Wires are a pain to deal with. While the world of electronics has given us amazing things like the television, video games, smartphones, and even the computer, cable management has always been the bane of electronics. You need electronics to be tethered to a wall socket at least though, for power obviously.
The advancements that made the electrical battery the technology it is today though has led to the very rapid development that is wireless technology. Things like your smartphones and laptops, and even Nintendo Switch will not happen unless there is the magical block of stuff inside your devices that is called the battery. Wireless technology has also given us wireless headphones like the new Razer Barracuda X.
While wireless technology does have its limitations in terms of certain sound qualities, battery life, and even latency, most of them has been solved and improved tremendously over the years. All that culminates in the Barracuda X that can be used in any way you can imagine, without the hassle plugging cables in and dragging your devices across the room when you need to go take a leak.
Source: Razer
The Barracuda X is truly a versatile piece of kit. You can connect it to your PlayStation console, your PC, your smartphone, and even a Nintendo Switch at the same time. Of course, the Nintendo Switch requires a special HyperSpeed Wireless dongle that comes in the Barracuda X’s packaging.
Of course, there are a slew of cables, including USB-Type C extensions and cables for charging. Because nothing beats a wired connection in terms of sound quality and fidelity, there is a 3.5mm AUX cable included in the set too. For gaming, you get a detachable Razer HyperClear Cardioid microphone. There is a good reason why it is a detachable mic.
Source: Razer
The Razer Barracuda X is made with not just gaming in mind. It is made for gamers to use everywhere. You can tell, because it does not feature the regular outrageous or striking look of the regular gaming headset from Razer. Gone are the green, or white, or red, or yellow accents; you do not even have RGB on the Barracuda X. It looks and feels like the more subtle OPUS headphones. It does not have the Noise Cancelling technology, but it does share the same stealth design so that you can blend in when you use it outside of home.
Hardware wise, it packs Razer’s immensely powerful TriForce drivers which measures in at 40mm. That large driver should deliver rich, clear, and detailed audio that is mostly tuned for gaming. That does not mean you cannot enjoy music with it too though. Anything designed with gaming in mind should sound good in other conditions as well, especially when the headphone is capable of producing 7.1 surround sound. The high-power delivery also ensures immersive experience with a lot of volume. That should also alleviate the lack of noise cancellation technology.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
At 250g, the wireless headphone is made with comfort in mind too. The lack of weight will allow you to be a lot more comfortable with the headphone in long gaming sessions and you are going to be gaming long and hard with the Barracuda X’s 20 hours of battery life. The memory foam ear cushion is designed so that it sits flush on the side of your heads and create a tight noise seal while remaining breathable. The overhead cushion is of course important in not just spreading the weight of the headphone properly, but to relief the pressure on top of your head.
The Razer Barracuda X is available now from Razer.com and authorised dealers across the nation. You can also get them from Razer’s Official Store on Shopee and Lazada. Unlike the Opus X, the Razer Barracuda X only comes in one colour option: black. At MYR 549 though, the headphone could be one of the best value for money gaming headsets from Razer. More information on the Razer Barracuda X can be found on from their website.
When Sony introduced the world to the WF-1000XM3 last year, it was rated as one of the best truly wireless headphones that you can buy. There is little doubt to that claim and why it is so. The WF-1000XM3, the second-generation noise cancelling truly wireless earbuds from Sony packed arguably the best noise cancelling technologies in the world. It came with battery life longer than anything you can find in the market too at the same time without compromising on audio quality and fidelity. That is why we decided to own one.
To live up or replace the WF-1000XM3 then is no mean feat. It looks like Sony has done so though in their new WF-1000XM4. Except, the changes might not be too much around sound quality but more around additional features instead.
Integrated Processor V1 – Better Noise Cancelling
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
That is not to say that they have skimmed on trying to make it sound better. They developed a new processing chip for the WF-1000XM4, the Integrated Processor V1. It is supposed to be cleverer than the Mark III’s QN1e processor and more powerful, at least for this form factor. That also means better noise cancellation algorithms, supposedly. Alongside two noise sensors, noise cancelling is a lot more accurate too. The new chip is also a little more power efficient than the older chip, which explains the slightly more compact body.
