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The Sony WH-1000XM4 In-Depth Review – It Gets Better

February 19, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

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?

Android, Camera, Mobile, News

The New Sony Xperia PRO is the 5G solution for Professionals

January 27, 2021 Darwin Sucipto 1 Comment

When we say professionals, we do not mean doctors, or businessmen, or Engineers. We mean content creators, filmmakers and such. Those are the kind of people that Sony targets with this device, alongside the brand-new Sony α1 full-frame mirrorless camera. Before we go any further though, we have to break a few hearts with its price.

The Xperia PRO for 2021 is supposed to be available to customers in the North American market from the 26^th of January 2021 onward. It will be available for US$ 2,499 (MYR 10,107*). Yes, that is more than MYR 10,000 in Malaysia, that is even before we consider the device coming to town with its own local pricing. That puts it way above the iPhone 12 Pro Max even at the Apple device’s most expensive configuration available on their website. There is a good reason for the pricing for this Android device though.

The Sony Alpha One Stop Shop

Just looking at the official renders, you can already tell that this is not some regular, chintzy flagship device with all kinds of blings in the world. This is a purpose-built piece of kit that not only functions as a smartphone. It is a personal assistant for content creators that is on a Sony Alpha platform. It is built to enhance your content workflow and even more powerful. It makes you a superhero.

That last statement may be a little bit of an exaggeration. Thing is, with an Alpha camera and the Xperia PRO, you sort of can be a content superhero. This is a one stop shop for an Alpha camera system before you post edit everything on a PC system or Mac, whichever you work on.

The Monitor

First of all, it has everything you need to get your Alpha workflow compiled in one place. It packs a Type D Micro HDMI input port specifically for Alpha camera systems. That means it acts as a secondary 6.5-inch 4K OLED monitor feed that you can pair with your Alpha camera like the Sony α1.

The Broadcaster, The Cloud Server

Thanks to that HDMI connection that allows 4K capture even on the Xperia PRO too, the combination of an HDMI input from an Alpha camera (they say it works for other cameras too) and the Xperia PRO’s 5G capabilities makes this thing a live broadcaster too. Who says you need to spend an arm and a leg for a dedicated broadcasting gear? Well, you still kind of do, the combination of an Xperia PRO and the Sony α1 is still more than MYR 30,000 in value. But this is really high-quality YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and even Twitch streaming in your pockets.

Of course, you need strong and stable network connection for the Xperia PRO to broadcast to whatever channels you prefer. That is also why the Xperia PRO is designed the way it is. It is so that the device packs a 360-degree optimised mmWave and Sub-6 5G antenna. Combined with low dielectric constant materials for its chassis (not aluminium), 5G connections should remain strong and stable at any given time for optimised broadcasts.

The Xperia PRO could be your one stop shop for photo processing too for Alpha camera systems. You only need to connect your Alpha camera to the Xperia PRO device via USB and transfer all your photos to an FTP server. That means you can save some money on buying extra SD cards and worry more about shooting the best photos you can get.

The Sony Xperia PRO Smartphone

Now, to the smartphone bits. We start with what empowers the Sony Xperia PRO. We start with its heart, the processor, the SoC.

It packs a powerful and modern Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G enabled System on a Chip (SoC). This 5G enabled device is capable of multi gigabit speeds. As mentioned, that could be critical for broadcasting needs. But a powerful and punch SoC is important too to get ensure that everything you need on the device connected to the Alpha camera is seamless and smooth. Of course, for all intents and purposes, Sony packs 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage (expandable up to 1TB via MicroSDXC) to go alongside the powerful SoC to avoid any bottlenecks.

Out the back is the same camera system you find on the Sony Xperia 1 II flagship smartphone. Why fix something that is not broken, right? The Sony Xperia PRO packs a 4K video recording capable triple camera system with a regular wide-angle 12-Megapixel shooter, a 12-Megapixel telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. Out the front is an 8-Megapixel selfie camera, which might not get that much mileage considering the purpose of the device.

Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony

Still the display will get plenty of mileage if you have a Sony Alpha camera. It is a 4K HDR 6.5-inch OLED unit that displays colours at DCI-P3 100%. You want accurate colours; this shows even more accurate colours compared to the new Samsung Galaxy S21. Then again, if you need to rely on this device to work on your contents, you want those colours.

The whole unit is rated for IP65/IP68 dust and water resistance and protected with Corning’s very durable Gorilla Glass 6 out the front for protection. That also means that you can take your gear into any weather and still get it to function. Add those on top of the long lasting 4,000 mAh battery and you have a super reliable workhorse to get you through a shoot day.

Pricing and Availability

As previously mentioned, the Sony Xperia Pro will be available in North American markets 26^th January 2021 onward. It retails for US$2,499 (MYR 10,107*) in available markets. There are no mentions of the device coming to Malaysia just yet, nor its official local pricing. Do not expect it to be cheap though, and if you are a content creator, you might want to start saving. For more information on the Sony Xperia PRO for 2021, you can visit Sony’s website.

*Approximate conversion based on US$ 1 = MYR 4.044 on Xe Currency Converter as of 27^th January 2021

Camera, News

[UPDATE] Sony Launches the Alpha 1 – the New Benchmark

January 27, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

When the world marvel over Canon’s new EOS R5, partly because of its 8K video recording capabilities, everyone expected Sony to do the same with their high-end video hero, the Sony Alpha (α) 7S III. They stuck to their ways and went with a better 4K video recording capability though. They introduced a few changes and improvements to make the production favourite even better. The third generation of the low-light champion has better dynamic range, and even better colour science. In that sense, if you are looking for a great camera that can do great looking videos without breaking your production budget, the α7S III should be right on top of your list.

Of course, while any big rumours of 8K video capabilities have been snuffed out by Sony launching the α7S III, Sony was not done yet. Not to be outdone by their countrymen, they launched their α1 last night (11.00 p.m. Malaysia time +0800 GMT). The headline figures are impressive.

50.1-Megapixel, 8K @30p, 4K @120p

The headline figures read 50.1-Megapixel full-frame sensor. It is still mirrorless, so it is fitted into a body as big as the current α7 body. It is the same size as the Sony α9 II as well.

That 50.1-Megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor is backed by a brand new improved BIONZ XR image processor with eight folds of processing power over the previous image processor you find on the α9 II. That image processor allows up to 120 autofocus calculations every second at 30fps blackout free continuous shoot. That is twice as fast as the α9 II. 30fps is also as fast as a regular film that you watch in the cinema, by the way.

That powerful sensor also enables the Sony α1 to shoot videos at 8K resolution at 30fps with 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS video format for as long as 30-minutes. That 8K footage is oversampled internally at 8.6K for even more detail on your 8K footage; it is Sony after all. You might not use 8K that often, but you will appreciate its 10-bit 4:2:2 4K videos at 120fps capabilities; slow motion has never looked better. Of course, you get access to Sony’s very famous S-Log profiles up to S-Log3. At the same time Sony is adding S-Cinetone colour matrix profile to the camera for even more creative flexibility for filmmakers.

8K Sample Video | Alpha 1 | Sony | α — Source: Sony

It is not like it will underperform under low-light conditions too. The α1 features 15 stops on dynamic range for stills and even more for videos. You can see better too, through the lenses with the new Electronic ViewFinder that projects 9.44 million dots at 240fps.

Eye AF (Autofocus) has been improved too, now it works nicely with 4K videos and is even faster alongside its general AF capabilities. You can even track birds with the new Eye AF algorithm. The new AF system also covers about 92% of the frame at 759 phase detection points so you have more room to place your subjects.

Even Faster, More Stable, All Around Better

The α1 is also now the world’s fastest camera with 1/400 seconds flash sync speed with its mechanical shutter. Because it is Sony, they over engineered the mechanical shutter, obviously. It is a carbon fibre unit with two drive units to make it super-fast. At the same time though, more shutter speed also means that you get more creative room in the studio.

