New Horizons

Living Without Lighting
2021-06-14 01:13:00 (UTC)

My New Friends

On Wednesday, I rushed over to Jay's house from my therapy appointment upon the notification. Prime delivered my new earbuds, which were sitting on Jay's porch as I got there. Two weeks of strained waiting and restless nights had boiled down to this moment, and I relished in my triumph as I beheld the lithium battery warning on the side of the package. This was it! Not sure if Jay was home or not, I didn't care to stick around. I loaded the booty into my car and grabbed food before heading home to my dungeon.

With all the dexterity and care of a Cadbury egg, I diligently unwrapped the eco-friendly packaging enshrouding the charging case. How small it is! However, under it's black matte lid laid the true treasure. Two stainless buds, fresh off the conveyer belt of some faraway eastern country, each adorned with a copper bullseye that exhibit their superior mics. Along their upper ridges, the letters S O N Y are proudly embroidered in the same hue. The long-awaited WF-1000XM4s were now in my hands for my keeping. In this small two-inch case laid the pinnacle of modern technology, a success story of the transistor and the human ingenuity that's harnessed it. To think that fifteen years ago we had entire mp3 players dedicated to music, only to be surpassed in less than two decades by these wireless earphones? Not to mention which are capable of digitally cancelling noise, as well as channeling it through among other features. My amazement was like that of Sweeney Todd's when he received his barber chair. "I have another friend!"

These are the observations I've noticed since I've started using them:

For true wireless earbuds their noise cancelling is best in-class, and their sound quality is impressive as well. I took them to the mall to put their ANC to the test, and needless to say they easily suppressed the echoing chatter that could be heard throughout the indoor facility. At home, my bathroom fan shrinks into a faint whisper, and on the street the hum of cars is noticeably dampened. However, the real magic happens when you turn on your music. All environmental noise completely fades away and all I'm able to hear is my tunes. When I visit my grandparents out of state next month, I'm excited to see how they perform on a plane.

As for the sound quality, I've heard better however the XM4's audio is still impressive. They've upgraded the driver units from the previous model to achieve better audio, and you can really hear it in the lower notes and vocals. There's just enough soundstage to accommodate every instrument, which allows you to mellow out and slip away into whatever song is playing. However I still feel they fall just short of audiophile territory, but that's ok. Their sound replication is much better than most true wireless earbuds out on the market.

Another thing I should mention is their fit. I've experimented with the Sennheiser Momentum 2s and Bose QuietComfort buds in the past, and both gave me really bad discomfort within minutes. The momentums bit into the cartilage of my ear, while the quietcomforts just made my right one really sore. Fortunately, this isn't the case for these XM4s. They don't cause physical pain and their foam gels are really soft as well.

Overall, these earbuds are worthy of keeping, and I hold them in a place of honor as I do with my over-ear headphones. They'll serve me well as I go off to college, and I'm confident they'll help me unwind from whatever clamorous situation I may find myself in. I've currently been taking them on walks, and given how much I enjoy them I'm determined to keep it up. A golden purchase indeed.

Until next time...




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