Redesigned 6mm Drivers
To improve sound quality, a newly designed driver unit now boast 20% more magnet volume for increased low-end power for that much needed bass line. The driver is still the same size at 6mm though, that also means that it should be as power efficient as before. But this also means that noise cancellation can be even more precise with better low-end anti-noise reproduction from the drivers. They have also redesigned the Noise Isolation Tips to be more durable and more comfortable as well as reducing outside noise. The new processor even detects wind and automatically cancels it out.
Hi-Res and LDAC support with DSEE Extreme
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Sony is known for their Hi-Res audio, so it was a little funny when Sony did not include the Hi-Res certification to the old WF-1000XM3. On the new Sony WF-1000XM4, that changes. It now supports High-Resolution Audio Wireless and all this is thanks to the now inclusion of Sony’s brilliant LDAC technology. With up to 990kbps of data transfer speed, high-resolution audio can easily be transmitted to the headphone with minimal loss. Latency might also be improved on the headphones.
DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) Extreme also finally makes it to the WF-1000XM4. The technology upscales music in real time on device to deliver even better sounding music than you are probably used to with Bluetooth Headphones. The technology fills gaps and restores any lost ranges and dynamics in music to deliver a richer and more complete audio experience.
Better Conversations with Speak-to Chat and Bone Conduction
Of course, the speak-to-chat function makes it to the WF-1000XM4. You can quickly start a conversation and the WF-1000XM4 automatically cuts music volume just so that you can easily order your favourite coffee or have a quick conversation with your friends. If you want to just quickly turn down the volume to hear announcements, simply place a finger over the left earbud. Of course, just like any older Sony headphone, Adaptive Sound Control is supported on this pair of headphones too.
Using the WF-1000XM3 for phone calls have not been its strongest suit. That is also about to change with the WF-1000XM4 though. Sony fitted the wireless headphones with Precise Voice Pickup technology and bone-conduction sensors to clearly and more accurately pick up your voice for calls. Additionally, beamforming microphones focuses on only picking up voices coming from your mouth and rejects unwanted noise from the background.
Compact, Comfort, Long-Lasting
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Besides being 40% smaller, the case is also a wireless charging unit. That also means you can lose your cables and just place your WF-1000XM4 on your existing wireless charger to get it up and running the next round you move out. Smaller case also means smaller earbuds at 10% reduction compared to it predecessor.
Speaking of size though, an earbud’s fitting in your ear is everything to get the best audio experience. Sony’s Headphone Connect App now helps you find the best fitting earbud tip size by measuring your ear size just with a simple photo. A perfect fitting earbud tip also helps with long term comfort, of course.
Finally, the Sony WF-1000XM4 truly wireless headphones are IPX4 certified. That also means that the headphones could be your perfect exercise buddy. Just do not take it swimming. On top of that, you can be sure that your earphones can continue playing your favourite tracks from the gym to the office and even to home with 8 hours of use. The case gives you an additional 16 hours of battery life to give you a total of 24 hours in battery life.
Simpler Than Ever
Connecting the Sony WF-1000XM3 was not exactly a difficult affair, but the WF-1000XM4 is easier than ever to connect to your devices. With Google’s Fast Pair features, you only need to open the case and you are one tap away from connecting your Android smartphone to the headphones. Even Microsoft’s Windows gets some love with Microsoft Swift Pair for the WF-1000XM4 to quickly pair with Windows 10 devices.
Availability and Price
The Sony WF-1000XM4 will be available in Malaysia mid-July 2021 onward. You can get your hands on for MYR 1,099. You can also pre-order yours now until 15th July 2021. Like the older WF-1000XM3, there are only two colour options – black or silver. Pre-orders can be made at Sony Store The Curve and KLCC, Sony Store Online, and Sony’s authorised stores across the nation. For more information on the Sony WF-1000XM4 truly wireless headphones with noise cancelling capabilities, you can visit Sony’s website.
Sony’s WH-series headphones are no stranger to the market. In fact, if you’ve been looking for a formidable wireless headphone to add to your arsenal, you’ve probably been recommended the WH-1000XM3 or WH-1000XM4. The headphones have created a paradigm shift in audio experiences since their introduction back in 2019. The headphones continue to be one of the most in demand headphones even with the introduction of the WH-1000XM4.
