Compare Apple AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000Xm4

Sony's confrontation with Apple in the audio sector has always been a hot topic. We have seen the first-generation Apple AirPods compare with the WF-1000x, or a more weighty confrontation of two pairs of active noise-canceling In-ears, the AirPods Pro and the WF-1000Xm3. But there is a dominant Sony segment that Apple has left open for a long time is the Over-Ear headset, a type of headset that is not limited by size, which easily helps the Japanese company integrate features. their most new and powerful feature.

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This changed when at the end of last year, Apple 'dropped the blockbuster' AirPods Max with a mission to knock the WH-1000Xm4's long-standing lead. Will the fairly solid throne be overthrown?

2 completely different design philosophies

To compare the design of 2 pairs of headphones we only need 2 words, for the AirPods Max it is 'Modern', and the Sony WH-1000Xm4 is 'Practical'. Apple finished the pair of AirPods Max in sturdy metal, with some very new details such as the head cushion made of material like the mesh of the office chair, the Digital Crown rotation to replace 3 buttons at once. press of other pairs of headphones or remove the power button but let the headphones 'sleep' when not in use (quite like a human).

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Some of the design points of this pair of headphones are a bit inconvenient during actual use. As being made of metal makes the headset a lot heavier than the WH-1000Xm4 made of plastic, so those who are not used to it may feel a bit tired. Or some people will feel uncomfortable with not being able to turn off the headset at will but have to wait for it to do.

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Sony, on the other hand, has perfected the design of the WH-1000x series from the first generations, so until the 4th generation, they did not want to change too much. Full earphone system power button, active noise canceling switch, one side touch to control music and receive calls, The whole headset is made of poor looking plastic, less modern compared to the product from Apple but much lighter, your neck can still be worn no matter how weak you are!

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The WH-1000Xm4 also uses 'traditional' materials for head and ear cushions, which are leather-wrapped foam, not braided fabric like the AirPods Max. Not having to force the grip on the two ears as strong as the AirPods Max pair due to the light weight makes this pair of headphones more comfortable for a long time, but may change in hot summer conditions when it is set. The more breathable design of the AirPods Max will win back the advantage.

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Overall, the AirPods Max have a unique but more minimalistic design thanks to the fact that the outside does not have any writing, logo, and I wouldn't be surprised that these headphones will last. time thanks to being made of aluminum and steel. The Sony WH-1000Xm4 looks . like a more traditional pair of headphones, 'dressed up' a bit more thanks to some small details made in bronze, but hard to compare with the impressive design immediately. from the opponent's first glance.

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What helps the pair of headphones from Sony eat back a lot lies in the accessories included. I don't feel like the AirPods Max Smart Case, which only protects the ear-wearing part (cups), also exposing the entire headset frame and cloth top cushion. And if the design of the case is to make the headset more compact when placed in the pocket, Apple has lost to the Sony WH-1000Xm4 because this pair of headphones is capable of folding cups horizontally, placing in a zipper bag. Take up less space than the AirPods Max.

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The WH1000xm4's zipper box is more compact than the AirPods Pro, and it also holds other accessories!

Comes with the WH-1000Xm4 also a 3.5mm cable for wired music listening when the battery is out and the adapter for use on the plane. For the AirPods Max, if you want the 'privilege' to listen to wired music, you will have to pay for an extra Lightning - 3.5mm cord for $ 35 more! To be fair, the AirPods Max cord is more complicated with a built-in digital analog switcher, but all will be easier if the AirPods Max have a 3.5mm input port like the bag. Another pair of headphones!

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To listen to wired music, you'll have to pay Apple $ 35 more!

The auxiliary feature set 'peaked'

Not only in design but also in the auxiliary features AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000Xm4 show that they are aimed at different audiences. AirPods Max are designed to work perfectly with other Apple products, allowing quick connection and easy switching between iPhone, iPad and Macbook.

This pair of headphones also owns Spatial Audio, a 3D simulation technology for movie viewing purposes that must be used by Apple products to take advantage of. The ability to automatically disconnect music via the proximity sensor only works with Apple products, though there's no other reason than 'the company likes it'. Using the AirPods Max with Android models is not impossible, but it is no different from eating rice with chocolate - not at all, no one does!

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In contrast, all the auxiliary features of the WH-1000Xm4 such as EQ adjustment, noise cancellation intensity, software upgrade, button feature change . are integrated in Headphones Connect, but iOS and Android can be downloaded. Sony has a 3D audio emulation feature but is geared towards listening to music and podcasts, 360 Reality Audio, which works with three online services: deezer, nugs.net and Tidal - all 3 are compatible with both systems. operating.

