I just upgraded to the Sony XM4 headphones, and have to say overall, I am disappointed. I moved from a pair of Bose QC35 which I think had better noise cancelling than the Sony.

My questions:

  1. While listening to podcasts or any content that is more spoken word vs music, the noise cancelling is pretty poor. I’ve already toggled all the settings, gone thru the troubleshooting steps mentioned on Reddit threads as well, but it never improves. Is this others experience as well?

  2. When I have the headset on music playing and I’m on the train, it feels like people are far away but their voice is amplified and they sound louder. But when I take the headphones off, it’s at best a conversation at a normal volume. Is there some setting that’s doing that or do I have a dodgy headset?

  • Humble-Ad-8912@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    It has ambient/transparent mode which uses the mics to let through/amplify sound around you. It sounds like you have that on? Make sure to activate the full ANC, it should be better than Bose.

  • halffullpenguin@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    really I have a pair of xm4s and with the noise cancling on I cant hear anything. it sounds like the sensor the controls ambiant is broken.

    • nixt3rshar@alien.topOPB
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      10 months ago

      Even while listening to spoken word content mate? Hmm maybe the sensor is broken then.

  • lugi6@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    I’ve tried bot the QC35 and XM4’s as well and I personally liked the XM4s more. But as for their NC, it came down to a better fit on the XM4s to me. It also doesn’t really matter what kind of content I play. Usually listening to anything drowns out all remaining background noises, unless I’m on the subway or something like that.