Nothing is making waves with its approach to aesthetic technology. Hot on the heels of the release of the Nothing Phone (2), the company took to YouTube to give its quarterly community update. In this update, the team at Nothing in London gave a quick overview of the goings-on at the company. However, the updates’ other content was overshadowed by a special announcement from its founder, Carl Pei.
That announcement is a new brand focused on bringing Nothing’s design philosophy to a more affordable price point. “CMF by Nothing” will continue to share Nothing’s design-led and user-centric approach to technology however, the new brand will focus on creating accessible products with a clean design and trusted quality. This breaks away from Nothing’s philosophy of pushing design innovation with premium materials and the latest technology. To ensure continuity with the efforts at Nothing itself, Car Pei notes that “CMF by Nothing” will be spearheaded by an independent team.
The announcement doesn’t end there, Carl Pei also announced that the new brand will be releasing CMF-branded smartwatch and headphones. The products are expected to make their debut later this year. There is so far no indication if the smartwatch will be utilising Google’s Wear OS software or going the route of OnePlus and Amazfit with a totally different OS.
It’s worth keeping in mind that Nothing has yet to release any smartwatch under the Nothing brand. So, it’s going to be interesting to see how CMF by Nothing will define clean design without Nothing leading the way in the product category.
Get ready for the new kid in town, everyone! Anker’s bringing its Soundcore brand to Malaysia, and it’s time to get excited for their affordable true wireless earbuds, Soundcore A20i and R50i.
Soundcore R50i: Longer Playtime, Longer Fun
The Soundcore R50i comes with 10mm drivers – this means the earbuds can bring you great sound quality. You will be able to personalize your audio experience using the 22 preset EQs on the Soundcore app. There is also the “Find My Earbuds” feature – so that you can easily locate misplaced earbuds.
With a full charge, the Soundcore R50i offers 10 hours of continuous playtime, and the charging case extends it to 30 hours. Anker claims that with just 10 minutes of charging, it will grant you an extra 2 hours of playtime. Additionally, the brands also boasts an IPX5 water-resistant rating, providing protection against rain or shine during your active lifestyle.
Soundcore A20i: Affordable True Wireless Earbuds
Soundcore A20i is a pair of earbuds designed for people who enjoy bass music and are on the lookout for affordable earbuds. Similar to the R50i, you can also choose from the 22 preset EQs within the app, especially the brand’s signature BassUp preset.
These earbuds has a playtime of 9 hours on a single charge, extendable to 28 hours with the charging case. According to Anker, you can gain an additional 2 hours of playtime with just 10 minutes of charging. They also come with the Bluetooth 5.3 technology, an AI algorithm, and two built-in microphones to deliver clear voice quality, even in noisy environments.
Pricing & Availability
The Soundcore A20i and R50i will be available starting 7 July 2023. The earbuds will be available during the 7.7 sales on Shopee and Lazada.
The Sony WF-1000XM4, in our opinions, is one the best, if not the best pair of wireless earphones you can find in the industry currently. It will set you back MYR 1,099. That kind of money offers you the best-in-class noise cancelling action with one of the best sounding wireless earphones you can buy.
MYR 1,099 is still a lot of money. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend or is willing to spend that kind of money for a pair of wireless earbuds. Spending less money most of the time will only get you subpar earbuds experience. That may not be the case with Sony’s latest wireless earbuds though.
Sony’s new WF-C700N was just announced not too long ago will set you back MYR 549, half the WF-1000XM4. It also offers Sony’s clever noise cancelling technology, and you get up to 7.5 hours of battery life in a single charge. The compact case offers another full charge of the earbuds.
What are you giving up for that kind of price though? Is it good enough for your money? Should you get one? We try to answer all of that.
Design
The new WF-C700N is designed differently from Sony’s usual wireless earbuds. Instead of a bulkier case that offers more than a single extra charge on the earbuds, they decided to make it more compact than before. The result is a tiny pill like package that you can easily stow in your pockets without adding too much bulk. The entire thing is even smaller than the Linkbuds S package.
The tiny package means that Sony must compromise on the size of battery they can pack into the case. It still packs a whole charge for the earbuds itself. The earbuds itself is also tinier than ever though, which also explains the more compact case size. How they extract a quoted 7.5 hours out of these earbuds is a wonder even to us.
Still, we like the fact that Sony offers more colour options with their more accessible earbuds. You get to choose between the usual black or white colour options. You also get to choose between Sage Green and Lavender colour options, both rather attractive colours. We got the Lavender one and we have to say that we quite like the soft purple colour with matted texture.
The earbuds themselves are lightweight and are more compact than what we are used to from Sony. It is about the same size as the Sony Linkbuds S we think, but it feels smaller than that. You might not want to wear it in bed though.
To make the earbuds lighter and more compact than before, Sony resorted to physical tactile buttons for the earbuds. Using physical buttons means that it is a little more intuitive to work with and more responsive than touch sensitive buttons. Instead of needing two taps to get it to respond to you, a single click on either earbud registers as a control input. That is also why you do not want to wear it to bed.
Hardware
The WF-C700N packs two tiny 5mm drivers on each side. Both ends also offer IPX4 water resistance ratings just in case you want to go to the gym with them on. There is no wireless charging case to talk about here in the interest of keeping the case as compact as possible.
Specifications
Sony WF-1000XM4
Driver Unit
5mm Closed
Frequency Response
20Hz – 20,000Hz(44.1kHz sampling)
Headphone type
Wireless Earbuds
Battery (Continuous Music Playback)
Unspecified capacity Earbuds only – Max. 7.5 hrs(NC On) / Max. 10 hrs(NC Off) W/ Case – Max 15 hrs (NC On) / Max 20 hrs (NC Off)
Miscellaneous
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE IPX4
Features
It is a Sony product, of course it comes with Sony’s clever know-how with noise cancelling technology. But Sony headphones are more than just its noise cancelling. There is DSEE upscaling technology, and of course, they all work with Sony’s clever headphones app.
Noise Cancelling
You do not get the state-of-the-art V1 processor or Sony’s older QN1 processor that you have in the WF-C700N. In fact, Sony never mentioned what kind of processor you find with the little earbuds. Even then, WF-C700N offers superb noise cancelling technology. We think that it is even comparable to Sony’s higher-end offerings from the likes of the WF-1000 series; not the WF-1000XM4, more like the older WF-1000XM3.
The WF-C700N’s noise cancelling offers a decent amount of isolation. There is no disorientating anti-noise that we have noticed on the WF-C700N, which is always a plus. It keeps most loud noises away from your ears, which is a good thing. It deals with sudden noises quite well too, thanks to its clever algorithm. In some cases, where the noise floor is rather high, you will not get complete quietness, you still can hear the outside world but it is at a much more bearable noise floor.
Of course, it comes with ambient noise mode too. It is also controlled by Sony’s Headphones app. Like any other Sony’s noise cancelling gear, its ambient noise control is rather granular on the app. You can choose how much noise gets through and target human voice specifically to pass through the algorithm.
The ambient noise mode is as good as what we get from the WF-1000XM4 or even the WH-1000 series. It feels more natural than anything that Sony had to offer before at this price range. It almost feels like you are not wearing anything in your ears, since the earbuds are so light. The only giveaway is the amplified wind-noise or some scratchiness to the ambient noise mode.
