Headphones

[Progster]

I'm looking to buy a new set of headphones with noise cancelling capabilities, and I don't know which to buy. I'm between the Sony WH 1000xm4 and Bose 700 at the moment, I was wondering if anyone here has tried either of these, or could suggest alternative. There are plenty of reviews online, but I don't know how objective/trustworthy they are and they often contradict each other. I'm looking for good sound quality and good noise cancelling capability. In most reviews, Sony comes out on top, but in a YouTube demonstration, there was an audible hiss in the Sony that wasn't present in the Bose, also, some reviewers were saying that the bass in the Sony is rather overpowering. I know that I should try them for myself, but this is just not possible right now. Does anyone have the Sony XM4, and does the noise cancelling indeed produce a hiss?

 

[Judge]

does the noise cancelling indeed produce a hiss?

We've talked about audio before. Always a pleasure.

Yes, it's true, regardless of the manufacturer. An aspect of the technology itself. So ultimately it just depends on your own subjective sense of hearing and likes/dislikes. Subtle, but it's there. It's really about countering noise as opposed to actual noise cancellation.

Your observations seem similar to my own, in that I prefer Bose to Sony. One thing for sure though, IMO the worst thing one can do with such types of headphones is to fold them up. Where it can slowly weaken the internal wired connections to a point of malfunctioning. I continue to use conventional wired headphones so as not to have to hassle with constant battery charging. Have to admit though, the bass is pretty powerful with my Audio Technica ath-m50x headphones. Perhaps a little too powerful. But the overall frequency response is excellent. Especially in monitoring digital audio to filter out any unwanted imperfections.

I must say, getting older has one advantage. I don't have such an acute sense of hearing as I once did, which didn't help in being a perfectionist, let alone a fellow audiophile. It also helps that my taste in music doesn't go past 1989, so I'm not all that discriminating over digital compression of audio files as you may be. Not to mention possessing any number of commercial CDs originally produced in the 80s and 90s at a standard 192kbps at the time.

Be careful about YouTube sources. No telling the origins of what is allegedly recorded, not to mention that many online recordings appear to be over-modulated to the point of clipping.

Worse still you may run into analog recordings with all the typical audio artifacts, transferred to digital but still there. I still get perturbed when I discover people who upload recorded analog vinyl records where I eventually out them in discovering so many unwanted sounds of ticks, pops, clicks, and turntable rumble/wow and flutter. I threw out all my vinyl records the day I purchased my first CD player. So yeah, I'm a bit biased...lol. True digital can be harsh, but it's generally artifact-free.

When encountering digital copies of analog vinyl records, I pretty much just pass on them altogether. Though old cassette recordings are somewhat easier to filter though the use of programs like Audacity. In that respect I actually like the compression algorithm that seems to subdue inherent tape hiss as well. Though in some cases I've also encountered RF "line" interference, requiring the use of noise and notch filtering.

How Noise-canceling Headphones Work

 

[Progster]

Yes, it's true, regardless of the manufacturer. An aspect of the technology itself. So ultimately it just depends on your own subjective sense of hearing and likes/dislikes. Subtle, but it's there. Yeah, your observations seem similar to my own, in that I prefer Bose to Sony. One thing for sure though, IMO the worst thing one can do with such types of headphones is to fold them up. Where it can slowly weaken the internal wired connections to a point of malfunctioning.

I want them for reducing unwanted noise while working at home or being in noisy environments, as well as listening to music while travelling.

I understand that they don't or can't block out sound completely, just like ear plugs or ear defenders can't, but perhaps the unwanted sound will be less loud and I'll be less bothered by high-pitched noise - things like a walk in the park or in the supermarket together will be more comfortable, or might be able to work without hearing the neighbours' yappy dogs all the time so loud.

My hearing is not what it used to be, but mp3 at a low bitrate such as 128kbps sound truly awful to me. 320 kbps sounds a lot better, FLAC even more so. High res has a detectably higher level of detail and richness. Some people say that they can't hear the difference, but I can.

Digital recordings of vinyl records are difficult to get right and are dependent on many factors - the condition of the record and what gear you are using, but programs like audacity can be used to filter some of it out, either manually or with click removal. One needs to be careful with that, though, too heavy click removal can affect the sound and cause distortion. The recording needs to be made under optimal conditions and that can be hard to achieve. I've tried this - some sound ok, others not so good and I have to try again after cleaning the record.

 

[Judge]

My hearing is not what it used to be, but mp3 at a low bitrate such as 128kbps sound truly awful to me. 320 kbps sounds a lot better, FLAC even more so. High res has a detectably higher level of detail and richness. Some people say that they can't hear the difference, but I can.

128kbps is utterly unacceptable to me as well. Noticeably degraded with less dynamic range. For me 192kbps is low as I'm willing to go. Yet any higher and I can't detect a significant difference. Works for me, given over all those 192kbps CDs I have from the 80s and 90s.

I suspect when I was in my 30s I probably could have noticed such differences between compressed and uncompressed formats. Oh well...time marches on, and my hearing gets degraded accordingly. Tinnitus isn't doing me any favors either.

