AirPods Max vs Sony XM4's (My Thoughts)

[blairh]

Had a chance to try both the APM and Sony's for a full day.

Sony Pro's....

* Very good ANC and ambient sound mode. (But not as good as APM in both categories.)

* Far more comfortable than APM. Lighter on your head and faux leather cups are more pleasing on your ears versus fabric memory foam of APM.

* Custom EQ in the Sony app allows you to tweak the sound to your liking. With the APM you are stuck with default SQ or preset EQ's in iOS settings. (Headphone Accommodations isn't a proper answer.) I'm someone who prefers a very strong bass and what the APM provides was not enough for my tastes.

* An actual on/off button plus good placement of custom button to switch modes.

* Provided hardshell case, cables, and folds into a more compact size. Ideal for travel.

* Music pausing when you speak is awesome. Ditto placing your hand on the side of the cup to enable ambient sound mode.

* Can connect to two devices at the same time.

Sony Con's....

* Awkward touch controls for volume and changing songs. Too easy to enable Siri by accident when adjusting cups.

APM Pro's....

* Amazing ANC. Even better than the Sony's.

* Transparent mode is even better than the very good ambient sound mode on the Sony's.

* Digital crown for volume control and changing songs is excellent.

* Seamless ability to switch between Apple devices.

* Option to change the magnetic cups is awesome. (I'm assuming there are or will be many 3rd party cups to choose from.)

* Extremely premium feel. (If that matters to you.)

APM Con's....

* No ability to tweak SQ to your liking.

* Very heavy on your head and uncomfortable memory foam fabric cups.

* Smart case is actually just a sleeve. No proper case. No ability to fold into a compact form. Not great for travel.

* Poor placement of physical buttons. I adjust my cups by grabbing the top and bottom of them at the same time. And hence I'd constantly press on the buttons accidentally.

* No on/off button.

* No provided cables beyond charging .

* $550 headphones should come with a charging brick.

* Twice the price of the XM4's. (Often on sale for $280.)

IMO the XM4's were the obvious choice for me personally. Would love to see a lighter pair of APM at some point and also have Apple provide us the option to tweak the EQ as we please.

 

[Silvolde]

Had a chance to try both the APM and Sony's for a full day.

Sony Pro's....

* Very good ANC and ambient sound mode. (But not as good as APM in both categories.)

* Far more comfortable than APM. Lighter on your head and faux leather cups are more pleasing on your ears versus fabric memory foam of APM.

* Custom EQ in the Sony app allows you to tweak the sound to your liking. With the APM you are stuck with default SQ or preset EQ's in iOS settings. (Headphone Accommodations isn't a proper answer.) I'm someone who prefers a very strong bass and what the APM provides was not enough for my tastes.

* An actual on/off button plus good placement of custom button to switch modes.

* Provided hardshell case, cables, and folds into a more compact size. Ideal for travel.

* Music pausing when you speak is awesome. Ditto placing your hand on the side of the cup to enable ambient sound mode.

* Can connect to two devices at the same time.

Sony Con's....

* Awkward touch controls for volume and changing songs. Too easy to enable Siri by accident when adjusting cups.

APM Pro's....

* Amazing ANC. Even better than the Sony's.

* Transparent mode is even better than the very good ambient sound mode on the Sony's.

* Digital crown for volume control and changing songs is excellent.

* Seamless ability to switch between Apple devices.

* Option to change the magnetic cups is awesome. (I'm assuming there are or will be many 3rd party cups to choose from.)

* Extremely premium feel. (If that matters to you.)

APM Con's....

* No ability to tweak SQ to your liking.

* Very heavy on your head and uncomfortable memory foam fabric cups.

* Smart case is actually just a sleeve. No proper case. No ability to fold into a compact form. Not great for travel.

* Poor placement of physical buttons. I adjust my cups by grabbing the top and bottom of them at the same time. And hence I'd constantly press on the buttons accidentally.

* No on/off button.

* No provided cables beyond charging .

* $550 headphones should come with a charging brick.

* Twice the price of the XM4's. (Often on sale for $280.)