The WH-1000XM4 is getting a little bit more special with a limited, special edition. The new Silent White edition up-classes the already elegant design of the WH-1000XM4 with a new pearlescent white. Sony’s choice of pearlescent white permeates the whole package from the headphones themselves to the accessories that come with it. The new finish also comes with an additional coating of paint which makes it even more stain resistant. The additional layer also preserves the high quality white finish.
Beauty isn’t just skin deep with the new Silent White WH-1000XM4. The headphones come with the same technology that makes the line up a must have for audiophiles. It comes with Sony’s most advanced noise cancelling technology powered by the QN1 noise cancelling processor. This is, of course, augmented by Sony’s dual noise sensor technology which brings an improved algorithm for better noise cancelling. The audio experience is further enhanced by a Bluetooth audio system on chip which dynamically adapts to noise, music and acoustics. Edge-AI and DSEE Extreme ensures that users get the full fidelity of sound by accurately rebuilding loss audio data lost during digital compression.
Pricing & Availability
If you’re itching to get the Silent White WH-1000XM4, you’ll have to wait a few more weeks until May 2021 in Malaysia. They will be available at the Sony Stores in Suria KLCC and The Curve as well as the Sony Store Online. You’ll need to be quick though, as they will only be available in limited quantities at a recommended retail price of MYR1,799.
They will also be available in Europe starting May, 20201 for €430 (MYR2,126.75)/£400 (MYR2,295.02). Availability in the the U.S. will start in summer with a recommended retail price of $399.99 (MYR1,646.90).
Update (11/03/21): The OPPO Enco X has launched globally with immediate availability. Official global pricing is EU€ 179 (MYR 879***). We are expecting the TWS earphone to arrive in Malaysia toward the end of March 2021 or early April 2021 alongside the OPPO Find X3 Pro.
Meet the OPPO Enco X, OPPO’s new True Wireless (TWS) earphones that is supposed to feature Active Noise Cancelling and all the premium things you can find on a TWS earphone. They created it with Dynaudio as well, a well known Danish HiFi audio solutions provider. This should be a good one.
Technically, it is a good one. There has been reviews out and about already and the product has been available in India since January 2021. Of course, it is available in China as well. You technically can buy the OPPO Enco X from Shopee as well, albeit not from official sources and unofficial price tags attached to them.
That is all about to change soon, according to OPPO. They have not given us a tentative date at this time, but they also say that they will announce the launch date soon. Yes, they are very vague. At least they confirmed that the new OPPO Enco X will be available in Malaysia officially.
The OPPO Enco X, if you have not known yet, is OPPO’s latest TWS earphones to enter the market after the OPPO Enco Free, Enco W31, Enco W11, and Enco W51. Most of these options can be considered budget options with prices less than MYR 300 (US$ 73*). The most expensive of these Enco earphones currently available in Malaysia is the OPPO Enco Free at MYR 499 (US$ 121*).
Source: OPPO
The OPPO Enco X though is going to be a slightly more premium product. Its official pricing in China is RMB 999 (US$ 153**) which converts to about MYR 634. But there is a good reason for the more premium pricing.
For one, it is created with Dynaudio. As per mentioned, Dynaudio is a world famous Danish HiFi gear maker. They are one of the go-to brands when it comes to high-end audio gear and even studio monitoring gear. Them lending their expertise to OPPO will really elevate the listening experience.
OPPO is not exactly new to high-end audio either. Remember they launched the OPPO PM-1 headphone, one of the highest acclaimed high-end audio gears any audiophile could get with their money. They also released something called DBEE Dynamic Audio technology back in 2007. The technology is now in its third generation available on the OPPO Enco X. The technology supposedly features new materials and new construction layout and methods to deliver better aural experiences.
Secondly, the OPPO Enco X is an Active Noice Cancelling (ANC) enabled earphone. ANC usually means premium with a price tag to match. The Sony WF-SP800N earphones for example retails at MYR 849. The Apple Airpods Pro retails at MYR 1,099.
