passive Noise Cancellation uses well-designed ear cups to seal out unwanted noise. This is used for both in-ear earphones and over-ear headphones where the headphone itself will keep surrounding noise out. The Sony WH 1000XM4 sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out.
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that also the Sony WH 1000XM5 isolates you from ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out. Low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device reproduces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on the way through. Sony WH 1000XM4's lowest frequency is at 4Hz, the lower the low-frequency response, the stronger and juicier the bass.
Sony WH 1000XM5's lowest frequency is at 4Hz, this means that both devices produce equal bass High frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component reproduces high audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it. Sony WH 1000XM4's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, the higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble. Sony WH 1000XM5's highest frequency is at 40,000Hz, this means that both devices produce equal treble Sound pressure is the average variation in atmospheric pressure caused by the sound, the sound level .i.e how loud something is can be perceived differently by different people so we need to have the means to get an objective measurement of sound level expressed in numerical terms.
The sound pressure level, SPL, is the pressure level of a sound, measured in decibels, dB, Sony WH 1000XM4's measurement is 105dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source. Sony WH 1000XM5's sound pressure level measurement is 102dB/mW.
The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the headphone. Sony WH 1000XM4 driver unit is 40mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful and can produce better bass. Sony WH 1000XM5 driver unit is 30mm in diameter, which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Sony WH 1000XM4 by 10mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty reproducing high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better sound. Impedance is the device's resistance to the electromagnetic current, when electricity flows through a conductor, it faces electrical resistance that counters the flow of current. The resistance of a conductor is measured in ohms.
Sony WH 1000XM4's impedance is 16Ohms, the lower the impedance, the easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power. Sony WH 1000XM5's impedance is 48Ohms. The impedance of earbuds is the electrical resistance of the driver unit present on the inside.
Neodymium magnets if used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, SPL, with the use of high magnetic flux. The Sony WH 1000XM4 have this type of magnet.
Sony WH 1000XM5 have it too, devices with neodymium magnets are lighter and more powerful than those which use ferrite magnets. It is also known that they have more bass and clear high notes. If your headphones play wirelessly, cancel ambient noise, or enhance your listening experience with active features, their battery life will reduce over time.
The device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often. Sony WH 1000XM4's battery life is 30 hours Sony WH 1000XM5's battery life is 30 hours. Each time you recharge your headphones, they get a little less listening time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first. But over a few years, you may find that your device, no longer plays for long like it used to. It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Sony WH 1000XM4's battery.
It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the headphones for the first time or when they have been unused for extended periods. Sony WH 1000XM5 takes 3.5 hours to fully charge the battery Sony WH 1000XM4 have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your headphones.
Sony WH 1000XM5 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your headphones, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low. Battery power, or battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store. Sony WH 1000XM4's battery power is 1,100mAh, more battery power can be an indication of longer battery life.
Sony WH 1000XM5's battery power is 1,200mAh. A rechargeable battery is a type of electrical battery that can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or primary battery, which is supplied fully charged and discarded after use. Sony WH 1000XM4's battery can be recharged and used over again.
The Sony WH 1000XM5 too have a rechargeable battery. Sony WH 1000XM4 can be used wirelessly, wireless devices allow you more freedom of movement. The Sony WH 1000XM5 also can be used wirelessly 2.4GHz wireless is used for devices such as headsets such as the Sony WH 1000XM4, keyboards, and mice similar to Bluetooth but with a proprietary radio frequency.
It typically offers better performance than Bluetooth, with low latency and good stability. Sony WH 1000XM5 too uses this kind of connectivity, its low-latency, high-quality audio comes along with better battery life. Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Sony WH 1000XM4 has a v5 Sony WH 1000XM5 has a Bluetooth version of v5.2. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. Sony WH 1000XM4 support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable.
The USB-C plug is now part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets, it features reversible plug orientation and cable direction. Sony WH 1000XM5 too have USB TYPE-C Sony WH 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 is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.
Sony WH 1000XM5 support it as well, LDAC, can automatically adjust to a lower bitrate of 330kbps or 660kbps to increase stability. Sony WH 1000XM4 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 a similar bit rate. The Sony WH 1000XM5 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.
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances. The Sony WH 1000XM4 can connect at a 10meters distance via Bluetooth or infrared to another device. The Sony WH 1000XM5 can connect at a 10meters distance via Bluetooth Being an industry standard audio plug, a standard 3.5mm male connector is suitable for use with all MP3 players and computer sound cards.
This means that it is commonly used in stereo headphones to your phone or connecting your phone to an external amplifier, sound bars, your car radio, etc. Sony WH 1000XM4 has this connector giving it a wider range of connectivity with most of the sound devices out there. All plugs have at least a tip and sleeve with the number of rings that stand as a differentiating factor.
Sony WH 1000XM5 too have this kind of connector Sony WH 1000XM4 support fast Bluetooth pairing using NFC so it can communicate with other devices over Bluetooth. You can fastly pair devices without entering a code by simply holding one device next to the device with which it is to be paired. Sony WH 1000XM4 have only 5 microphones, more microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.
The Sony WH 1000XM5 microphones are only 8. Sony WH 1000XM4 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out background noise from the desired sound. Especially useful in noisy environments.
The Sony WH 1000XM5 too use a noise-canceling type of microphone. Sony WH 1000XM4 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises so that they can still be heard. It’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to be able to hear traffic.
The Sony WH 1000XM5 support ambient sound mode as well allowing you to hear the ambient sound even while wearing them. Sony WH 1000XM4 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears so that the music is paused, saving battery life and improving your listening experience while at it. The Sony WH 1000XM5 support in/on-ear detection, pause your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears Sony WH 1000XM4 have a mute function, they have an option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice. The Sony WH 1000XM5 too have a mute function. Sony WH 1000XM4 support multipoint, which allows you to link to more Bluetooth devices and switch between them.
For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The Sony WH 1000XM5 support multipoint count. Bluetooth multipoint would come in handy because you can be on one call without missing notifications coming from another device.
There is a control panel on the Sony WH 1000XM4 body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to. The Sony WH 1000XM5 too have a control panel on them. Sony WH 1000XM4 can be used as a headset.
A headset is one headphone or pair with a built-in microphone. Headsets can be used for apps that require communication i.e. Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, games with voice chat, mobile phones, etc.
Sony WH 1000XM5 can be used as a headset. since they have a built-in microphone The period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals. When covered under the manufacturer’s warranty it is possible to get a replacement in the case of a malfunction.
Sony WH 1000XM4 have a warranty period of 1 years Carrying headphones without a case, or putting them in bags without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged. The Sony WH 1000XM4 come with their own special case or pouch, which is useful for safe transportation. Sony WH 1000XM5 too have a travel bag or case included.