 

[Bolletje]

I prefer Bose over Sony, although I currently have Sennheiser headphones (which I love). But I mostly use my headphones to listen to music, the noise canceling is just a bonus

 

[Progster]

I prefer Bose over Sony, although I currently have Sennheiser headphones (which I love). But I mostly use my headphones to listen to music, the noise canceling is just a bonus

Yes, I should consider these, too. Thank you.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I use the Sony WH 1000xm4 and I can vouch for them. They're extremely comfortable, have very good bass response and the battery life is incredible.

Ed

 

[SDRSpark]

I have an older set of Bose QC25 and they were the best $300 I ever spent for YEARS. I loved those headphones.

Then I got Samsung Galaxy Buds+ just because I wanted them to listen to music wirelessly and...they blow the Bose out of the water. Both in terms of sound quality, and sound isolation (they aren't noise cancelling, but due to their design, I actually hear LESS external noise while wearing them then I do when I wear the Bose QC25). In fact the Bose are in a storage locker now and I haven't used them since I got the Galaxy Buds.

I also have a pair of Audio Technica ath-m50x and they were greatly improved both in terms of comfort and sound (to my preference, which isn't any kind of objective measure) with a different pair of cushions. (However, the Audio Technicas aren't noise cancelling).

 

[Progster]

Then I got Samsung Galaxy Buds+ just because I wanted them to listen to music wirelessly and...they blow the Bose out of the water. Both in terms of sound quality, and sound isolation (they aren't noise cancelling, but due to their design, I actually hear LESS external noise while wearing them then I do when I wear the Bose QC25).

Thanks for the suggestion. I've never been keen on earbuds, though, because they never seem to stay in my ears, always falling out or becoming dislodged.

 

[Progster]

Apparently you can't use the newer Bose headphones (700) without downloading an app, and then that app won't let you use it or the headphones without registering with it. Why should this be necessary? Then, the software is glitchy. That's off-putting. I'm probably going to go with the Sony ones. I guess if I'm not happy with them, I can always return them.

 

[Judge]

Apparently you can't use the newer Bose headphones (700) without downloading an app, and then that app won't let you use it or the headphones without registering with it. Why should this be necessary? Then, the software is glitchy. That's off-putting. I'm probably going to go with the Sony ones. I guess if I'm not happy with them, I can always return them.

Agreed. Not good news about this most recent Bose product.

What about the older QC noise cancelling headphones from from Bose? Presumably a little less expensive now? Seems Bose and Sony are locked in a pissing match.

 

[Progster]

What about the older QC noise cancelling headphones from from Bose? Presumably a little less expensive now? Seems Bose and Sony are locked in a pissing match.

I went for the Sony ones.
Yes, they are in a pissing match and Sony is winning at the moment.
A lot of the technology is designed to be controlled via Bluetooth with a smart phone app, and, as the guy in the video also says, that is where the main problems lie. The device is great, but supported by awful software.
The Sony headphones also need an app for many of the functions to work, and it will only connect to the app via Bluetooth, the app won't work if you connect via the jack. You can play music from the app, but it's very rudimentary - it just plays the songs in order without any ability to create playlists, shuffle tracks or even select a track. It suggests an app, but when I try to download it, I get "not compatible with your app." I can use Foobar, but need to plug it in to the jack with that and then, as stated above, it won't connect to the app.
Complaints by some (mainly audiophiles) about too much bass dominating mid-range, and sounding muffled are justified. The app does have an equalizer though, which you can tweak to resolve this issue. When I plug them into my laptop and use them as a simple plug in and play (no bluetooth) headphones, they sound a lot better.

 

[Judge]

I went for the Sony ones.
Yes, they are in a pissing match and Sony is winning at the moment.
A lot of the technology is designed to be controlled via Bluetooth with a smart phone app, and, as the guy in the video also says, that is where the main problems lie. The device is great, but supported by awful software.
The Sony headphones also need an app for many of the functions to work, and it will only connect to the app via Bluetooth, the app won't work if you connect via the jack. You can play music from the app, but it's very rudimentary - it just plays the songs in order without any ability to create playlists, shuffle tracks or even select a track. It suggests an app, but when I try to download it, I get "not compatible with your app." I can use Foobar, but need to plug it in to the jack with that and then, as stated above, it won't connect to the app.
Complaints by some (mainly audiophiles) about too much bass dominating mid-range, and sounding muffled are justified. The app does have an equalizer though, which you can tweak to resolve this issue. When I plug them into my laptop and use them as a simple plug in and play (no bluetooth) headphones, they sound a lot better.

Interesting. I'm afraid at this point if I were to invest in some "good" noise-cancelling wireless headphones, I'd prefer a previous version without any apps. With headphones I want simplicity and convenience. Seems the industry is headed in another direction.

I think I'll stick with my wired Audio Technica headphones. They are at times a bit bass heavy, but then the industry appears to be catering to a target audience not consisting of us audiophiles. Something I'm reminded of on occasion when eejits drive past my home with their audio systems blaring so loudly that my windows rattle.

Just too many paying customers out there who seem to be in love with their subwoofers.