Hi all,
Last week I purchased a pair of Sony WF-1000XM4 ear buds, Sony’s premium noise cancelling ear buds (I actually purchased two pairs as they were heavily discounted and my son needed a birthday present). I have a ridiculous number of headphones, probably 8-9 pairs, but was looking for a more svelte replacement for my trusty Sony WH-1000XM3 over-ear noise cancelling phones. I have owned a few pairs of NC over-ears, but this is my first pair of NC buds.
I set up the app, connected them and then turned on the noise cancelling. There was literally no difference whatsoever. I read up, made sure adaptive sound control was off etc (I am quite familiar with the app having used it for several years) but I genuinely could hear no difference sitting in a room with numerous sound sources of numerous volumes and frequencies. I tried the different bud sizes but again, no discernible difference. I ran the app that checked for adequate sealing, and unless I had the largest bud size and was physically pushing the phones into my ears to the point of pain, it said this was inadequate. When I did this, for the first time I could detect the faintest change with noise cancelling on. I had to be in a quiet room and there was the absolute faintest drop in low frequencies. There was literally no difference to other ambient noise.
So at this point, I assumed the supplied bud tips were a poor fit. I bought some Comply memory foam buds, which arrived today, and no difference. Repeated all of this with my son’s buds, and they are the exact same.
So here’s my question: Are noise cancelling buds intrinsically less effective than their over-ear counterparts? With my over-ears, it’s as if I’m sitting in a vacuum. Plane engines at takeoff are a faint rumble. The difference I am hearing with the buds is so slight as to barely exist.
Opinions and suggestions welcome before I take them back.
I have a recent purchase pair (Jabra Elite Pro 7). The noise cancelling is noticeable, particularly so on public transport. Mine has three settings ANC on, off or pass through. I can adjust the level of ANC from the app and I can tell the difference between the extreme settings but the variation is not huge.
The reviews on the Jabras was very much that the ANC function is not as heavy as other brands so I would expect you to notice the differences. Go stand by a busy road and try them. If you don’t notice the difference (especially with nothing playing) return them for a replacement.
Same
I use Apple AirPods and the noise cancelling is very obvious as soon as I put them in my ears, even with nothing playing – you get that “vacuum” feeling and background noise (fans etc) just disappears as soon as I put the second one in my ears.
I also have a pair of over ears which do give better noise cancelling – although not sure if this is due to them being a better quality (Bose) or that over ears are better (probably a bit of both).
Bottom line is that I would expect that you should be able to tell you have noise cancelling on even with ear buds.
I also have a pair of Apple AirPods Pro and they are very effective at noise cancelling.
I am currently sat opposite my other half who is on the phone to a mate, whilst I listen to 5Live as West Ham hopefully win in Europe for the first time since 1965, and I cannot hear any of her conversation.
I would recommend them, although they are expensive compared to other options.
You know she called you for your scran, twice? 🙂
Your dinner is in the dog.
I gave those Sonys a go, @podicle, with the same result. So I sold them, but I had to refund the guy because he couldn’t make the noise-cancelling work either.
My trusty Airpods Pro are excellent, however, although it’s Bose all the way for long-haul flights. In fact I have a free day once I’ve taken the grandkids to school, and I can feel an invisible thread pulling me to the Apple Store. Pro 2s are supposed to be even better.
I’ve had a pair of Sony WF-1000XM4 ear buds (as you have bought) for about a year plus. It would seem strange that both pairs that you bought are faulty but that would be my first thought after what you have described. I found that trying different size ‘buds’in each ear worked better when I used the Sony supplied buds. I have recently bought some replacement tips – FiiO HS18 Silicon 0.4mm thick Eartips (6 pairs)HS18 – ￡4.22×1 from the Fiio shop on ‘AliExpress’. They actually offered me them for £1.12 including postage as an initial order! They arrived a couple of weeks later and the difference was impressive. The bass in particular was enhanced as was the noise cancellation(due to the better seal in my ear). The other annoying thing about the Sonys was that on a few occasions one dropped out of my ear, once as I was getting on a bus meaning I had to search for my ear piece while other passengers were waiting to get on. One also fell out of my ear in Leicester Sq and it took me about five minutes to find it! The Fiio buds make the buds fit really well and with an almost ‘suction’ like fit they remain in place. A win/win for me. I think there is something wrong with your set up – maybe a software update or new tips. You mention the Comply memory foam I was interested in those and it’s how I came upon the Fiio buds which are made of silicon(they seem to make the seal in your ear so much better which is probably 50%+ of the noise cancellation). There is a very significant difference between noise cancelling/ambient sound/off. The Fiio silicon buds have given a new life to my Sonys. I hope you find a solution because they are very good once you get them ‘set up’ for your needs. Hope this helps.