Sony Headphones App
The Sony Headphones app has not changed much for a while. As with our previous headphones review, the app layout and interface has remained pretty much the same as long as we know it. It is not the best-looking interface in the world, nor is it the sleekest feeling interface out there. It is highly functional though.
It offers control over everything you have on the earbuds. Most of the time, we control our noise cancelling and ambient sound mode on the app instead of the physical buttons. We could mess with the EQ too on the app. The app offers you a few EQ presets you might be familiar with if you have used the app before. You can also save your own custom preset for the EQ and store up to two different custom tuning. The app also offers you geolocation-based settings like any of Sony’s modern headphones. You can also control what the buttons on the earbuds do, unfortunately those settings are also pre-set, and you cannot change what each gesture does, which we find rather limiting. It is important to have the app if you want to keep your earbuds firmware updated. You can only update your earphones through the mobile app either on Android or iOS.
DSEE
It is not DSEE Ultimate, so the upscaling engine is not as powerful as what you would find on the Sony WF-1000XM4. Then again, the WF-1000XM4 is twice the price of the WF-C700N. any form of upscaling, if you are listening to Spotify mostly, is still a huge welcome.
If you have yet to understand what DSEE does, you can refer to Sony’s website or our previous reviews of Sony’s headphones. It is basically an intelligent system that fills missing pieces in compressed audio. Obviously, to do that Sony needs to rely on some machine learning algorithm.
We tested mostly with Tidal and Spotify. With Tidal, the upscaling does quite little to elevate the already excellent music experience from Tidal. With Spotify though, you can hear the difference in fidelity when you turn the DSEE on or off. With it off, Spotify runs at business as usual. With DSEE, your music from Spotify somehow sounds more full, more complete. There is a small added satisfaction and joy in listening to better audio, and that is what you get with DSEE on Spotify music. Of course, that applies to other music players that plays MP3 music too, since the upscaling system is embedded in the earbuds itself than your smartphone. You can turn it off or on via the Sony Headphone App too.
Performance
Of course, this being a Sony gear, you can expect it to sound decent at least. We are happy to report that it does sound better than we expected it to be. We also mentioned that we were pleasantly surprised with the noise cancelling performance from the WF-C700N.
Sound Quality
While it does not have the DSEE Ultimate that the WF-1000XM4 packs, DSEE is still a great upscaling technology. That means that you get better than Spotify listening experience anyway. While Sony says DSEE Ultimate offers even better upscaling, from a listening perspective, you can hardly tell the difference between DSEE Ultimate or DSEE if you are not paying attention and if you do not know what you are looking for.
At the lower end frequency, the WF-C700N sounds excellent and powerful enough to give you plenty of details in songs like ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd. For orchestral performances like ‘Final Fantasy VII Medley’ Video Game Orchestra, the WF-C700N offers detailed enough highs that the music does come alive in your head. We tested the mids with Loren Allred’s ‘Never Enough’ and it sounded quite excellent at that too. We are testing the WF-C700N on Tidal at Master quality, so if you are on Spotify, you might want to dampen your expectations just a little bit. Still, even with Spotify, you get a rather bright audio quality from the WF-C700N without sacrificing too much bass details and qualities. If there is one word to describe the WF-C700N’s sound profile, we would say that it is balanced. You get plenty of dynamic range from the earbuds in whatever listening situation.
Battery Life
Sony quoted 7.5 hours of battery life on the WF-C700N. The capsule that is the charging case is quoted to offer an extra full charge for the earbuds as well. That means a quoted total listening time of 15 hours.
In our tests, we never use the WF-C700N more than an hour or two on average. We did however get to use it for three hours straight at some point in our test. Within that week, we got to use the WF-C700N almost daily with total use in the region of up to 10 hours. In the test, we alternate between ambient noise mode and noise cancelling mode depending on the situation and leave our volume between 20% to 75%.
We never got the ‘low battery’ warning. In that case, we want to believe Sony regarding their 15-hour total battery life claims. You could extend on that 15-hours too by turning off noise cancelling or ambient noise mode while also turning down your volume. We charged the device only once in our two weeks review period.
Unlike the higher-end headphones, the WF-C700N does not have a proximity sensor that pauses your music automatically when you take it off. That could also explain why it is sold for less and offer an extensive battery life. There is also no wireless charging technology here, just a plain USB Type-C port.
The Sony WF-C700N – Not Quite the Baby WF-1000XM4 We Expected, But Better
The Sony WF-C700N will set you back MYR 549, almost exactly half the cost of a Sony WF-1000XM4. On paper, it looks like it is half the product that is the high-end noise cancelling earbuds. When you use it, it does not feel like half the product the WF-1000XM4.
We cannot say that theWF-C700N performs on par as its higher end sibling. It is good though, nearly as good as. We really think it outperforms its asking price.
It offers a well-balanced sound reproduction. Compared to other earbuds at this price range, the Sony earbuds offers a more well-rounded listening experience with clear details at almost every dynamic range. It sounds clean and bassy without sacrificing other frequencies and muddling your music listening experience. Since it is water resistant, you get to use it anywhere too and at any time.
We like the tactile physical button, but there is some caveat to that. Unlike Sony’s WF-1000XM4, you cannot push the earbuds in at the center of the earbud’s body. You want to hold it around the physical button, which does not have a lot of space and leverage to secure your earbuds into your ears. Because it is a physical button, you might not want to wear it to sleep.
We are highly impressed with the build quality despite its weight. It is a Sony product after all, build quality should be at its best here. At the same time, we are also impressed with its battery life. While we might have preferred more charges from the case, we also think that it is a good compromise in packaging size and weight, especially if you have an active lifestyle.
We really like the WF-C700N. At MYR 549, it is an inexpensive pair of wireless earbuds, which is already a bonus. It offers active noise cancelling, while not entirely on par with the WF-1000XM4, it is still decent and good enough thanks to Sony’s know-how in the field. It sounds great, better than most earphones you find in the same price range. It is light, and super compact, more so than Sony’s high-end offerings. It features physical buttons, which may not be to everyone’s liking. For what the Sony WF-C700N is offering though, we think the physical button is quite forgivable.
There are nearly no caveats with the Sony WF-C700N, you get more than what your money is paying for, we can say that for sure. It is worth every penny you spend on it and more if you can get it at a discounted price. Just for those, you should get one if you are looking for a premium piece of audio kit that is relatively inexpensive.
Bower & Wilkins (B&W) is no stranger to audiophiles. The company has produced audio products – mainly speakers and audio solutions for large venues – since the 1960s. The company has recently begun producing earbuds and personal audio solutions, soundbars and portable speakers for the general consumer. These products bring the balance, soundstage and quality B&W is known for to a more affordable and accessible form.
The company’s headphones, portable speakers, soundbar and earbuds are now available in Malaysia through TC Acoustic. TC Acoustic has signed on as the exclusive distributor for Bowers & Wilkins in Malaysia and Singapore. As such, these products will be available at TC Acoustic Outlets. In Malaysia, this is the TC Acoustic Flagship Store in The Starhill in Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur.
True Wireless With Enhanced Connectivity with the Bower & Wilkins Pi7 S2 & Pi5 S2 In-Ear Headphones
First released in April 2021, the B&W Pi7 and Pi5 redefined the true wireless experience with high-resolution audio, unprecedented audio clarity and quality. Building on the renown and acclaim of the first generation, the Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2 make their debut and up the ante when it comes to true wireless audio experiences.