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What many people are more interested in is the active noise cancellation of 2 pairs of headphones: which products can block more noise to help users enjoy music in a quiet space in the midst of life. boyfriend? When the ANC is turned on on both pairs of headphones at maximum intensity, the AirPods Max pair gives better noise-blocking quality than the WH-1000Xm4, especially in continuous sounds (fan noise, computer sound. .), win back to Apple after the AirPods Pro had to lose the In-ear WF-1000Xm3 in this regard. Even the opposite feature, Ambient Sound (listening for the environment) is also the winner of the AirPods Max, the external sounds collected are more natural than the WH-1000Xm4.

However, Sony still has its own advantages. With the ability to intelligently adjust the noise canceling intensity depending on the different cases in the software, the WH-1000Xm4 pair creates lighter pressure on the ears than products from Apple, avoiding the phenomenon. dizziness, tinnitus for those who are new to ANC headphones. Along with that, being able to turn off completely (not just switch to Ambient Sound) on any operating system clearly shows its 'nationality' compared to the AirPods Max.

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Confrontation of 'already ear' lows

It seems that all over-ear headphone manufacturers with active noise cancellation have a certain 'underground agreement' with each other, that all of their products are towards a bold sound, pushing the bass. up to the vibrant genre of music instead of the traditional 'audiophile', music. But perhaps that's also true, this is the sound quality that the majority of users will like from the first time listening, creating a 'cheerful' atmosphere, easy to dance to the music, no worries. Both pairs of headphones in today's confrontation are no exception and are tuned in that direction, but when going on each strip we find their own points.

Both 2 have a high volume of bass, creating a buzzing noise around the user whenever it floats. However, the AirPods Max have the ability to control this range slightly more than 1 level, when the sub-bass does not feel strong bleed, making the background always clean for other sound ranges. is also shown. The WH-1000Xm4 is 1 step less in control, making the entire sound quality 'thicker' and darker, and every time the bass is pressed down, the interrupt rate also takes longer.

Surely there will be those of you who say that this range from the WH-1000Xm4 is better for one reason: "the more bass you hit, the better it gets!", And I understand that. But when technically evaluated, the AirPods Max did better; And believe me: the bass sound of the AirPods Max is definitely enough to make you feel good!

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With the sound pattern directed to the excitement, the sound band will be left behind of both these two pairs of headphones as the midrange. With a slightly dark sound quality, the bass 'overlaps' in the background, the WH-1000Xm4 has a darker and warmer vocalist's voice, while the AirPods Max make this band a little more separate. In the song Drivers License, both of them took the voice of female singer Olivia Rodrigo one step back and especially they were quite weak in the high-mid range. As mentioned in the review of the AirPods Max pair, this is a 'safe' sound that brands direct because they avoid all the jarring (sibilance) when listening to bright female vocalists, but to be able to impress. For the listener, it will be far behind the pair of headphones that are tuned for mid-centric bands.

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The biggest difference of the two pairs of headphones is in the high range, when the AirPods Max have a boosted sound segment to create brightness instead of playing the 'gentle' part like on the WH-1000Xm4. This is really not a good high sound when it sounds a bit 'fake', lacks the volume to sound like real highs, but at least it has a better pitch than the earphones. from Sony to keep the sound quality from being dark, 'closed' when both pairs of these headphones did not have too good soundstage.

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Personally, I appreciate the sound quality of the AirPods Max more than its Japanese counterpart. The same sound quality towards dynamism, but these headphones control the bass better so that it plays as neatly as possible, accompanied by brighter highs for dynamic V-shape sound. , there is a contrast between the sound bands together, not inclined to 'blend' together, pure bass-head like the WH-1000Xm4.

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The more I compare the AirPods Max and the Sony WH-1000Xm4, the more I see these two pairs of headphones . should not be compared because they are too different. From the design, the ability to connect to the price range, we can see that these are 2 products for different audiences. Sony designed the WH-1000Xm4 so that anyone could use it at the "a bit high price range, but the vast majority of people can do it". In contrast, the AirPods Max are aimed directly at a smaller target group of the 'sheep of the Apples', already deep in its ecosystem garden and willing to pay twice as much for a spread. comprehensive Apple experience.

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Put these 2 pairs of headphones on the same balance, which pair of headphones 'heavier'? The answer will be the Apple AirPods Max pair with superior exterior design quality, slightly more noise-canceling strength (a little change in customization) and the sound quality also has more perfection. But this is certainly only natural: you spend more money to get a more premium product. Having a price that is twice as high and the AirPods Max cannot surpass the Sony WH-1000Xm4 will humiliate Apple!

Micah Soto

Update 14 February 2021