The α1 also features a new sort of stabilisation mechanism for both a better image quality and even more stable videos. Keep in mind that Sony’s lenses do not have built-in stability mechanism and stabilisation is solely done within the camera body. While that may not look as impressive as Canon’s EOS R5 or R6 in their plain form, put Sony’s footage into Sony’s Catalyst Browse and Prepare applications and watch the magic unfold.

The α1 is not just better in all that areas though. In some very magical way, the α1 has minimised its rolling shutter problem with a new electronic shutter function. We see this implemented in the α7S III as well, but apparently the one on the α1 is even better. We will not know until we see its implementation right next to α7S III.

Connectivity Options

Sony also launched the Sony Xperia PRO alongside the α1 camera. Get this though, the Sony Xperia PRO with 5G connectivity and 4K display can be used as α1’s 4K HDMI output monitor so that you do not have to rely on the tiny display on the Sony α. With the Sony Xperia PRO you are also adding some 5G capabilities to the Sony α1.

Of course, like the Sony α7S III the new Sony α1 is powered by their proprietary Z-series battery with support for a vertical grip. The two media slots can support up to UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards or Sony’s new SFexpress Type A cards for even faster read/write speeds. We do recommend these if you want to shoot 8K videos or 4K videos at 120fps though. Get this too, the Sony α1 packs a SuperSpeed 10Gbps USB port and an ethernet port for professional convenience and workflows. That is on top of its built-in WiFi antenna. All of that in a body no bigger than a compact APS-C DSLR, imagine that.

Price and Availabilty

While you are now salivating all over the floor with the thought of getting your hands on one, hold your horses. The Sony α1 will be available in North American region in March 2021 onward at approximately US$ 6,500 (MYR 26,286*) for the body only. There are no official figures or launch dates for Malaysia just yet. For more information on the Sony α1, head over to their website.

**UPDATE: Sony Electronics Malaysia has confirmed that the Sony Alpha 1 (α1) will be available in Malaysia April 2021 onward. No confirmed pricing just yet.

*Approximate conversion based on US$ 1 = MYR 4.044 on Xe Currency Converter as of 27^th January 2021

Accessories, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, News

Fulfilling Your Spatial Desire with Sony’s new SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 Premium Wireless Speakers

January 19, 2021 Shireen Lee Leave a comment

When we say ‘Premium’ today it is a little different from before. ‘Premium’ products have been flooding the market at prices that are not ridiculous. Some might even say that ‘Premium’ is affordable these days. This is also largely thanks to the higher disposable incomes from this generation, and the increasing number of middle-class income households. The combination of both fuels the increasing demands of these affordable premium products.

Sony has announced that SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 premium wireless speakers to fill that ‘Premium’ space. Both new wireless speakers come packing with Sony’s unique spatial sound technology alongside other smart features and technologies Sony employs to make their speakers sound like no other.

New Premium Speakers, New Premium Features

The SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 wireless speakers features a unique ambient room-filling sound experience. They call it spatial sound, and it is a unique feature to Sony speakers. It works pretty much like Sony’s 360 Reality Audio technology. In fact, the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 works best with 360 Reality Audio contents. Time to prepare your credit cards for a Tidal subscription people.

While most conventional speakers spread audio waves horizontally, the new wireless speakers fill the room with vertical and horizontal signals to really create a roomy aural experience. Of course, Sony has their own Immersive Audio Enhancement technology within the speakers to transform regular 2-channel stereo tracks into something truly breath-taking. Maybe you do not need to cancel your Spotify subscription after all in that case.

Every room is different though. Sony knows this. That is why the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 features automatic sound calibration tools to optimise itself in whatever room you may leave it in the house. Simply hold the Immersive Audio Enhancement button on the SRS-RA5000 for a quick calibration of your room. Kind of like how your Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones adjusts to your ears to give you even better experiences.