The new S2s feature upgraded wireless connectivity with a re-engineered antenna design. The new design enhances Bluetooth connectivity with an increased range of up to 25 metres. It also provides added stability and augments the listening experience. Together with this, the wireless earbuds also come with Qualcomm aptX Adaptive which enables up to 24-bit, 48kHz wireless streaming with compatible services.
Updated to Be the Best
It’s not just about connectivity, the battery on the Pi5 and Pi7 comes with a boost in battery life. Both boast up to five hours of listening time. With their quick charge technology, a short 15-minute charge will get you an additional 2 hours of listening time. If that’s not enough, the Pi7 S2’s case comes with an additional 16 hours of battery life while the Pi5 S2’s comes with an additional 19 hours.
The Pi7 S2 features bespoke, 9.2mm drive units and a high-frequency ‘balance armature’ driver. Each of the four drivers in the earbud is actively driven by its own amplifier. It also brings Adaptive Noise Cancellation to the table with six microphones (3 in each ear) that provide ambient sound data for the earbuds to dynamically adapt to isolate ambience noise. The microphones also provide excellent sound quality during phone calls.
The Pi5 S2 comes with a single 9.2mm driver in each earbud and supports streaming of CD-quality playback with aptX compatible devices. It also features noise-cancellation with its twin microphones. These microphones also provide excellent sound quality during phone calls.
Seamless User Experience & Audio Retransmission
The B&W Pi7 S2 and the B&W Pi5 S2 continue to be fully integrated with the B&W Music App. You’ll be able to do everything from setup to adjusting wear sensor sensitivity and even noise cancellation modes in the app. The app also integrates with apps like TIDAL and Deezer to support Hi-Res audio streaming directly from your mobile device.
The Pi7 S2 comes with B&W’s signature Wireless Audio Retransmission. The feature, first introduced in the first generation Pi7, allows users to connect to an external audio source such as your inflight entertainment system and wirelessly transmit the audio to the earbuds. This is done by connecting the smart charging case which will then stream the audio to your earbuds in all its glory. This also allows you to use the Pi7 S2 as wireless in-ear monitors.
Both models are controlled via a simple, one-button user interface. The capacitive button can perform multiple functions with click variations seamlessly. They are also compatible with Google Assistant and Siri.
The B&W Px8 Headphones Feature Hi-Res Audio with Noise Cancellation in a Stylish Form Factor
The Bower & Wilkins Px8 headphones bring the experience from B&W’s reference quality speakers into a portable, stylish form factor. The 40mm Carbon Cone drivers deliver best-in-class sound quality and accuracy. Its uniquely engineered cans have Carbon Cone drivers angled ensuring a consistent distance from the ears at every point across the driver’s surface.
Similar to its earbud cousins, the Px8 uses Qualcomm’s aptX technology to provide the best audio quality from your device. It also comes with USB-C and 3.5mm analogue cable connections. The Px8’s ultra-high performance drivers work together with B&W-developed Digital Signal Processing to deliver high-resolution, 24-bit audio. B&W engineering also leaves its mark with the proprietary B&W optimized noise cancellation technology. Similar to the Pi7 S2, the Px8 comes with six mics which work to provide ambient sound data for Adaptive noise cancellation and voice clarity.
Together with the regular Bower & Wilkins Px8, TC Acoustic is also bringing in two special edition Px8 – the McLaren Edition and the 007 Edition. These editions come with unique design cues and colourways that represent the iconic brand and character. The McLaren Edition takes its design cues from the McLaren Artura supercar and features a Galvanic grey finish with Papaya orange highlights. The Px8 007 edition comes with design cues from Bond himself – particularly from James Bond’s first appearance on screen. The Midnight Blue finish hearkens back to the dinner jacket from that first appearance. In addition, they also feature the signature iris design on the inner side of each of the cans.
Pricing & Availability
The Pi5 S2 will be available in Cloud Grey, Storm Grey, Spring Lilac and Sage Green. It will be priced at MYR1,699.
The Pi7 S2 will come in Satin Black, Canvas White and Midnight Blue. It will retail for MYR2,499.
The Px8 will be available in Tan and Black for MYR3,299. The Limited Edition McLaren and 007 versions will be retailing for MYR4,299 from 30th March 2023.
Nothing does it again and launched their own set of wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2). This one picks up from the first, Ear (1) wireless headphones. It is even priced the same as the previous earbuds at MYR 599.
Right out of the gate, you can tell that this will be a better pair of earphones than before. It boasts Hi-Res Audio certification where the previous one did not. It also packs LHDC 5.0 technology for an even better near lossless audio experience with the Ear (2). There is also an app now, the Nothing X app, to even fine tune the earphones to your ears.
You still get an 11.6mm Dynamic driver inside the earphones. It is one of the bigger drivers you can find on a modern earphone. The large driver could mean that you might get punchier audio from the earphones. That driver is also housed in a new dual-chamber design that is meant to improve acoustics and airflow within the earphone’s case.
Source: Nothing
Like the Ear (1), it comes with Noise Cancelling technology. Unlike the Hybrid Noise Cancelling technology you find in the first Nothing Ear, the Ear (2) features a personalized and adaptive Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology that offers better noise isolation and cancelling than before cancelling up to 40dB of noise. The mics also pick up ambient noise better than before.
Alongside the new noise cancelling technology, the Nothing Ear (2) also now features Dual Connection for you to easily connect and switch between two devices simultaneously and quickly. Of course, it has the new Fast Pair/Swift Pair technology that most modern wireless earphones offer today. The new mic algorithm with three high-definition mics and Clear Voice Technology is meant to pick up your voice better than before for crystal clear calls.
Where the previous earphones offer up to 24 hours of continuous listening experience with ANC turned on, the Nothing Ear (2) offers up to 22.5 hours with ANC on. With each charge, the Nothing Ear (2) offers 4 hours of listening experience at a time, which is also about an hour less than its predecessor. While that might seem to be a downgrade, you do want to remember that the Nothing Ear (2) is more feature packed than ever, which might be why its batteries lasts a little shorter than before.
You get better hardware installation than before too. Where the previous earphones offer IPX4 water resistance, the new Ear (2) offers IP54 water and dust resistance. The charging case offers IP55 water and dust resistance so you can keep the Ear (2) safe in the case.
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
Source: Nothing
The Nothing Ear (2) is now available from all authorised dealers and resellers in Malaysia. There are no colour options available, just the plain white and transparent option you see. As mentioned, it will set you back MYR 599. More on the Nothing Ear (2) can be found on their website.
Wiko Malaysia has announced the release of their affordable earbuds, the Buds 10 in Malaysia.
Lightweight and affordable, the Wiko Buds 10.
The French manufacturer’s latest entry into the budget true-wireless earbuds market features 12-mm bio-diaphragm dynamic drivers with copper-coated aluminium armature. This design results in lightweight earbuds, weighing at 4.2g, without compromising on audio quality. Wiko claims that the earbuds will fit snugly and users will barely feel them when in use. With Bluetooth 5.2, the buds offer stable connectivity and low latency, useful for gaming.
Long battery life of up to 30 hours.
The lightweight design coupled with IPX4 rating makes these buds suitable for use outdoors and for exercise. Wiko claims a single playback charge will last up to 6 hours and 30 hours total with the charging case. There is also dual mic noise-cancelation for clearer calls, handy in noisy environments. The buds can also be controlled through touch via embedded smart sensors.