Source: OPPO
Thirdly, OPPO’s Enco X also comes with OPPO’s brilliant Binaural Low-Latency Bluetooth Transmission technology. This should mean lower transmission latency from your connected device to the earphones. That is important for gaming and even phone calls.
Lastly, its battery life. OPPO’s Enco X is said to have up to 25 hours of music playback in total. With noise cancelling fully on though, the earphones itself can last up to 4 hours with music on a single charge. The case gives the Enco X three additional charges. While 4 hours may not sound like much, most TWS earphones have a battery life of less than 3 hours on a single charge.
The OPPO Enco X will be available in White and Black colour options. There are no solid information on its availability dates in Malaysia yet. There are no solid leads on its pricing too at this time. As per its official pricing in China of RMB 999 though, we are expecting prices to be somewhere between MYR 649, to MYR 699 in Malaysia.
* Approximate conversion based on exchange rate US$ 1 = MYR 4.13 on xe.com as of 10/03/2021
** Approximate conversion based on exchange rate US$ 1 = RMB 6.50 on xe.com as of 10/03/2021
*** Approximate value based on conversion rate EU€ 1.00 = MYR 4.91 on xe.com as of 11/03/2021
We loved the WF-1000XM3, this is no secret. I personally own a WF-1000XM3. We actually went out to pre-order one to get it before they officially launched them in Malaysia. It is that good.
But there is something better than an in-ear headphone though. That is an over-ear headphone like the WH-1000XM3. There is a reason why we settled for the WF-1000XM3 though. Its performance is close enough to the WH-1000XM3 and is fractionally cheaper, and it is a lot more portable.
We still love the WH-1000XM3 very much though. It is one of the best active noise cancelling headphone in the industry at its time and still holds its own to this day. If you are looking for a noise cancelling headphone at a budget at this time, the WH-1000XM3 is still a very good choice. The problem is, the new Sony WH-1000XM4 is not that much more expensive in price.
The WH-1000XM4 is still a premium product at MYR 1,599. The question here is not whether it is better than the WH-1000XM3 or not though. The question here should be, should you change from the WH-1000XM3 to this one? Or should you get this one over the discounted Mark III? We find out.
Design
It looks exactly the same as the WH-1000XM3, and that is it. Really, they look the same. They come with the same shaped hardcase too, with a slight difference in material choices over the case. Put the two side by side and they look nearly indistinguishable other than the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4 label on the head band.
So that is that, right? Not really
The padding on the Sony WH-1000XM4 is of newer materials that is supposed to be more breathable and more comfortable than the WH-1000XM3. This is not to say that the Sony WH-1000XM3 was not a comfortable headphone to work with in any way though. The newer materials ensures that the WH-1000XM4’s earcups are slightly more breathable apparently.
In Malaysia, you are still going to sweat your ears out wearing the headphones out in the open. It will still be warm no matter how you put it, but that is not the fault of the headphone itself. We suspect also that the extra breathability has something to do with the more comfortable clamping force on the headband.
There is another subtle change within one of the earcups too. Specifically, on the left earcup there is now what seems to be a cut out for some sort of a sensor. The sensor is an optical sensor to tell the headphone whether or it is being worn.
Features
The Sony WH-1000XM4 inherits most of its great features from the Sony WH-1000XM3. That is kind of expected. What we did not expect is how much Sony added on the WH-1000XM4 to make it a class of its own.
Talk-to-Chat Transparent Mode
The new Sony WH-1000XM4 is a rather clever piece of kit to bring with you wherever you go. You technically do not have to take it off your ear ever (until the battery drains and you have to charge, of course). It turns on ambient noise mode the moment you want to start a conversation with anyone.
We tried the function in the office to have conversations with everyone else in the office. It only detects speech from you before it turns to transparent mode automatically. Which also means that your friends still need to tap on your shoulders to get your attention and you have to start talking first before the feature itself is turned on.
We do find it nifty in certain situations, and a little jarring in a lot of situations. There are times that we had to say “what?” twice before you can get the headphone to turn transparent mode on. You can still cover the right cup of the headphone to turn on ambient mode temporarily too, which might work better in our opinions.