The SRS-RA3000 is made to be even more portable though. It auto calibrates itself in any room when you turn it on and play your favourite tracks. Every single time you move it to a new room or a different room in your house, or even hotel rooms, the SRS-RA3000 auto-calibrates itself to suit its containing room. Both speakers are also clever speakers that adjusts its own volume so that you have a consistent listening experience without having to adjust your volume at every track.

SRS-RA5000 vs SRS-RA3000 – Which Should You Get?

The Hi-Res Audio certified SRS-RA5000 is set up with a trio of vertical-firing speakers and 3 middle sited speakers for an even and well spread out vertical and horizontal audio distribution. High-magnetism neodymium magnets and mica reinforced cellular diaphragm keeps it compact to ensure that it tucks in any room seamlessly and unobtrusively. The neodymium and mica constructions also allow the SRS-RA5000 to produce clean, crisp, clear, and powerful audio to the room while remaining subtle in the room.

On the other hand, RA3000 offers a unique omnidirectional sound that you can take with you anywhere in your house. Technically because it is more compact as well, it can travel with you. Thanks to its humidity resistant construction, you can put it anywhere within the confines of your house without worrying that it will break due to water damage. Of course, refrain from dumping it into the water, it is not water resistant. It is built-in with an omni-diffuser that allows the deep audio to travel upward too, allowing the compact premium speakers to fill an entire room, in any room at your house.

Function and Set up

Both speakers can connect to devices with Bluetooth and stream over Wi-Fi, but RA5000 has an additional connectivity option which is one-touch NFC ™. The SRS-RA5000 and SES-RA3000 can also be connected to your Spotify and Chromecast for convenience and flexibility in real life. Moreover, users can control music played on the speaker via voice command. Also, it comes with multi-room features with Google Home/Assistant or Amazon Alexa compatibility. Besides, users may connect the Bluetooth speaker with their television to enhance audio experience. Of course, you can control the Sony SRS-RA5000 and SRS-3000 speakers via the Sony Music app available for free on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

Price and Availability

The Sony SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 will be available in Malaysia February 2021 onward. There are no price announcements just yet, Sony promises for the prices to be revealed closer to launch date. For more information you can visit Sony’s website.

News

[CES 2021] Sony Expands 360 Reality Audio Ecosystem

January 12, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

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.

Create immersive music without limits | 360 Reality Audio

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.

Camera, News

[CES 2021] Sony Introduces the AirPeak

January 12, 2021 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

Sony made large strides last year starting with CES 2020. They introduced their very own electric vehicle concept that can also drive itself, the Vision S. They also made the gaming community very happy by releasing the PlayStation 5 at the end of the year 2020. Sadly, we still have not been able to get our hands on one just yet.

This year is no different for Sony. They kicked off the year with CES 2021, and they look amazing at it. No new earphones to introduce, not new smartphones just yet too. But they did introduce a new concept, a new idea, a new project. They introduced the AirPeak.

If you see DJI printed all over this, you are not the only one. We see DJI all over this too. We see DJI’s Matrice line-up in this AirPeak. This is not a DJI device though, it is by Sony, for Sony.

When we say, ‘for Sony’, we meant that this is designed around their Alpha camera system. It could be a mid-range mirrorless line-up or a high-end mirrorless camera, the AirPeak is designed to take on any payload from any Alpha lien-up from Sony. It is also the world’s smallest drone to boast such feat.

It is designed to take these cameras off the ground and into the air. It is a clever system too, that stabilises itself in the air with multiple sensors. All these features, and it is still smaller than the Matrice line-up from DJI. Yes, the DJI can lift even heavier payloads and can be retrofitted to be used in industrial cases. The AirPeak is not about that though. It is about expanding film making capabilities and open up new creative avenues with Sony’s very popular Alpha camera line-up.

The AirPeak, at this time, is still in its project phases and Sony is looking for professional collaborators to work on the project. Very much like the Vision S, but the technology is technically already available and easy to work with. This also means that the AirPeak is closer to reality than you might think.

Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony

There are no mentions on specs and weight limits on the AirPeak just yet at this point, but we are guessing they might want to look into making the drone powerful enough to carry a Sony FX6 at the very maximum, and still keep it small enough that you do not need to own a lorry to carry it around. More information on the Sony AirPeak on their website.

Android, Business, Mobile, News

Sony’s Xperia 1 II & Xperia 5 II are Available in Malaysia

November 19, 2020 Leeden Tang Leave a comment

Sony’s Xperia line up is one of the longest lasting line up of smartphones. It continues to be Sony’s go to brand with their newly launched flagships the Xperia 1 II and the Xperia 5 II. The Xperia 1 II will be available starting in November and the Xperia 5 II a little later after that, with prices starting at MYR4099. Let’s take a peek at bells and whistles of models to retail in Malaysia.

Both of these new Xperia models share some key specs. Chiefly, they are both powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. They both have a triple 12MP camera setup with ZEISS optics for quality images. They also have good life battery with 4,000mAh battery supported by USB-PD and charging via USB-C. They also retain the 3.5 headphone jack for your audio needs.

The key difference between these devices is their size. The Xperia 1 II is slightly bigger with a 6.5 inch screen compared to the Xperia 5 II and its 6.1 inch screen. The Xperia 1 II also has a better OLED display with higher resolution of 1644 x 3840 and and a higher pixel density, while the Xperia 1 II has a lower 1080 x 2520 resolution.

Both models have IP65/IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. They also come with stereo speakers and support PS4 Remote Play. Only the Xperia 1 II comes along with wireless charging as is expected of the flagship variant. However, the Xperia 5 II with its lower price tag and similar core features will give it a run for its money.

The Xperia 1 II is listed for retail at MYR4,999 while the Xperia 5 II is listed at MYR4,099 in the official Sony Online Store. With this announcement, the original Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 are now retailing for MYR3,099 and MYR2,799 respectively.

Gaming, News

Sony’s PlayStation 5 Won’t Support SSD Expansion at Launch

November 12, 2020 Jimmy Chua Leave a comment

According to The Verge, Sony has confirmed that the console will not support storage expansion at launch. This news comes despite the presence of a dedicated slot for an M.2 SSD. Sony clarifies that the slot will be enable in a future update and that storage expansion will be be reserved for a future update. This comes as confirmation as surfaced that the PS5 will reserve around 20% of the 825GB internal SSD storage for functional operations and the OS, leaving around 664GB usable storage.

In light of the new, it seems like early adopters should avoid buying additional M.2 SSDs to avoid being sorely disappointed. However, it’s not all gloom and doom as Sony confirms that the update will come once it has a list of supported SSDs. Testing for this list should be underway. The delay comes as the PlayStation 5 sports a lot of customised internals including its I/O system which complicates SSD compatibility. That said, the Sony PlayStation 5 supports up to two types of storage: internal and external storage. With internal M.2 SSD expansion delayed, users will still be able to use external USB drives for extra memory as we wait for the update to roll out.

From what we know about PS5 titles – they aren’t small in any way with file sizes clocking in at 120GB. PS5 titles such as Demon Souls and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War are already reported to take up about 200GB. With only 825GB of internal storage, users will undoubtedly run out of storage in no time. However, the PS5 still supports storing games on USB-connected external drives however, this will only work for previous generation games.

What about the disc drive version of the PS5? Well, the Blu-Ray disc will only act as an installer for the game, allowing you to forgo an internet connection. Still, the PS5 will download game data from the disc on to the internal storage to facilitate seamless loading during gameplay.

Nevertheless, Sony has claimed that the PS5 will be more flexible when it comes to storage management; allowing users more control.

Editorial, Gaming

PlayStation 5 Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know About Sony’s New Console

November 12, 2020 Jimmy Chua Leave a comment

Sony has announced its newest PlayStation 5 and is ready to take on the market this holiday. The company has revealed some specs to give fans a brief look of just how powerful the machine will be. Looking at some of the things we already know, the new PlayStation 5 is shaping up to be one of the most revolutionary consoles in comparison to it’s predecessor, the PS4; and even next generation Xbox Series X and Xbox Series. The PS5 is set to change the playing field for consoles in the next generation.