Let us first clarify what the title means for a second. It is really a reflection of the experience of the pair of earbuds itself, nothing to do with its build or even sound quality. It is a Sony headphone after all, one that retails for MYR 849.
This is an odd pair of kit. Sony is famous with their noise cancelling offerings. There is the very famous WH-1000XM4 and the WF-1000XM4. These are the best pair of noise cancelling headphones money can buy currently.
So, what was Sony thinking when they made the WF-L900 LinkBuds? Their marketing blurb says that it is the only headphones you will never have to take off. They also said that it is permanently on transparent mode.
On paper, you are getting a lot less than the WF-1000XM4 noise cancelling earbuds. The price tag is a little lower too for sure, but MYR 849 is not exactly cheap still. Is the asking price a fair one? Would this be a pair of headphones we never knew we needed? Would you be better off with a WF-1000XM4 instead? Let us find out
Design
The first thing that greets you, when you open your box made from the recycled paper, is not the two pairs of earbuds. It is the clamshell style case. It also looks like one.
The outer shell is made entirely out of what Sony claims to be recycled plastic. It looks the part too; most recycled plastic panels have the same texture and look. It feels grainy and smooth at the same time. It feels expectedly premium too.
Because it is made mostly of plastic, it is much lighter than what we expected. Curiously, the case can still charge the LinkBuds at least twice over. There is no wireless charging for this device though, that could explain its weight.
There are no magnets to keep the cap closed. The hinge is spring-loaded and swings open when you press the button at the front. There is a pairing button sitting beside a USB Type-C port. The case is very minimal, and very tiny.
Then you open it and find the LinkBuds with two large domes staring back at you with the chromed rings. The recess on the case for the ear loops looks oversized at first, until you rummage through the packaging to find extra ear loops. No multiple inserts for the ear tips here, there are no ear tips to begin with
The recess for the main body of the buds is quite shallow making cleaning as easy as dabbing the seats with a piece of cloth or tissue paper. The recess is also where you see the infrared sensors that senses the earbuds and two charging pins.
The earbuds are also designed with minimalism in mind. There are no additional magnets other than the ones in the ring drivers here. The LinkBuds themselves feature two recess that are made to be caught by latches on the case to secure the earbuds in the case, in case the magnets are not enough.
The earbuds, at 4g, is feather light. You can keep it in your hands, walk around, drop it and not feel a thing. You can put it into your ears, and then forget about it the entire day even when the battery runs out. Trust me, it happened to me.
Fit and Finish
Their odd shapes make for an odd fitting. Unlike regular earbuds, fitment of the LinkBuds really depends on the size of the ear loop that presses against the inner part of your ear. The ring part goes into the hole, but you cannot push it all the way in. Instead, it simply rests on your ears.
With a good fit, the LinkBuds should feel natural in your ears. It should stay in place even with heavy headbanging. After some time, you forget that it is in your ears.
Features
Of course, the most important feature of the Sony LinkBuds is its transparency mode. It allows you to keep your music on but be completely aware of your surroundings.
Always Transparent Mode
The transparency mode is a permanent feature. There is no proper way to seal the headphones. You can sort of stuff things into the middle of the ring, but we do not recommend that.
Because there is no artificial processing, you are getting clean, natural sounding ambient noise. You can have a completely normal conversation with your peers without taking off your headphones or stopping your music.
Oddly enough, there is a Speak-to-Chat function built into this pair of headphones. We never needed it and kept it off. I have tried ordering coffee with the set of headphones without any issues. I can have full conversations with my friends with the headphones on as well.
Oddly Intuitive Wide Tap Area Gesture Control
There are no touch controls on either bud. Accidentally turning down your volume, pause your music, or launch Google Assistant or Alexa by adjusting your earbuds is a thing of the past. There is a still gesture control. You need to tap right next to your ear to get it working. It does not work on a single tap too, which is another great way to prevent accidental inputs. It is either a double tap or triple tap, and it works well for us.
It is rather intuitive once you know what to do. Sure, you can only fit up to four commands in this case for the LinkBuds. Four is enough for most use cases.
The system is not perfect though. Despite the ‘wide’ moniker, you cannot tap too far away from the headphones to register an input. You want your taps to be distinct as well.
IPX4 Construction
Water resistance is important on this pair of headphones. In our minds, this is the type of headphones you wear for extended periods. There are already a few instances where we left the case in the car when we are out and about with the earphones in our ears.
You might take it for a quick run around your neighbourhood too. In that case, it will be exposed to the elements. It can take rain, shine, or even sweat with no issues.
Sony Headphones App
This being a premium Sony product, it gets Sony’s Headphone app. It is different from other headphones we are used to though. Obviously, The WF-L900 LinkBuds does not feature noise cancellation. You will find the ambient noise slider or toggle.
The controls for the Sony LinkBuds are more simplified than what we are used to as well. You still have control over the EQ presets, which we left to Bass Boost. You can change the gesture controls, DSEE settings, speak-to-chat function, and Sony 360 Reality Audio on the app. The ear analysis feature remains too. It works, but the difference is not night and day.
Performance
While part of the MYR 849 that you are paying is for the unique qualities of this truly wireless earphones, its main purpose is a personal listening gear. For that, it should also still perform like a Sony should. We are happy to report that it does, though with some trade off.
The Sony V1 Processor
It is the same one you can find on the more expensive and slightly older WF-1000XM4. It is missing a few key features on this model though.
You do not get to take advantage of the noise cancelling algorithm on the V1 anymore, for obvious reasons. But you also lose DSEE Extreme. In its place, it is still DSEE audio upscaling technology, which is still good, but not DSEE Extreme good.
The Calls
It is a strange experience, using the LinkBuds for calls. The person at the other end of the line sounds clear and crisp, enough at least for you to make up the words they are trying to convey. The person on the other end did not report any issues with the call quality. We did not try to use only one side of the earphone because I always seem to forget that I have the earphones on in the first place.
The strange part is that you are listening to the person on the other end, but you are also hearing the rest of the world at the same time. Sure, you can just concentrate on having a conversation with your friend, because he is in your ear. But when the environment gets noisy, it gets a little difficult to have a conversation since you are also very much receiving the noise from all around you.
In most cases, if you can hear your music, you should be able to hear into your calls very nicely.You hardly need to worry about privacy too.
Adaptive Volume
Adaptive volume is the unique feature of this pair of earphones. In effect the algorithm adjusts the volume of the audio according to your environment. If your environment gets a little louder, your audio becomes louder too.
You might not notice the volume increase and decrease too much in most cases though, since everything is done in accordance with your environment. It is rather seamless too; you hardly notice that the volume has changed at all. Then again, that is the whole point.
Much Enjoyment, Much Awareness
The experience that is offered by the LinkBuds can be more likened to the experience you get from open backed earphones. You get a rather wide, open feel to your music and audio. It feels like audio fills up the space around you. It is a different experience.
We use Tidal for most of our music listening and testing. The songs we used for the test is Freya Riding’s “Lost Without You”, Video Game Orchestra’s “Final Fantasy VII Medley”, “3 Hour Drive” by Alicia Keys Ft. Sampha, and Post Malone’s “Circles”. No, they are not necessarily what audiophiles would pick, but some of them represent some of the most popular music genres and styles today. We kept our volume to about 50% in most of our use case.
