Sony WF-1000XM4 Vs Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds: Which Is Actually Better?

Overview

The Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are two of the top noise cancelling true wireless earbuds on the market. Both offer excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out ambient sound, great audio quality, long battery life, and premium features. But they have some key differences that may make one a better choice over the other depending on your needs and preferences.

Sony WF-1000XM4

Released in June 2021, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is the latest iteration of Sony‘s 1000X series of wireless ANC earbuds. It builds on the strong foundation of the popular WF-1000XM3 model with improvements like better noise cancelling, upgraded chipset and speakers, IPX4 water resistance rating, wireless charging support, and longer battery life.

Some standout features of the WF-1000XM4:

• Industry-leading noise cancellation using Sony‘s proprietary HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e chip
• 8 hour battery life with ANC enabled, 12 hours with ANC turned off
• IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating
• Support for wireless charging and fast charging (60 minutes playtime from 5 minute charge)
• Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, support for SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs
• Speak-to-chat feature that automatically pauses music when you speak
• Sony Headphones Connect app allows firmware updates, EQ customization, control settings

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Released in September 2020, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are Bose‘s first set of true wireless ANC earbuds. They offer the excellent noise cancellation Bose is known for along with great sound quality and features tailored for an immersive listening experience.

Some highlights of the QuietComfort Earbuds:

• Powerful active noise cancellation utilizing external and internal mics
• 6 hours battery life with ANC on, 8 hours with it off
• Weather resistant with an IPX4 rating
• Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, SBC and AAC codec support
• Volume optimized Active EQ for balanced sound at any volume level
• StayHear Max tips provide a secure, comfortable fit
• Simple touch controls to manage music, calls and ANC levels

Now let‘s compare these two heavy hitters in detail across a number of key categories.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling performance is one of the most crucial considerations when choosing wireless ANC earbuds. You want ones that can effectively eliminate ambient noise so you can fully focus on your music or calls without distractions.

Both the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds excel here, utilizing advanced noise cancelling circuitry and microphones to generate opposite sound waves that cancel out background noise before it reaches your ears.

In my testing, the edge goes to the Sony when it comes to blocking out environmental sounds like chatter, airplane cabin noise and city traffic. Its noise cancellation is extremely impressive, making the world around you fade away. Voices come through a little more compared to the Bose, but are still significantly muted.

The Bose aren‘t far behind though. Their noise cancellation performance remains industry leading, nearly matching the Sony‘s capacity to hush ambient noise. Some very high pitched sounds like squeaking wheels seem more dampened on the Bose.

So overall, while both deliver excellent active noise cancellation, Sony‘s latest tech gives it the slightest of advantages here. But make no mistake – the Bose earbuds are still vastly superior to almost all other wireless earbuds in noise cancelling ability.

Sound Quality

With top notch noise cancellation keeping external sounds muted, sound quality becomes even more vital for an immersive listening experience. Both models produce terrific audio with some differences in their sound profile.

The Sony sticks to their characteristic lively, energetic sound signature that‘s nicely balanced across the frequency range with punchy bass, clear mids and crisp highs. The bass has plenty of depth and kick but avoids overpowering the mix. There‘s good soundstage as well reproducing stereo separation accurately.

Vocals and instruments sound extremely clear and detailed, with superb dynamics. Whether you‘re listening to thumping hip hop tracks or acoustic ballads, the WF-1000XM4 impresses with its lively and well-balanced sound.

Bose goes for a more natural, neutral sound profile aimed at reproducing music as intended. Lower frequencies take a bit of a backseat compared to the punchy Sony. Mids and highs shine through nicely with crystal clarity and precision.

The sound leans towards a brighter tonality that brings out detail and nuance very well. There‘s still decent bass when called for but it‘s not as hard hitting as the Sony. Soundstage feels a bit more intimate although instrument separation remains good.

Both earbuds support SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs for high quality audio streaming. But only the Sony offers LDAC compatibility for playing Hi-Res content wirelessly from compatible devices.

So in summary – those wanting an energetic sound with thumping bass will likely enjoy the Sony more. But the accurate Bose tonality better suits audiophiles who prefer a more natural sound. Ultimately audio preferences vary person to person so this category comes down to subjective taste.

Design and Comfort

Since you‘ll likely be wearing these earbuds for extended periods, design, fit and comfort are vital aspects.

In terms of size and weight, both models are compact and lightweight enough for all day wearing without fatigue or pain. The Bose earbuds are a tad lighter and smaller though which may work better for those with smaller ears.

Comfort levels end up very personal however based on ear shape and canal size. I found the Sony WF-1000XM4 very comfortable even for 3-4 hours straight thanks to the soft oval ear tips that go easy on pressure points. They feel quite secure as well once you twist them into place. Those with bigger ear canals may find these more comfortable.