Transparency mode on the Sony WH-1000XM4 may not be the most natural experience you have on your surroundings too. You can sort of hear your friends when you talk to them in transparent mode, but there are times where you tend to hear more environmental noise and buzz than the people you want to have conversations with. At least the delivery of ambient noise is accurate enough you know where everything is coming from.
Noise Cancelling Made Even better
The WH-1000XM4 packs the same type of audio signal processor from its predecessor. It is the very powerful Sony QN1 processor. This is also the reason why the Sony headphone is not aptX or aptX HD certified. Then again, it is not a Qualcomm processor the headphone packs.
The QN1 on the WH-1000XM4 is programmed differently compared to the QN1 in the older headphone and the WF-1000XM3 though. It is technically more powerful as it now does more complex and robust calculations for noise cancelling. That also means that the noise cancelling in the new WH-1000XM4 is technically better than the WH-1000XM3.
To put it in words, you might hear the headphone feeding you anti-noise at times, when there is no other audio playing through the headphone. When the music comes alive, most of the world is tuned out and quiet. There are still some situations that you can hear the rest of the world, especially when loud noises are involved, but no active noise cancelling technology can remove noise or sounds completely.
Using the active noise cancelling feature on the WH-1000XM4 for an extended period of time is a very comfortable affair. You do not feel like your head is stuck in a vacuum chamber or feel like your eardrums are being sucked dry by the headphone. What we mean to say is that you will not get a headache or discomfort.
DSEE Extreme
But the QN1 does more than just clever noise cancelling. It upscales audio now with Sony’s proprietary DSEE Extreme, an even more powerful version of Sony’s DSEE HX from the WH-1000XM3. What it does is it upscales audio and delivers them more cleanly via Bluetooth. The technology fills gaps in an audio and delivers it to the listener for a better listening experience.
Again, the differences are very marginal to a regular listener. To us at least, the differences between audio delivery between the new headphone and older headphone is hardly noticeable and very easy to miss if you do not pay attention. The differences lie in some of the higher-end frequencies and a slightly fuller low-frequency notes.
In theory then, even Spotify should sound a little more amazing and impressive with DSEE Extreme. It does though, it does work. It does make Spotify sound less Spotify and a little more Tidal. To put it into perspective, Spotify can be likened to compressed MP3 audio format and Tidal delivers up to CD AAC audio format, which has higher bitrate and throughput. In turn, AAC audio format tends to be more detailed and in higher fidelity compared to MP3.
Multi-Device Connection
There was not much we could complain about when it comes to the WH-1000XM3. The only thing we thought was a little lacking was the fact that the headphone could only connect to one device at a time. Sony also fixed that with the new WH-1000XM4.
While the new WH-1000XM4 headphones does connect to multiple devices, do not be fooled into thinking you can connect your smartphone, your notebook PC, and your tablet at the same time. You can only choose up to two devices to connect to the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Connecting your WH-1000XM4 to both devices as simple as you would expect too. You can use your smartphones to connect to the device via NFC and then Bluetooth. Connecting your PC too is just about a simple working with Windows’ Bluetooth.
You might have to keep in mind that the Sony WH-1000XM4 turns off the moment you plug a USB Type-C cable to the headphone. The headphone will automatically go into charge mode. You can still plug the headphones in to a 3.5mm AUX jack for listening though, just that you do not get to use the noise cancelling function.
Performance
Of course, the whole point of a headphone is an audio experience. That is what this MYR 1,599 Sony WH-1000XM4 is all about, the aural experience. For that kind of money, you will not be disappointed with the Sony headphones.
An Aural Experience
It is a solid product no matter how you look at it for MYR 1,599. While the build is mostly plastic, most of the money goes into making the internals as good as it can be. You are looking at a 40mm driver that is capable of producing frequencies from as low as 4hz all the way to 40,000hz. Of course, what you hear depends on your own ears and the music format itself.
We tested most of our audio products with Tidal because it streams at 16-bit/44kHz quality. Spotify streams at half that. That also means that you get higher quality audio and more detailed audio from Tidal to work with.