You can make out the bass lines on songs like “Circles” and “3 Hour Drive”, but they are not punchy at all. You do hear some of the details with Bass Boost turned on, but once you turn it off, it feels like the lower frequencies disappear. For Freya Riding’s “Lost Without You”, we get quite a natural reproduction of Freya Riding’s unique vocals. Her voice comes out very clear and you still can hear the depth of her voice in the song itself. On an orchestral reprisal that is the “Final Fantasy VII Medley”, you do miss some of its drama because the earphones lack that punchiness in the lower frequencies. It is far from terrible though; the music still sounds clear and crisp.
We use Spotify as our main podcast listening platform and the experience is a good one. You are still completely aware of what is happening around you, but you are also getting entertained. You lose a little bit of that radio voice, but the most important part of a podcast is usually its content.
The thing is, while we do want to give a hard time for it not having a thumping low-frequency punch, we still quite like the audio experience on the LinkBuds. Audio feels more natural thanks to the open back concept. Rather than getting as choke full of sounds pumped into your ear, music is lightly fed to your ears. It is a unique experience.
Battery Life
The Sony open back earbuds is quoted to have a battery life of up to 5.5 hours in regular listening mode. With the case, it is supposed to get up to 12 hours extra battery life. Our app says we have logged about 19 hours of listening time on the WF-L900 LinkBuds. We have only charged the device once since we got the device, which also means we have extracted more than the promised battery life.
Then again, we left the WF-L900 at half volume at most times and we hardly ever activate the wide area tap function. Adaptive volume was on, but again, volume is at 50% most of the time. We pick up calls with it too, which is supposed to drain its battery a little more. Our calls are placed with volumes above 75% most of the time just so that we can hear the other person clearly.
We believe that the batteries will last about 5 hours in a single use, especially when you leave the headphone on 70-75% volume. Our use case allows the battery life of the device to extend a little more than the quoted battery life, which is good when you do not want to take your headphones off.
You want to remember that each earbud only weighs 4g. It is one of the lightest pair of truly wireless headphones in the market, and it offers a battery life that matches some of the more premium offerings in the market. In that regard, the battery life is impressive.
The Sony WF-L900 LinkBuds – Unique is The Word, But There is a Little Bit More to It
In short, we enjoyed the Sony WF-L900 LinkBuds. It is a unique product, and it is not made for everyone. Inevitably, there will be “why do I need that?” questions. You don’t.
This is a unique product that fulfils a very specific need and solves a very specific problem. It is for the people who wants an earphone to be constantly in their ears. It is for people who wants a little more seamlessness in their day. It is for the people who are constantly on the go.
There are some compromises with this pair of headphones. It does not offer DSEE Extreme, just regular DSEE. There is Sony’s 360 Reality Audio, but we hardly notice its effects in our use time. It offers less battery life as well than the WF-1000XM4. The biggest drawback is that it lacks low-end punch.
You still get quite decent audio experience though, excellent high-end notes and crisp mid-range tones. At the same time, you are completely aware of what is happening around you while enjoying tunes or even podcasts. It is water resistant, important when you are constantly on the move. It is light and hardly noticeable in your ear once it goes in. You never have to take it off your ears until it needs a charge.
The MYR 849 goes into excellent audio while being able to go through the day completely uninterrupted. It buys a unique convenience, a sort of hybridization of lifestyles. It keeps you in the loop, while you are drifting away in a calm land. It keeps you focused, and entirely separated from everything that is happening around you simultaneously. It is weird, but it is a good kind of weird, and we like that.
LG is known for many things. They are one of the biggest names in home entertainment, especially televisions. They also make excellent home appliances like washing machines and water purifiers. That should mean they make great audio gear, right? Sure, they make sound bars and speakers. We own their XBOOM PL5s and we love them here at techENT. But they hardly make headphones, until now
Their strong partnership with Meridian, a British audio engineering house, has produced the LG TONE Free. This one we have in our hands is one of LG’s latest True Wireless earbuds. Not to be confused with other LG TONE Free earphones, this is the FP8. It will also set you back MYR 1,099 at full retail price.
Its asking price puts it next to the Sony WF-1000XM4. LG also offers Active Noise Cancelling feature here. But they are betting on another thing that Sony does not have with this headphone. The LG Free Tone FP8 is supposed to be more hygienic than any other True Wireless headphones you can find.
So, is it worth MYR 1,099? Does the “hygiene” feature alone make up the asking price? Should you even get this pair of headphones over others, if you are in the market for one? We find out.
Design
First, the LG TONE Free is not one pair of headphones. The naming scheme applies to a range of earphones from LG. Their website does not help much with clarifying the products either. We are not here to comment on websites though.
There is an entirely different problem with the hardware. It looks identical to whichever Tone Free products you pick, save for the HBS-FN7. They also look like Apple’s AirPods Pro, with a slightly tweaked stem.
LG claims that the unique “ergonomic” Concha-Shaped design is based on a design study of hundreds of ears. It is designed to conform to the shape of your ear and ensure a good and secure fit. We recommend that you try it first before making any conclusions. There is a nipple on the earbuds itself. It points out where to tap when you want to interact with the device.
Thankfully, the charging case looks nothing like an Apple Product. It looks more like a pebble you can find on a river’s bed. It is simplistic, minimal even. We must say, we quite like the look of the case itself.
Both the earbuds and the case are covered in a matte finish that repels fingerprint well. Not so well against scuffs and scratches though, the bottom of our review unit is full of scratches after a month of use. It is also a wireless charging case, which is always nice to have. The interior feels a little more durable though with a nice rough finish with LG’s logo on the cap, and Meridian logo on the base.
Hardware
Just because it looks similar to the Apple AirPods Pro does not mean that they are built the same though. They offer differing drivers and enhancements to make them what they are.
LG TONE Free FP8
Driver Unit
Dynamic 8Φ
Frequency Response
Unspecified
Headphone type
Wireless Earbuds
Battery
68mAh x 2 (earbuds) 380mAh (charging case) Max. 6 hrs (ANC On) / Max. 10 hrs (ANC Off) Up to 15 hrs (w/ charging case/ANC On) Up to 24 hrs (w/ charging case/ANC Off)
Miscellaneous
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling IPX4 Wireless Charging Google Fast Pair/Swift Pair Digital MEMS Mic Meridian sound/EQ
Features
The good thing about Bluetooth earphones like the LG Tone Free are that they are feature packed. You also have to remember you are paying MYR 1,099 for it. It should come feature packed at that price.
IPX4
Water resistance is quite common with most wireless earphones today. This one comes with IPX4 certification, meaning it can take on sweat or even the rain and cold. You might want to hold off swimming with it though.
We have done some running with the earbuds and it seems to deal with sweat well. Silicone type tips are great too because they are much easier to clean. At the same time, true to what LG claims, the earphones stay in your ears without too much of a fuss even with violent head movements. This also may vary from ear to ear.
Whisper Mode
By default, this function is turned off. You can toggle it on or off from the App which we will talk about later. According to the app’s description and illustration, it is to be used in trains.
We think that Whisper Mode can be used when you require a little bit more privacy and subtlety. The public transport is one of them, yes. You do have to use both earphones for this function to work though. The primary mic for calls is also placed in the right earbud, so you want to bring it closer to the mouth.
It works to a certain extent. It works in a noisy environment, but you do want to make sure that you are keeping your voice a little lower when you put the mic right to you your mouth. Yes, you can use it in a library too; just do not annoy your librarian and other patrons.
