Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

Sony WH-1000XM4

I have Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for ~ 2.5 weeks now. Here is a list of my problems that I already had or still have with these headphones. For the price, I would advise anyone against buying the headphones. There are much cheaper alternatives that do what they should.

- The headphones cannot be charged during operation.

- LDAC cannot be used when two devices are connected in parallel.

- The voice feedback cannot be switched off completely. The headphones always provide information via a signal tone + voice feedback, e.g. when devices are connected or disconnected, the headphones are switched on and off.

- The beeps for any interaction with the headphones cannot be turned off. Every interaction results in unnecessary beeps.

- The headphones do not switch reliably when two devices are connected in parallel. Often (several times a day) you have to manually disconnect one device (A) in order to receive sound from the other device (B), although there is no sound output from device (A).

- Firmware updates are canceled or restarted without a warning in the event of certain interactions with the headphones or the app.

-There is an option to adjust the "Custom Button" in the app. However, you can only switch between "Amazon Alexa", "Google Assistant" and "Ambient Sound Control". So there is no way to control the microphone on the headphones in headset mode (on / off or mute / unmute).

- Sometimes the app gets stuck on "Connecting" even though the headphones are connected. In order to use the app, it must then be closed and opened again.

- There is a problem in use with Windows that often prevents the volume from being changed in headset mode. So if conversation partners are too loud or too quiet, nothing can be changed.

- The headphones have already crashed several times in headset mode when trying to change the volume using the touch gestures. The signal tone that sounds when the volume is changed then repeats itself several times per second until the headphones are switched off.

- It has also happened that the headphones did not respond to any touch input after being switched on. A restart was required.

- Occasionally, the headphones disconnect from the connected devices for no apparent reason.

- It has happened several times that the headphones simply switched off during operation (lying down, not standing). The firmware probably recognizes the headphones as "stored" in this.

- The headphones have already disconnected from the only connected device while the music is playing.

Further observations 1 month after purchase:

- It has already happened twice that the volume increased independently after briefly holding the gesture to increase the volume even though it was not touching the outside of the auricle. The process was resolved by restarting the headphones.

- Since the firmware update 2.07 it happened 2-4 times a day that the headphones automatically stop any playback and noise suppression, completely without any indication. The problem can apparently be resolved by any interaction with the device, e.g. by reconnecting another device or trying to adjust the volume via the touch surface. Update: this problem apparently had to do with the fact that the "Touch to Speak" option set itself and then activated it itself. After a few days of manually deactivating the option in the app, the problem no longer occurred.

- Unfortunately, it happens very often that the headphones crash during a call when you try to regulate the volume via the auricle.

- For a few days now, the headphones have been restarting on their own without warning ... even a reset to factory settings and new pairing with other devices did not solve the problem.

Update 6 months after purchase: The headphones can no longer be used with active noise cancellation. As soon as the noise suppression is activated, the left auricle rustles and makes different interfering noises at irregular intervals. Sometimes it cracks repeatedly, sometimes it whines uncomfortably loud, sometimes it just rustles louder. I had the problem a few months ago and was about to exchange the headphones but then postponed it and the next day the problem no longer occurred. After the problem reappeared, 24 hours have passed and the headphones still behave defective.

Audio Technica Corporation, is a Japanese-owned company that designs and manufactures a wide range of sound instruments such as professional microphones, turntables, headphones, phonographic magnetic cartridges, and other audio equipment.

Audio Technica was founded in 1962 in Japan by entrepreneur Hideo Matsushita as a phonograph cartridge manufacturer. Their first products were the AT-1 and the AT-3 MM stereo phono cartridges. As business rapidly developed, Audio Technica expanded into other fields, including entertainment. 

From the 90’s, Audio Technica has been a major supplier of microphones and headphones for US television shows such as the Deal or No Deal, Big Brother, and the Summer Olympic Games: Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions and other international events.

Audio Technica AT2035 Condenser Microphone Review

Audio Technica AT2035

AT2035 is an inexpensive back electret condenser from Audio Technica that boasts pretty clear and balanced sound with low noise floor. This mic is a veeery good tradeoff between price and quality and hence, an ideal choice for home studios where budget is a factor. AT2035 has cardioid polar pattern and large diaphragm that actually works for both vocals and instruments. Having said that, the essential features of pad and low pass make it an even better all-rounder that should handle most recording scenarios. With this baby, you can really put down some quality tracks at home.