Powerful Insides with at least 60 fps Gameplay

The PlayStation 5 will be running on a customised build of AMD’s graphics and processing architecture. The GPU is based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture while the CPU is based on AMD’s Zen 2 architecture with 8-cores. The new processing unit will allow the PS5 to support ray tracing making it possible to have more realistic light textures and deeper realism built into the graphics. This is complemented by 16GB of GDDR6 RAM.

It will launch with native 4K resolution support which makes sense given the current landscape of TV ownership. However, there is evidence showing the PS5 will be able to support up to 8K resolution in the future. The console is able to reach 120fps in games but most of the game are guaranteed tor run at 60fps with stable gaming performance. We will probably see a few games reaching 120fps as the console generation progresses.

Speedy Internal Storage for Quick Load Times

The console will sport a customised solution when it comes to internal storage. Sony’s customised SSD solution will be its backbone for the lightning-fast loading times the company is promising for the PlayStation 5. It will support extra storage through an easily accessible slot for an M.2 SSD chip which is disabled at launch. However, Sony PS5 architect, Mark Cerny, has stressed that support will be enabled with a firmware update at a later date. The reason behind this staggered activation is to give the team enough time to test and ensure compatibility as not all M.2 SSDs will be able to interface correctly with the PlayStation 5’s I/O controller which can lead to slowdowns or worse. Out of the box, the PS5 comes with 825GB of internal storage, it will also support USB storage.

The PS5 will come in two flavours: a digital-only version and one sporting an optical drive. The latter will come with a 4K Blu-ray drive. This will be able to play actual physical PS5 games which will be released on Blu-ray discs. It will also play movies and DVDs. As the name suggests, this will be omitted in the PS5 Digital Edition.

The hallmark of the PS5 experience is the unique, immersive experience of the new DualSense Controller. It is being lauded as a leap forward in gaming. The resistive triggers are able to convey a different, more immersive textures which bring a depth to the gaming experience that we have yet to experience.

New PSN Experience & Backward Compatibility

The PSN web and mobile store have been overhauled in October. As part of this change, PS3 games, PS vita games, avatar and themes will no longer be purchase. Sony seems to be more focused on newer things. This has entailed the removal of themes and content for the PS3 and, the short-lived, PS Vita.

Sony has also revealed the PS5 UI in an official walkthrough video hosted by the head of Sony Worldwide Studios, Hermen Hulst. The UI drops the spartan approach that it used for the PS4. In its stead, the PS5 will sport a user experience-centric interface which brings games and the PSN community to the forefront. Even the in-game overlay is feature-rich and comes with easy access to the many in-game features that the PS5 has including the ability to get friends to help you in-game.

In addition to an overhauled UI, the PS5 comes with backwards compatibility with games from previous generations of PlayStations. For now, Sony has confirmed that 99% of PS4 titles are supported by the PS5 with more to come. However, compatibility with games from the PS3 and before is still up in the air.

Pricing & Availability

Both Editions of the PlayStation 5 will be available starting on November 12, 2020, in the U.S, UK, Japan, and a few other countries, with a global release starting on November 19. The disc drive touting PS5 will run you USD $499 while the digital only edition will cost $399.

In Malaysia, the PS5 will be laucnhing on 11 December 2020 with pre-orders already underway with e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada already taking orders. The PS5 Digital Edition will be available for MYR 1,869, and PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc drive will be available for MYR 2,299.

Editorial, Gaming

5 Titles You’ll Definitely Want on Your PlayStation 5

November 3, 2020 Jimmy Chua Leave a comment

The era of the Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) is finally here and it brings with variety of exciting gaming titles to look forward to. In this new generation, Sony’s iconic gaming console series is said to deliver the most immersive experience to date, thanks to its impressive specifications and the DualSense controller. We already know this console is going to be epic and probably the best line up for the console ever.