LG Tone Free App
We appreciate companion apps for any Bluetooth device connected to your smartphone. Thankfully LG TONE Free FP8 connects with the LG TONE Free App.
Everything on the app is intuitive enough that we do not have to guess how to work the main functions. The only one we got a little lost with is in changing the touchpad function. Then again, there are not that many submenus on the app; so that was rectified quickly as well.
There is a dedicated manual section that guides users on the basic workings of the LG TONE Free FP8. It even teaches you how to get UVnano sanitisation going. This also works with other LG TONE Free products, we assume.
Of course, like many headphone apps, the app also features its own equaliser and presets to work with. We mostly toggle between Natural, 3D Sound, and Immersive modes most. For noise cancelling, you can choose between transparency mode, noise cancelling mode, or turn it off completely. You can also check the battery levels of each bud and the case of the LG Tone Free FP8.
UVnano Sanitisation
The party piece of the LG TONE Free FP8 is its UVnano function. It is technically a UV based sanitisation mechanism built into the case. It radiates UV light on to the ear tip section of both earphones.
LG claims that the UVnano technology kills up to 99.9% of bacteria and germs on the parts of the earbuds that matter. It does not clean your earphones from visible dirt and grime though. We do not have any instruments to test their claim, so we will take LG’s word for it.
LG also says that the silicone ear tips they used are made from hypoallergenic materials to ensure that you are ultimately comfortable wearing the earphones. Paired to the bacteria cleaning technology, it might be okay sharing the earbuds with someone else. At the same time, it ensures you have a healthy ear while having a good time.
Quick Pair & Fast Pair
Like any other Quick Pair and Fast Pair enabled devices, you can simply open the case, take out the earbuds, and your smartphone or Bluetooth enabled PC instantly asks you to pair with the headphones. We set up the LG Tone Free FP8 with our Android smartphone in less than 5 seconds. Even getting things going with LG TONE Free app is quick and with very little nuance.
Performance
The meat of an earphone is always its drivers and sound quality. But for a pair of Bluetooth earphones, it does more than just play music. It must be your handsfree kit. The earbuds must also be able to last an entire plane journey.
Calls
In terms of making calls, the report of using the earbuds from the other end of the line is that it sounds mighty clear. Because the connection notice on the earbuds is just a quick ping, your conversations does not get cut off. Our friends have reported that 2e sound natural, as though we are working with the smartphones built-in hardware.
While you can use either earbud for listening, the main voice mic is placed in the right earbud. That is also why Whisper Mode only works with the right earbud as the mic. This also means that it is still better for you to use the right earbud to make calls and have conversations. Using just the left earbud did not allow us to have very good conversations with the earphones.
Receiving calls is a matter of just tapping either nipple on each earbud. The audio transmitted through the earphone is also mighty clear in typical phone calls. Both earbuds transmit the caller’s voice loud and clear. This makes an excellent pair of earphones for not only regular calls, but for video conferencing as well.
Active Noise Cancelling
One of the main selling points of this pair of earphones is also its Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) feature. In the app, you can set it to high, low, off, or ambient sound mode. Ambient sound mode is separated into conversation mode and listening mode.
In ambient sound mode, you hear everything as though you suddenly have super hearing for some reason in conversation mode. Conversation mode tends to amplify the mid-frequencies, where human voice sits. That means that you tend to hear a lot of things a lot louder too unfortunately, and it can be distracting when you are not having a conversation.
In listening mode things are a bit more natural sounding to the ear though with a subtle but noticeable hiss. We would prefer to use listening mode in most situations. It is especially useful when you are strolling down busy streets.
Then there is noise cancelling. It is not quite as good as its direct competition. While it does pretty much drown out most things around you, there are plenty of noise that still escapes the noise cancelling and makes it in your ear. As I type this review on the laptop, I can hear my keyboards clacking away, mouse clicks still visible, I can even have conversations with others, albeit limited.
The ANC algorithm is acceptable enough though. You start playing a music and it will drown out the noise a bit more. It is not made to just act as an earplug.
Meridian Tuning
LG’s TONE Free sounds excellent for podcasts. We listened to F1 Nation on Spotify and the vocals sounds rich and full. It sounds like a traditional radio experience and we quite like that. The low-end of the voice is clear and apparent with the voices. There is a lack of crispiness in the voice though.
The lack of crispiness is more apparent when you are listening to music. We used Tidal to listen to most of our music because Tidal offers higher bitrate than Spotify. Listening to Lost Without You by Freya Ridings is still enjoyable do not get us wrong. There is some loss of velvetiness in her voice with the earphones though. We kept the earphones set to natural for all our tests.
We played the Final Fantasy VII Medley by Video Game Orchestra, 3 Hour Drive by Alicia Keys, Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra, and Circles by Post Malone to put the earphones through its paces. There is no lack of punch in the low frequencies. There is a good definition of the basses as well, which is impressive enough for earphones this size. The low-frequency notes feel quite full and satisfying enough that you can enjoy EDM, Hip Hop, and Pop titles.
With others, you do find that there is some lack of definition in the mid and treble frequencies. The notes in those regions sound almost muddled, suppressed. We suspect that it is also because LG and Meridian chose a punchier tuning to enhance the bass experience. That is not to say that they sound bad though, they are still quite enjoyable.
To be fair, we are a little spoiled by the Sony WF-1000XM4’s sound quality for its asking price. If you do not have that to compare to, the LG Tone Free FP8 sounds excellent enough. You can enjoy your music and podcasts with not too much of an issue.
Battery Life
LG quoted 6 hours in battery life with ANC on. You can extend it to 10 hours if you turn off Noise Cancelling, but why would you? In our use case, we have not used it for more than three hours at a time. A quick look at the app’s battery indicates that at 70% volume, the LG Tone Free FP8 has used up about 50% of battery life in just a little less than three hours. If our math is correct, you should be able to get close to six hours of battery life with ANC on.
The case is supposed to give the LG Tone Free FP8 another one and a half extra charges. A quick pop into the case and the earphones charge quickly enough that you are not going to be out of action for too long. Because we never ran the battery dry, we never had to wait for more than 30 minutes to get the earbuds to fully charge. We find that we tend to leave the case on our wireless charging pad to keep it charged.
The LG Tone Free FP8 – Good, not Great
The LG Tone Free FP8 is a good pair of earphones to work with. It sounds good all around. While the bass-heavy profile does suppress vocals and trebles a little bit, listening to any kind of music is still a pleasurable experience. Noise cancelling is good enough to filter out plenty of sounds. Podcasts sounds reasonably good as well, so there is that.
For MYR 1,099 though, it goes directly against Sony’s WF-1000XM4. The LG’s Noise Cancelling algorithm cannot be compared to the Sony’s. To be fair, Sony’s noise cancelling technology is ahead of any in the industry currently.
Where the LG sounds a little supressed, the Sony sounds excellent. LG’s offering does offer a punchy low frequency, but its direct competitor does it better too. On paper, the Sony also offers a better battery life.
There is one thing that the LG offers that even the likes of Sony does not. They offer built-in UV sanitisation technology with UVnano. It keeps your earphones free from bacteria no matter how you use it at least. It still does not eliminate the need to clean your earphones from time to time though.