Because of its lower signal-to-noise ratio, some artists find it beneficial to pull the mic back a little bit to capture a bit more of the room sound. In the debate between AT2020 and AT2035, vocals have been heavily debated for years, and in my opinion, the AT2035 is a better choice.

The Audio Technica AT2035 is a cardioid condenser microphone. The budget-friendly AT2035 is a great multi-purpose cardioid condenser microphone, including detailed frequency response. 

Its cost-effective pricing makes it one of the top choices for home recording studios, hobbyists and professional recording studios. 

Sound quality

Despite relying on back electret polarization, AT2035 sounds more like a typical true condenser. Back in the days, electret microphones used to be less reliable but as the technology stepped forward, the question of which is better is now arguable. Today it all depends on a particular capsule – some are just bad but some are good. Back electret capsules are still more likely to be found on budget mics though, whereas true condensers are being sold as premium. Yes of course, an externally polarized capsule can be seen as a more flexible solution but the question is do you really need this for a home studio?

Audio Technica AT2035 can be compared to AKG C214, which is actually studio grade true condenser. Both have very similar SPL (158 vs 156 dB with pad), Signal-to-noise ratio (82 vs 81 dB), Sensitivity (22.4 vs 20 mV/Pa) and Equivalent noise level (12 vs 13 dB-A). Believe it or not, every stat slightly favors AT2035, including the noise! Frequency response, of which we will talk later, is analogous too. Both mics produce a very natural sound, crispy and detailed on the high-end, rich and juicy on the bottom-end. However, AKG has a larger diaphragm and may sound a tad smoother, and, more flattery.

It works as a microphone for vocals very well. Voice applications can be reproduced with great accuracy. It's also ideal to record acoustic instruments, like guitars and sitars, because of the attention it pays to acoustic detail. Nevertheless, it also works very well in the studio. 

Audio Technica AT2035

Frequency response

This mic features neutral, easy to work with frequency response, especially solid on the bottom end and mid-range. High end gets a very gentle boost that adds just a pinch of brightness. This starts after 2 kHz where it gains 1.5 dB of output and keeps steadily increasing all the way up until 13 kHz, peaking at 3.5 dB. For a budget mic with relatively large diaphragm, it’s quite nice to see such stable curve. And it’s not just a random pattern as some may presume. It is actually tailored that way as it adds some flavor of presence to your vocals as well as clarity for the instruments.

Noise levels

at2035-bannerAT2035 has an excellent self-noise of only 12 dB-A – such figures you will find on Neumann’s and other mics at least twice more expensive, whereas for most studio purposes 16 dB-A is considered more than enough and I’m talking about professional studios. In reality, even a very quiet environment will have ambient noise exceeding 12 dB threshold, so unless you are trying to record the ticking of a hand watch while being in a soundproof room, you will not be able to discern the self-noise produced by this mic. Keep in mind, preamps may add some noise too so get something decent to cross this off the list!

Setup

If you’ve done recording before and have the equipment handy you’ll already know what to do. Audio Technica AT2035 connects through XLR interface and requires phantom power. It’s pretty much standard and being back electret it is also forgiving about voltage (Rated 11-52V DC). If you don’t own one already we do recommend getting an audio interface so you can connect it with pc. There are many options… Steinberg UR22MKII is a very powerful but inexpensive tool. Focusrite Scarlett is ok too – though kind of sucky compared to the above, but never settle for cheaper imitations to avoid headache.

Features, Build & Accessories

AT2035 has a standard Audio Technica’s body, which is identical to any 20XX, 30XX and 40XX models. It is solid, heavy and durable and does not need much handling care, unless you want to maintain its brand new look. It has two switches at the back for -10 dB pad and 80 Hz low cut. With pad, it can handle the maximum SPL of 158 dB at 1% THD. Just so that you understand, such sound pressure could rapture your eardrums in an instant. In reality, it is unlikely to achieve even if put next to a very loud guitar amp but anyway it’s nice to have that extra margin.

The low cut is also a good bonus: it can help reducing popping when up close as well as low frequency ambience when recording in less than ideal sound environment. In any event, do not forget to get some nice pop filter when recording vocals – this is a must for any LDC. This mic uses standard 5/8″ – 27 mounting thread and comes with adapter nut for 3/8″ – 16. The package also includes AT8458 shock mount, which alone costs around $50-60. Although made of plastic, it’s quite efficient in what it does and appears to be durable too. Considering the mic price, it’s a real steal!

Pros

Affordable price / quality

Low self-noise (-12db)

Natural sound & balanced response

Crispy and detailed high end

Handles high sound pressure

Pad Switch (-10db)