That was another complaint I had about the Sonys – they’re so big (not to mention ugly) and prone to falling out. I hardly know the Airpod Pros are there, and they never fall out.
Thanks for all the replies. Neither of the other two people I had test the buds today could pick any difference between off and on. I think I’ll return them.
Have a look at Jabra Elite 7 pros. Bang for buck is excellent – they are regularly on offer at £85 on Amazon. They were £100 yesterday and £114 today so the pricing varies a lot.
The ANC is good, they sound really good and battery life is good. They are small enough to comfortable and the app even helps you get the right size fit with the tips – it told me to go up a size and the sound improved as well as the effectiveness of the noise cancelling.
I have had a pair of Jabras before that I really liked.
I’ve never used Jabra earbuds, but I know some of their Engineering team in a professional capacity, and I have a Jabra SoleMate bluetooth speaker which is excellent.
I tried Jabra but they didn’t fit. I’m very happy with my dirt cheap Yamipho ones. At under 20 quid they can’t be beat.
I don’t really like the feel of in-ear buds, so I try to avoid them and use on-ear phones when I’m out and about. Occasionally I wear hats which preclude an actual headphone (esp. summer) so I’ve been using Cambridge Audio Melomania+ buds. No noise cancellation (relies on a good seal, so there’s always a bit of leakage) but they sound REALLY good. Graphene drivers? Not ‘arf!
The new shape fits better than the old shape – which were always fine for me. I used to swear by Comply tips but my experience with Jabra, probably because of the lightness of the earbuds, is the silicon ones are really good. They feel like they are going to fall out but the never do. I put this down to the lightness.
I use mine for calls a lot and the Elite Pro 7’s are extremely good for this.
I couldn’t bring myself to spend £250 on Apple buds but £85 seemed appropriate – especially given the use they get. If £20 buds do all you need then why spend more.
Solid agreement with final paragraph, leedsboy…
I think you all make a very good point, albeit in passing.
In-ear buds with a good seal… should not really need noise-cancelling.
There are some lower-cost IEMs which come with some kind of putty. You put the ear buds in your ears, put the squidgy putty round them to make an airtight seal against your ears, wait a while for the putty to set. Et voila! Instant IEMs.
That’s what I like about mine, they fit really well and so are fairly isolating . Also I like the neck band. I’d lose them otherwise.
Even with a good seal, trains are very noisy. With a good seal and ANC it is noticeably quieter (and it feels calmer). I tend to not have it on at home only when commuting.
What about that putty and us hairy-eared codgers? Would we need to get our earbuds extracted in the Casualty department?
I once went to a Turkish barber somewhere near the old Highbury stadium. He used a coat-throat razor and set fire to my ear and nostril hairs with a flaming earbud thing.
I didn’t have to shave for about a week afterwards.
Ah, yes: but did you have to shave your coat?
I treated myself to the Turkish Barber Experience the day before my nephew’s wedding in Sept 2021.
Shaved head, neck and fizzog and ears burnt out. My nose hairs were merely trimmed (quite severely), which seems the correct procedure to me. Nose hairs serve a useful function in catching dust etc. that might otherwise enter one’s throat and lungs.
Apart from losing them twice and finding them again weeks later, I am most comfortable with AirPods. They don’t fall out and conversations have a lovely Radio 4 quality about them.
I have some Jabra 75t buds and the ANC is very noticeable, even though not perfect. And this is a pair without an ANC chip and sold without ANC, but with the feature added later with a (free) firmware update. Also have some newer Jabra 4 and ANC is noticeable.
I would expect the more expensive Sony to be better. All the reviews praise their ANC so sounds like defect