Does the UVnano technology justify its full retail price of MYR 1,099? We believe it might. That said, this is not a pair of earphones for us. But it does not mean that the LG is completely horrible mismatch to the market. We think it is made for those who has sensitive skin or ears, those who tend to get irritation in their ear when they start using in-ear monitor type earphones. It is made for those that needs to obsessively clean their earphones every time they use it. It is made for them to enjoy tracks while knowing that they will not have any hygiene issues after. For them, this works, and works well.
When the Sony WF-1000XM3 (WF-1000X Mk. III) first came to light, we were very excited about it. Oddly enough, the truly wireless earbuds from Sony did not have a Mk. II revision. It skipped a generation, which also means that the Mk. III is effectively a second-generation earphone of its type. There is a good reason for that though.
Sony’s argument to the naming scheme is simple. It packs the same technology as the WH-1000XM3 flagship Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) over-ear headphones. It is also leaps and bounds better than the first iteration they came up with. For that reason alone, the second-generation WF-1000XM3 is named the way it is.
With the fourth generation WH-1000X headphone (WH-1000XM4), they also delivered the Sony WF-1000XM4. It shares no visual similarities with the older Mk. III save for the colours. It is also quite a bit more expensive than the older earphone.s It is now MYR 1,099 over the MYR 899 for the Mk. III.
Is it worth the extra ask though? Is it a better headphone than the Mk. III that you should now chuck them away for these new ones? Does it even live up to our expectations? We dive in and try to answer these questions.
Design
As we mentioned earlier, the new WF-1000XM4 looks nothing like its predecessor. It is more compact, more “regular”. It is still quite bulky though, just less so than the WF-1000XM3.
The new earbuds feel more natural and easier to work with compared to the predecessor. It is much easier to place the earbuds correctly now than ever. The touchpad is now a lot bigger and easier to work with than before. The only thing we think missing is gesture control.
Even the case is much more compact now. They still feature the same sort of design language that you get from the case of the WF-1000XM3. The cap is a lot more rounded than before. The bottom is now flat so you can stand it correctly. The bottom is also where the wireless charging receiver is.
Hardware
The new earphones come with a slew of minor improvements that completely changes the experience of a true wireless ANC headphone. The drivers remain at the same size at 6mm, but was redesigned for better response in all frequencies. They have also managed to pack a few more mics and pick ups despite the smaller size.
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling IPX4 Wireless Charging DSEE Extreme
Features
There is a lot to unpack here. It is by far Sony’s most feature packed true wireless earbuds. Then again, you are paying MYR 1,099 for it.
IPX4
The WF-1000XM4 is officially rated at IPX4. That does not mean you can take it swimming though. Officially, IPX4 means that the hardware itself is splash protected in all direction. That also means that it will work rain or shine. We can also now take it for a jog or the gym without worrying. We recommend that you turn on ‘ambient noise’ when you are out and about for your own safety.
Hybrid Tips
For the Sony WF-1000XM4, Sony developed hybrid ear tips. It is a mix of foam and silicon that combines the best of both worlds. The foam is the part seals the ear, while the silicone keeps the structure and secure the tips to the body.
The result is an extremely comfortable fitting earphones that really seals off the world from you when you put your earphones on. You can wear it for hours on end without any sort of discomfort coming from the usual silicone ear tips. We cannot comment too much on its durability yet though, we need to use it for longer.
The noise isolation from the foam is significant enough that it blocks out most noise. Combined with the noise cancelling algorithm, the world is tuned out. Because foam is more compliant to ear shapes too, the experience should be consistent with most ears. Everyone’s ears are different though so you might get slightly different experiences.
All-New V1 Processor
Instead of the older generation QN1 processor, as per the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4, the new true wireless earbuds feature a new V1 audio processor. A quick breakdown by EE Times shows that while the current V1 chip is slightly larger than the older processor, it integrates more features within the chip itself allowing Sony to wrap everything else into a smaller and tighter package. Of course, the V1 packs more processing power. That processing power allows Sony to fit more purpose-built hardware with cleverer algorithm for an even better noise cancelling experience than before.
Simultaneous Bluetooth Connection
Sony’s previous true wireless ANC earphones had some reported issues of desynchronised audio across both earphones. Sony have solved that with simultaneous Bluetooth connection on the WH-1000XM4. That also means that both earbuds will get data simultaneously. That also means a more stable, more synchronised listening experience across both ears. For the earphones to work though, you have to use the right earbud first. The left earbud will not work on its own. Sony, it is 2022, everyone else allows us to use individual buds either side.
Pair Quickly, and Correctly
Google’s Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair are lifesavers for modern Bluetooth earphones. It is really just a matter of opening the case and choose “pair” when Windows or your Android smartphone prompts you to pair with your ear buds. We almost forgot that it’s predecessor came with NFC because this just works. It took us less than 5 seconds to get the WF-1000XM4 going.
Sony Headphones App
The Sony Headphones App really enhances our experience with the WF-1000XM4. If you come from Sony’s modern headphones line-up, you will be quite familiar with the app. There are certain carry over functions as well.
Ear Analysis for Better Experience
You can easily get the app to recognise your ear shape by taking a few photos as per the app’s instructions and tailor your listening experience. The difference can be so marginal that you hardly notice. To some though, it makes the world of difference in their listening experience. In some ways, the app can also help the earphones tailor the noise cancelling experience specifically for you. This is on top of the clever noise cancelling based on the feedback from its microphones from inside your ears. The app now also allows you to check if the tips you picked are suitable for you by performing ‘leak’ tests to see if your ears are properly sealed.
Speak-to-Chat – Your Earphones can Stay on Forever
One feature that trickled over also from the WH-1000XM4 is speak-to-chat function. If you find it quite annoying you can turn it off. It cuts the music so that you can have a conversation. It also only triggers when you start talking though, so your friends will still need to get your attention first.
Ambient mode is better and more natural than before. It is still a little artificial though. Little noises still sound bigger than they actually are.
By default, the music will only cut back 15 seconds after you end your conversation. You can turn that to 5, or 30 seconds. If not, you can also set it to trigger only when you interact with either earbud. It takes up to one second for the earphones cut the music and go into transparency mode, you might want to be patient.
Location Preset
Location detection is one very handy feature we love to use. You can have ambient mode when you are out and about just so that you are aware of what is happening around you. Once you get home, or to the office, your headphones will still continue playing the music and noise cancelling is turned up to the desired levels accordingly. You can even turn equaliser to different presets in different locations. Even the speak-to-chwt function can be customised accordingly.
360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos with Bravia XR
Yes, you can connect your earphones with your TVs too via Bluetooth. If your Sony TV packs Sony’s Bravia XR processor, you can take advantage of Sony’s clever 360 Reality Audio and the details in Dolby Atmos. Unfortunately, we do not have a TV with Bravia XR engine, so we could not test this function.
Performance
The features do not make the headphones though. You want it to sound good. You want to immerse yourself in music. With an ANC headphone, you want to be isolated at that.
Immerse Yourself Anywhere, Anytime, and in Peace
Noise cancelling on this pair of headphones is much cleaner than before. While it does not cancel everything, you can say that 90% of the noise around you gets cancelled with a good seal, and suddenly you are transported far away from your pesky colleagues, or noisy patrons in your favourite café. At 60-75% volume, the music drowns out your environment.
There is only one way to describe the audio experience; it is remarkable. Low-end frequencies excel with the WF-1000XM4. With some clever engineering, there is a bigger diaphragm over its predecessor. That also means that the low-end frequencies are punchier than before, more so than most earphones with similarly sized drivers. There is no sacrifice in detail though.