IMO the XM4's were the obvious choice for me personally. Would love to see a lighter pair of APM at some point and also have Apple provide us the option to tweak the EQ as we please.

Appreciate your report. Just what I needed

 

[jayinla]

Had a chance to try both the APM and Sony's for a full day.

Sony Pro's....

* Very good ANC and ambient sound mode. (But not as good as APM in both categories.)

* Far more comfortable than APM. Lighter on your head and faux leather cups are more pleasing on your ears versus fabric memory foam of APM.

* Custom EQ in the Sony app allows you to tweak the sound to your liking. With the APM you are stuck with default SQ or preset EQ's in iOS settings. (Headphone Accommodations isn't a proper answer.) I'm someone who prefers a very strong bass and what the APM provides was not enough for my tastes.

* An actual on/off button plus good placement of custom button to switch modes.

* Provided hardshell case, cables, and folds into a more compact size. Ideal for travel.

* Music pausing when you speak is awesome. Ditto placing your hand on the side of the cup to enable ambient sound mode.

* Can connect to two devices at the same time.

Sony Con's....

* Awkward touch controls for volume and changing songs. Too easy to enable Siri by accident when adjusting cups.

APM Pro's....

* Amazing ANC. Even better than the Sony's.

* Transparent mode is even better than the very good ambient sound mode on the Sony's.

* Digital crown for volume control and changing songs is excellent.

* Seamless ability to switch between Apple devices.

* Option to change the magnetic cups is awesome. (I'm assuming there are or will be many 3rd party cups to choose from.)

* Extremely premium feel. (If that matters to you.)

APM Con's....

* No ability to tweak SQ to your liking.

* Very heavy on your head and uncomfortable memory foam fabric cups.

* Smart case is actually just a sleeve. No proper case. No ability to fold into a compact form. Not great for travel.

* Poor placement of physical buttons. I adjust my cups by grabbing the top and bottom of them at the same time. And hence I'd constantly press on the buttons accidentally.

* No on/off button.

* No provided cables beyond charging .

* $550 headphones should come with a charging brick.

* Twice the price of the XM4's. (Often on sale for $280.)

IMO the XM4's were the obvious choice for me personally. Would love to see a lighter pair of APM at some point and also have Apple provide us the option to tweak the EQ as we please.

I think you nailed it!

 

[MecPro]

Thanks for the report.

I just can't press the buy button yet at £550 - they need to be perfect and far ahead of the competition.

As I already have AirPod Pro's and NC700, I just can't fit the APM when there are battery/sleep/case issues.

I'm holding off for now and will see what they do in the next instance

 

[827538]

An on/off button or even a hold to turn off, press to turn on would've solved so many issues people have with these. I'm still on the fence and wish I could try them on and test them out first.

The lack of off button and whatever that case is were two big oversights.

 

[Tdevilsg]

With the on/off button...I don't get the concern. This thing maybe drains 4% a day when not in use. I've charged it maybe once in two weeks. Even if you aren't putting it into its case (which I do), it goes into lower power mode after 5 minutes when not in use anyway.

The case is not really a protective device. Its mainly just to put the thing into lower power mode more quickly. Yes, if you are traveling, you definitely need to invest in something better. I get the concern with that. But if its at home sitting on your desk (mine just sits on a stand), it should be fine.

 

[russell_314]

I got my APM about a week ago and love them. I've never had XM4's so I can't compare. I think they're very comfortable for my use. I've worn them for about four hours at a time with no discomfort. They're the best sounding wireless headphones I've worn. If you want "audiophile" get some high end wired headphones. Yes they'll be more expensive but it is what it is.

The no charging brick is a pro for me because I've had iPhone's since the 5 so I don't want to pay for another unnecessary charging brick plus it's environmentally friendly. I wish they didn't come with a charging cable. The lack of a 3.5 mm cable might be an issue if you're flying and want to connect to the in flight entertainment. That's it's only use that I could see for wired. For me not having a power button is a pro because I want to take them out of the case and use them without fiddling with buttons. I bought a WaterField case so the original APM case is still in the box. It looks nice and works well.

 

[PhoneI]

If you are planning on using your headphones for any type of video chat....avoid the Sony’s. The built in mic is horrible.