With tons of PS5 games confirmed for arrival, we are summing up 5 of the most promising games coming to the new console.

1. Marvel’s Spider-man: Miles Morales

Following the success of 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man which followed Peter Parker, Sony and Marvel are now zooming in on one of Marvel’s most popular Spider-Men: Miles Morales. What was initially supposed to be a piece of added content for the original game is now a full sequel to the game akin to Uncharted: Log Legacy.

The sequel will have all the action packed gameplay that made the original Spider-Man one of the best titles on the PS4 but it will take it to a whole new level with better graphics, more immersive gaming and even some surprises for players. Marvel’s story telling will, of course, take center stage as they unfold a new chapter of the Spiderverse. The game is expected to launch on November 12, 2020 and will be a launch title for the PS5.

2. God of War: Ragnarök

It’s hard to deny that 2018’s God of War from Sony is still one of the best games on the PlayStation 4; so it comes as no surprise that Sony unveiled the next chapter in Kratos’ story just recently. The new chapter, God of War: Ragnarok, will continue two years after where God of War left off; telling the story that is unfolding as Kratos and his son, Atreus.

Although not much has been revealed of the game, we do know that this time, Kratos will be facing Ragnarök – the supposed end of the world according to Norse mythology. Seeing as how the tales of God of War has always seen Kratos’ going after a pantheon of Gods, it would be a surprise to see Kratos and Thor clash. The bar is set pretty high for this installation as God of War brought an action packed, open world adventure to the PS4 like no other. There is no actual date for the game released but we do know that it will be coming in 2021.

3. Cyberpunk 2077

The new open-world, role playing game from CD Projekt Red looks like it’s going to be an immediate hit thanks to it’s gigantic, open world. Being a CD Projekt Red title, it will undoubtedly come littered with side quests and immersive story missions. Cyberpunk 2077 is set in a futuristic world where humans and technology have converged. It will feature extensive character customisations, vehicles and character choice driven story-lines.

The stories will began as you choose your own life path. You’re able to choose from three paths: Street kid, Nomad or Corpo. Cyberpunk 2077’s story will revolve around V, the protagonist which the player controls while you explore the dystopian Night City. While not much else is known about the game, one thing is certain – you’ll be meeting Keeanu Reeves in your Cyberpunk 2077 exploits.

Cyberpunk 2077 was initially set to debut on 19 November 2020 as part of the PlayStation 5 launch title line up but CD Projekt Red made the announcement in a Tweet that the title will be delayed. The new release date is set for 10 December, 2020 – just in time to binge over Christmas. I

4. Far Cry 6

The Far Cry series is well known for several factors: its well-designed, expansive worlds, and a first-person immersion experience like no other. Far Cry 6 is the latest installment of the franchise.

In Far Cry 6, you take on the role as the revolutionary leader, Dani Rojas, a revolutionary in the thick of a battle for the future of Yara, a fictional Caribbean island. The country is divided and protests are taking over the place opposing the ongoing dictatorship of Anton Castillo, the antagonist of the title.

The title was initially set for release on 18 February 2021 for the PlayStation 5. However, Ubisoft has since pushed the release with a release window of between April 2021 and March 2022.

5. Final Fantasy XVI

A PlayStation generation would be incomplete without a Final Fantasy release. Final Fantasy XVI is an upcoming action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The upcoming title has received a provisional rating of PEGI 18, the most mature that any Final Fantasy game has received.

The new epic in the Final Fantasy story will be taking place in the world of Valisthea – a land blessed in the Light of the Mothercrystals. However, the world is divided into six factions. The latest entry could be a continuation in the Fabula Nova Crystallis with the ethos centered around the crystals.

Final Fantasy XVI will feature a more robust combat system and will also feature the return of summons, known this time as Eikons. We’ve already seen Phoenix and Ifrit in the trailer. There is no actual date for Final Fantasy XVI released, but it is expected to launch at early of 2022. The title will be a timed exclusive for the PlayStation 5