As with plenty of Sony audio products, we can safely say that the WH-1000XM4 produces a very balanced sound signature. Sound is detailed enough through all the frequencies. Some might say that it lacks lower frequency punch (bass) though, and that is also mostly a matter of preference. Still, the mid and high frequencies shine with detail and there is enough punch for us in the lower frequencies.
What it lacks in punch though, the Sony WH-1000XM4 makes up in detail. The lower frequencies forms with distinction, not just booms that you hear in your ear. You also have to keep in mind that too much lower frequencies can hurt your ears too. This will not do that.
The headphone gets pretty loud too on Bluetooth. If you plug it in though, depending on your source device, the headphone tends to be a little softer and less punchy. We do somehow find a bit more detail when you plug it in though. Just remember that you still need to use the battery if you want to use the Noise Cancelling function and DSEE Extreme.
Listening on the WH-1000XM4 can be very personal though. Via the app, you could also take a picture of your ears and let Sony tune the headphone to your ears. In that case, your friends might not get the same experience as you do on the headphone itself. Of course, the app also allows you to adjust your own equaliser to make it even more personal.
With the WH-1000XM4 as well you get the benefit of Sony’s 360 Reality Audio that gives you some spatial effect. Of course, not all streaming platforms have this feature. That is also why we refer to Tidal for our audio needs, they support the 360 Reality Audio feature.
Battery Life
Sony claims that the WH-1000XM4, like the WH-1000XM3, has 30 hours of continuous playback. That is technically longer than the world’s longest direct flight at 18 hours. We have not had the privilege to travel from Singapore to New York directly for that matter. No thanks to the pandemic situation too, travelling is rather limited to intercity travels by car. Which also means that we have not sat in an airplane for over a year now.
If we do though, we are glad that we have the WH-1000XM4. In our tests, we can assure you that it the headphones can last more than 20 cumulative hours of use. Of course, this also depends on how high or how low you set your volume to. We set our volumes to an average 70 to 75% most of the time and we mostly use it with our PC and smartphone wirelessly. In that regards, we only had to charge the headphone once in a week.
Call Quality
Of course, because we pair it to our smartphone as well, we use it to make phone calls from time to time. On PC as well, by default the headphone connects to the device as two separate devices and go into handsfree mode the moment you get into a conference call. This is also to prevent the headphone to go into talk-to-chat transparency mode.
In hands-free mode, or when you make a call, the audio gets a little distorted for some reason. It is not as bad as before where audio sounds tiny and extra distorted though. We just thought that it sounds a little sketchy at times and it could be a little better and clearer.
It is still convenient for you to just pick-up a call and tune everything else out. Whenever a call comes in, the headphone prioritises feed from the calls on your smartphone or your video conferencing tools first.
On the PC, you will hear the difference between conference calls made in hands-free mode and with hands-free mode turned off. It is night and day. You also want to keep in mind that if you want to use this headphone for multiplayer gaming (it is quite excellent for gaming too, if you must know), you really want to disable hands-free mode and Talk-to-Chat function.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 – Oh Yes!
We really like the Sony WH-1000XM4. They never really changed its design compared to its predecessor. To be fair, the design language has not changed all that much since their first iteration of the noise cancelling over-ear headphone series. Then again, why fix something that is not broken? That is also very Japanese, if we must say.
Issue with that is that ergonomics is the same and the touch controls are the same too. The touch controls are not exactly the Sony WH-1000XM4’s strongest suit. Thank goodness you have a smartphone app to control the headphone too. Of course, the app makes the WH-1000XM4 even more personal.
It is a slightly more comfortable headphone compared to the older WH-1000XM3. It is also better sounding and packs better active noise cancelling algorithm. We thought talk-to-chat function was something that would be a game changer, but we end up looking at it as more of a gimmick now instead.
So, if you are looking to spend a little bit more money for a headphone, the WH-1000XM4 is a good buy. We would recommend it very strongly. The problem only comes if you already own a WH-1000XM3.
To solve the problem, we would not recommend you change from your WH-1000XM3 to this new one. While all the small improvements may make it seem like the fourth-generation headphone from Sony holds a big gap over the WH-1000XM3, the improvements made in the areas that matter is not so much that the older generation headphones become obsolete. If you do want the latest and greatest though, who are we to say that you should not spend your money on the Sony WH-1000XM4?
