dissapointing Sony wh 1000xm4, any suggestions for better?

radiorog

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Hi, I went into John Lewis today, anti baccing everything as I went, to have a listen to the Sony headphones, and hopefully others, including B&W PX7. Unfortunately I couldnt get the stand for the B&W working so no joy there. Only got to listen to the Sonys, and I was really surprised by the lack of textures in everything. Having been reading loads of reviews the last 48hrs I was expecting something pretty awesome, but apart from the increased soundstage and bass, there wasnt much difference in SQ to my AKG Y50s. Very surprised. Would the B&W provide better textures? Lots of varying reviews. Are there any other headphones I could be looking at sub £220 that would provide a real noticeable upgrade for me? Id prefer to have wireless as I keep pulling the cables out when using them in the house, but open to ideas for wired.
Cheers!
 

radiorog

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Didn't realise John Lewis was open. Was it your own music or what was available to demo?
Yeah im up in Edinburgh, and its open. Although i didnt really feel too safe in there. First time in a non supermarket since March id imagine. A rep appeared and he played music from spotify from his phone. Im just googling things now, and apparently the xm4 doesnt utilize aptx so im not sure what codec he was using. Apparently the xm3 which is actually what i am consideri g does use aptx and hd, so could sound better theough my phone which uses these codecs..?.
Listened to a billie eilish track....xanny, dire straights brothers in arms, and the humpty dance by digital underground (have a listen). Not ideal tracks perhaps, but i was rrally expecting the dire straights track to sound more natural. There just wasnt much sheen.
 

radiorog

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Well ive just pulled the trigger and gone for the PX7, thinking that if not a decent improvement over my Y50s I can sell them and not lose too much, as they are on offer atm. Will report back my thoughts on them. :)
 
D

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Hi, I went into John Lewis today, anti baccing everything as I went, to have a listen to the Sony headphones, and hopefully others, including B&W PX7. Unfortunately I couldnt get the stand for the B&W working so no joy there. Only got to listen to the Sonys, and I was really surprised by the lack of textures in everything. Having been reading loads of reviews the last 48hrs I was expecting something pretty awesome, but apart from the increased soundstage and bass, there wasnt much difference in SQ to my AKG Y50s. Very surprised. Would the B&W provide better textures? Lots of varying reviews. Are there any other headphones I could be looking at sub £220 that would provide a real noticeable upgrade for me? Id prefer to have wireless as I keep pulling the cables out when using them in the house, but open to ideas for wired.
Cheers!
I wasn’t impressed with my Sony 1000xm3 either so I returned them. I had the B&W P7’s with wires and kept them. I have tried the B&W PX7 but I couldn’t get them to work right they kept cutting out due to some mechanical way they work.
 

EricLeRouge

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I would take advantage of the XM3 price drop (249), as the XM4 brings very little if not nothing in terms of SQ.

Then I would certainly changethe source material, as the XM3 is (in my experience, and about everyone I know that has tried them) is not dull and lifeless as you seem to describe. I use Qobuz on a daily basis (and I have used Tidal for a long time) with great quality over AptX, and I watch many movies on my Mac with these headphones.

Some people have mentioned that the XM3/XM4 headphones gain in quality when connected with cables, but I have never tried, so I can't confirm.
 

radiorog

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I wasn’t impressed with my Sony 1000xm3 either so I returned them. I had the B&W P7’s with wires and kept them. I have tried the B&W PX7 but I couldn’t get them to work right they kept cutting out due to some mechanical way they work.
Yeah i was wondering this last night qhen using my phone with aptx into stereo, i normally use tablet. With phone there are dropouts sometimes, although seemed to stop when i stopped using mobile data. Hopefully it wont happen with the phones.
 

radiorog

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I would take advantage of the XM3 price drop (249), as the XM4 brings very little if not nothing in terms of SQ.

Then I would certainly changethe source material, as the XM3 is (in my experience, and about everyone I know that has tried them) is not dull and lifeless as you seem to describe. I use Qobuz on a daily basis (and I have used Tidal for a long time) with great quality over AptX, and I watch many movies on my Mac with these headphones.

Some people have mentioned that the XM3/XM4 headphones gain in quality when connected with cables, but I have never tried, so I can't confirm.
Yeah its a shame i couldnt try the x3s with aptx, that would have been ideal. They didnt sound lifeless, but i dodnt feel the grit i think i would like for texture of instruments and vocals.
 
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Yeah i was wondering this last night qhen using my phone with aptx into stereo, i normally use tablet. With phone there are dropouts sometimes, although seemed to stop when i stopped using mobile data. Hopefully it wont happen with the phones.
If you touch them or move your head while listening to them they cut out.
 

radiorog

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Well that certainly wont be good. I wont put up with that and cant imagine anyone would really, so maybe yours was faulty? It could also have been with thw device sending the signal couldnt it?
 
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Well that certainly wont be good. I wont put up with that and cant imagine anyone would really, so maybe yours was faulty? It could also have been with thw device sending the signal couldnt it?
Where have you bought them from?
 
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Read this review of the ones before them:


Touch the headphones and they pause the music. Move and the music will stop. I bought these and the new PX7’s and both were terrible! I don’t know how anyone gets on with them.
 

radiorog

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You can get 5 per cent off these with code on page:


Before you open them make sure you can return if you are not happy with them eg Sevenoaks.
I got them from hifonix. Yeah good call, I'll give them a call before i open them....
 

radiorog

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Read this review of the ones before them:


Touch the headphones and they pause the music. Move and the music will stop. I bought these and the new PX7’s and both were terrible! I don’t know how anyone gets on with them.
The review is pretty glowing. It says nonissues with bluetooth pairing or user experience... :/
 

jjbomber

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A rep appeared and he played music from spotify from his phone..... , but i was rrally expecting the dire straights track to sound more natural. There just wasnt much sheen.
What do you expect from Spotify on a phone? Try them on a hi-fi and then form an opinion. Not sure what sort of rep would do that for a demo, but an ''order taker'' rather than a ''sales rep'' for sure.
 

radiorog

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What do you expect from Spotify on a phone? Try them on a hi-fi and then form an opinion. Not sure what sort of rep would do that for a demo, but an ''order taker'' rather than a ''sales rep'' for sure.
Yeah fair enough, they might sound better on hifi, but i cant imagine them transforming the sound signature too much. And yeah, the guy didnt really lnow too much about the phones from what i picked up.
 
D

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The review is pretty glowing. It says nonissues with bluetooth pairing or user experience... :/
Yes, one thing about the B&W headphones you’ve bought is that they sound fantastic!
 
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Will do. I have a 3 week wait now actually as they sold quite a few apparently and i have to wait for bew stock. Good in a way because there is talk of a new firmware update, so that might increase my chances of getting one of those?!!....will report back....
Thanks! (y)
 
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Does anyone know if there is a way of turning off the mechanism feature that make them cut? Thanks
 
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Mine have just turned up and they’re working great. No probs at all the other ones I had must had have were faulty!
 
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I have connected by Bluetooth to my TV and they sound fantastic! :)
 

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