The mid-tones and high frequencies are excellent and properly detailed as well. Somehow, the WF-1000XM4 offers better vocals than before. You can hear that with songs like Lost Without You by Freya Ridings. The Final Fantasy Medley by the Video Game Orchestra also highlights the balance of the WF-1000M4. We use Tidal which offers music streaming at FLAC qualities.
DSEE Extreme and Hi-Res LDAC
We have to credit the excellent listening experience to Sony’s clever DSEE Extreme and LDAC algorithm. It is Sony’s clever audio upscaling algorithm that brings your music listening experience closer to what you might get on a CD or lossless files. You can turn it off if you want, but we suggest keeping it on.
Calls
The Sony WF-1000XM4 features more function specific microphones to pick up voice. It features bone conduction mic and also something called a beamforming mic. Bone conduction mic only picks up vibrations that comes from your skull while beamforming mic is great at picking up vocals. The result should be crystal clear and stellar voice quality in calls.
The feedback from the person on the other end of the line seems satisfactory. Our voices are picked up nicely and clearly. It is not as clear as using the smartphone’s built-in mic apparently, but still acceptable. The call sounds clear and clean in your ears too.
The better mic experience also benefits the speak-to-chat and smart assistant features of the WF-1000XM4. Because the earphones picks up your voice much better, speak-to-chat functionality is accurate in most cases and will not cut out when you are halfway talking to your peers. Voice commands are also picked more accurately than before.
360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos
360 Reality Audio offers you a sort of a 3D audio experience in the music. Artists can work with a whole surround sound experience to create a sort of immersive experience. For example, the earphones can visualise an all-encompassing drum experience, an acoustic guitar on the front left side, a piano on the front right side, your vocalist right in front of you, and a bass guitar right behind you.
Dolby Atmos on the other hand is a little different. While Dolby Atmos is used in most surround sound solutions for your visual entertainment, it is more about the details. On Tidal, Dolby Atmos allows you to head the little intricacies of the instruments. You can think of it like sitting in a studio listening to the actual recording being done before it gets mastered for the general listening experience.
On Tidal we used David Bowie’s Space Oddity and Alicia Keys’ 3 Hour Drive to test out the 360 Reality Audio. for Dolby Atmos, Tidal offers Sweet Child of Mine by Guns and Roses, Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, and I’ll Never Love Again by Lady Gaga. All of them offers different experience of 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos too.
Battery Life
Sony says that the WF-1000XM4 can last up to eight hours with continuous music playback and five and a half hours with continuous call time. Most of our calls end in less than three hours. One particular call that lasted about two hours did brought the charge down to about 50%. So, we can only take Sony’s word for its battery life.
We have never had the chance to use the earbuds for more than three hours in music playback too in our test period. The battery only went down to just about 60% in that time frame though. The estimation, based on the power consumption at that time, is more than seven hours of continuous use with Noise Cancelling in our case.
The case is also supposed to provide two extra charges, bringing up the total music playback battery life to a quoted 24 hours. We have never drained the battery on the case as well, but then again, we leave it on the wireless charger in the office or at home after every use of the earbuds. The case charges the earphones rather quickly too. In our use case, we never had to wait for more than 20 minutes for the earbuds to fully charge and get going again. You can charge it via the USB Type-C port too.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 Conclusion
We probably have said something similar with the WF-1000XM3, but this is sort of the gold standard now in ANC true wireless earphones. We think that the sound quality from the WF-1000XM4 has comparable sound quality even compared to the Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum II and the Klipsch T5 II.
At MYR 1,099 it is the same price as the AirPods Pro, and it sounds better. You could pick it up for less on other online platforms though. It is also cheaper than the Sennheiser and earbuds, both of which are considered some of the best sounding true wireless headphones out there.
This pair of earphones can offer you a completely tailored experience that is made only for your ears. That also means that each WF-1000XM4 out there could be marginally or completely different, depending on preferences as well of course. While that experience is only accessible through the Sony Headphones App, the app is available for both Android and iOS users.
Your entire audio experience is on a different level with the best-in-class noise cancelling algorithm. It blocks out enough that you feel like you are far away from distractions. With music, you are completely isolated and cut out from the world where you are. You are enjoying pure music.
Is it worth MYR 1,099? Based on its performance, we think the price tag is acceptable. MYR 1,099 for a personalised audio experience is actually highly accessible and reasonable, custom earphones will cost you at least twice that.
Is it better than the WF-1000XM3? Yes, it is. If you can get a good price for the Mk. IV, we think you should upgrade from the predecessor too. The WF-1000XM4 does not just live up to our expectations, it exceeds them. If Sony WF-1000XM4 is already this good; can Sony make anything much better than this?
Razer is not exactly new when it comes to producing audio accessories. Of course, their core DNA has always been gaming. They have been creating gaming-centric accessories and hardware for years. What started out as a gaming mouse maker is now a major producer in other gaming peripherals, including gaming laptops for that matter.
The trend today, at least in terms of lifestyle accessories, is to go wireless. Razer understands that too, of course. Over the years too they have been expanding their wireless gaming peripheral line-up. The latest to join that line of wireless hardware is the new Hammerhead True Wireless (TWS) earbuds.
This is not technically a new product from Razer though. They launched their first iteration of their Hammerhead TWS earbuds back in 2019. The first-generation earphones took everything that were great from their Bluetooth iteration of the Hammerhead earphones and put them in a form factor that reflects the modern craze.
The shape of the earphones, in a sense, is very different from the Hammerhead earphones that we are used to though. Its shape mimics a certain other manufacturer instead, given, it was one of the most popular designs out there in the TWS earbuds market. Its charging/carrying case was designed a little differently though. It was designed to stand out a little bit in a more pill like case, while being a little more pocketable and compact than its competitors. After all, the name of the game in TWS earphones is portability and versatility.
The new TWS Hammerhead takes a slightly different approach compared to the first generation from 2019 though. The case and earbuds design mimics Razer’s own Hammerhead TWS Pro earbuds instead. That also means the case has a larger footprint compared to its predecessor. That is good news for its battery life though, with up to 32.5 hours in total battery life (RGB and ANC Off).
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
While the touch sensitive stem of the earbuds remains on the second-generation Razer Hammerhead, the tips are completely different. The new Hammerhead TWS earbuds features a proper earbud with replaceable silicon tips that should be a better and more secure fit in your ears. Its IPX4 certification means that you can take it out for your exercises and ensuring that you have a good seal and secure fit is important; you do not want to be running and losing your earbuds along the way.
On top of all of that, there are a few more reasons why you might want to ditch your first-generation Hammerhead TWS earbuds for the new one. For one, it now features Active Noise Cancelling technology. It also features Google Fast Pair, for an even quicker pairing and connection with your Android devices. At the same time, you get even more stable wireless connection with Bluetooth 5.2. The best part on the Hammerhead TWS though is its Razer Chroma customisable RGB. You can customise that from your smartphone app (available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, of course.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
The new Razer Hammerhead TWS earbuds is now available from Razer.com, and authorised retailers across the nation. There are no funky colour options for you to choose from here. While it is only available in black, that also means that your RGB stands out a lot more. The TWS earphones is now available for MYR 629. For more information on the new Razer Hammerhead TWS earbuds, you can head over to their website.