In 2019, Sony announced a totally new audio experience called 360 Reality Audio which allowed content creators to map sound sources with positional information. This means that creators could map choruses coming from behind the listener while vocals could be mapped to the front of the listener; which creates an even more immersive audio experience. Sony touts that the experience is akin to being in a music studio or live concert venue. To date, the technology has been implemented in over 4,000 songs from artists such as Alicia Keys, Lil Nas X and Zara Larsson.
At CES this year, Sony is doubling down on 360 Reality Audio by introducing a new piece of software called the 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite. This software makes creating 360 Reality Audio content even easier and comes with plugin software which is compatible with popular digital audio workstations. It will be coming at the end of the month from Audio Futures Inc, a subsidiary of Virtual Sonics, Inc.
Together with new software, Sony is also expanding its device ecosystem with new speakers compatible with 360 Reality Audio technology. Two new speakers, the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 have been announced. These speakers are WiFi-enabled and will allow users to experience 360 Reality Audio enabled content by creating an immersive, room-filling experience with Sony’s unique Immersive Audio Enhancement algorithm. They are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
We will be seeing more 360 Reality Audio enabled devices such as headphones, speakers and more in the near future as Sony is also working with other audio manufacturers to bring the technology to the masses. More specifically, the company is looking to license the technology for headphone personalization and even for use in Smartphones and vehicle entertainment systems.
Personal audio is awesome. Being able to tune out the world at your daily commute is awesome. There is a problem however, there always is. Earphones are often quite messy. That is why true wireless (TWS) earphones are all the rage these days, overtaking regular Bluetooth headphones.
Of course we can understand why. TWS earphones come with its own protection case that even charges the earphones. When you carry it around and use it, it is completely wireless, which also means that there is no risk of wasting five minutes trying to untangle the earphones. You just simply take out your earphones from the case and start playing music, awesomeness in less than five seconds.
TWS earphones are not cheap though. You cannot usually find any decent TWS type earphones that would cost less than MYR 500. OPPO is looking to change that though.
Source: OPPO
No, we are not talking about the OPPO Enco Free. The OPPO Enco Free was launched a few months ago that was priced at MYR 599. Yes, Still MYR 599. They just launched a completely new TWS earphone for the market alongside their new OPPO A92 mid-range smartphone.
They launched the OPPO Enco W31 and it is priced at MYR 259. Oh yes, it is priced below MYR 500, and we know that OPPO makes good audio devices since their OPPO Digital days. Remember they made the iconic OPPO PM-1 high-end headphones?
Source: OPPO
The new OPPO Enco W31 has some design cues that is very reminiscent of a certain other manufacturer in their newer earphone too. Still, by the looks of it, it seems a little more ergonomic than the outgoing Enco Free with a more standard earbud design.
The MYR 259 price tag does not mean that the OPPO Enco W31 is anywhere near cheap quality or cheap sounding though. At least we do not think it is. Still, you are getting quite a few features for the money.
Source: OPPO
It has noise cancellation, albeit only for phone calls. It even has the same sort of Bluetooth technology that Enco Free has. The Binaural Low-Latency Bluetooth technology on top of Bluetooth 5.0, as we have experienced in the OPPO Enco Free, is quite amazing. That technology also helps with latency differences between earphones, which means you are getting properly synchronised audio through the earphones.
It even has a Bass Mode to pump the low frequencies up. Most smaller earphones with small audio drivers have a problem of a less powerful low frequency. This should solve that issue with OPPO’s 7mm diaphragms. All this is packed in a package that can last you a total of up to 15 hours of battery life. On their own, the earbuds last you 3.5 hours. It charges fast enough though. 10 minutes of charge gives you up to 80 minutes of music playback time. All you need to do is pop the Enco W31 ear buds into the carrying case.
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
Source: OPPO
The OPPO Enco W13 TWS earphones is now available for pre-order until the 8th of March 2020. That is the same time as the OPPO A92 smartphone. It will set you back MYR 259 still. If you pre-ordered your OPPO Enco W31 alongside the OPPO A92 though, you are only paying MYR 199 for it. It is available in two colours: Black and White.