The QuietComfort Earbuds sit close to flush with the entrance of the ear canal allowing them to maintain a discreet profile. Their StayHear Max tips feel gentle while keeping the earbuds firmly in place by expanding inside the concha bowl of the ear. For me and likely many others, the Bose offers a more universal and secure fit.

In the end though, comfort depends entirely on individual anatomies. I‘d recommend trying both models on in person if possible to determine long term comfort levels.

For controls, both utilize touch gestures over physical buttons to minimize size. The Sony keeps things simple with taps and long presses to control playback, call management and noise cancellation. The Bose adds swipe gestures for more functionality but takes some practice to master.

Speaking of noise cancellation, Sony also offers handy automatic features to optimize settings without needing to touch controls at all. This includes Speak-to-Chat which pauses music when you start speaking, and Adaptive Sound Control that adjusts ambient mode based on your motion levels.

Finally, the Sony earbuds are slightly more durable with an IPX4 rating making them sweat and splash proof. The Bose earbuds meet the same IPX4 standard though despite lacking an official rating. So both should have adequate water and sweat resistance for workout use.

Overall the Sony WF-1000XM4 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds match up closely when it comes to design, wearability and features. Those with larger ear canals may find the Sony buds more comfortable over longer listening sessions. But the Bose will likely fit a wider variety of ear sizes securely.

Battery Life

Battery performance is crucial for true wireless earbuds determining continuous listening time between charges. Both models deliver well here but Sony offers noticeably longer playback:

• Sony WF-1000XM4: 8 hours with ANC on, 12 hours with it off
• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: 6 hours with ANC on, 8 hours with it off

So at maximum settings, the Sony lasts 33% longer on a charge compared to the Bose. You get nearly 2 more hours of continuous listening which is quite substantial. Turning ANC off stretches listening times even further to a full 12 hours with the Sony.

Charging cases provide additional top up charges to keep the music playing. Here the Bose regains some advantage offering 15 extra hours to the Sony‘s 16 additional hours. Both cases charge quickly via USB-C with the Sony also supporting wireless charging.

If you frequently listen for longer periods without access to charging, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is the superior choice thanks to the longest battery life in its class. But both models still offer adequate battery performance for most scenarios – multi-hour flights being one exception favoring the Sony‘s higher capacity.

Connectivity and Calling

Bluetooth 5.2 wireless technology ensures stable connectivity for both earbud models without audio dropouts or sync issues. Pairing multiple devices is quick and reliable with either option. Codec support extends to AAC and SBC on both with the Sony also including LDAC. So Android users benefit from LDAC‘s Hi-Res audio streaming with the Sony model.

For call quality, both work very well in suppressing ambient noise so your voice sounds clear to callers on the other end. Wind noise reduction is also effective with both earbuds rejecting gusts during outdoor calls. Voices transmit naturally without sounding overly processed.

Sony though also employs a special Speak-to-Chat feature that automatically pauses your music and engages ambient sound mode when you start speaking. This lets you conduct conversations without needing to fiddle with controls.

So overall, both deliver reliable connectivity and call performance with Sony having a slight edge for Android synergy and intelligent call handling.

Price and Value

As premium noise cancelling earbuds loaded with advanced technology, both Sony and Bose‘s offerings command a high price tag:

• Sony WF-1000XM4: $279
• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: $279

Given the close price matching, value comes down to the extra features and performance gains you get. To summarize:

• The Sony WF-1000XM4 offers class-leading noise cancellation plus longer battery life and exciting features like Speak-to-Chat and LDAC support.
• The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds provides a more tailored fit solution likely suiting more ear sizes and shapes comfortably while matching the Sony‘s noise cancelling capacity and audio performance.

So choosing between the two depends if you prefer noise cancelling prowess plus longer endurance or greater comfort and wearability. Both meet the definition of premium earbuds asking for a premium price. Discounts can provide extra incentive in favor of either model.

Ultimately your budget and priorities around battery life, sound, or design will determine if stretching to $279 feels worthwhile here. The good news is you can expect pristine noise cancelling, dynamic sound and robust connectivity either way.

The Verdict

The Sony WF-1000XM4 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds both represent the pinnacle of noise cancelling true wireless earbud technology today. You really can‘t go wrong with either one.

But the Sony does offer more well rounded performance with marginally better noise cancellation, superior battery life, fun sound quality and nifty bonuses like Speak-to-Chat. So if you want the absolute best in class wireless ANC earbuds go with the Sony WF-1000XM4.

Those needing a more personalized fit solution will be very happy with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds though. Their noise cancelling and audio hold their own against Sony‘s juggernaut. And you may just find the Bose buds more comfortable long term.

So choose the Sony WF-1000XM4 if you want max noise cancelling and battery capacities or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for better fit and comfort. Either way these represent the most advanced ANC true wireless earbuds money can buy today.