We continue testing the new line of Sony 1000X wireless headphones. Did you ask for strict test conditions and honest feedback? Receive and sign.
The older model in this line, the WH-1000XM2 full-size closed-back on-ear headphones, did an excellent job of handling jet noise.
The younger, compact WF-1000X in two separate “drops” showed excellent performance on the streets of the metropolis.
Now it's the turn of the most balanced WI-1000X : hybrid in-ear headphones with noise reduction, support for high-bitrate audio transmission and many sound-correcting functions.
The test in the Moscow subway went “excellent”: we were able to hear the music better than it was in the original recording without ambient noise. Without missing anything important.
If you love good sound, love the headband too
For an urban environment, high-quality sound is not always the most important thing.
There's no doubt that the flagship WH-1000XM2 sounds great. But for everyday headphones they are too large. Therefore, in the Sony 1000X line, the WI-1000X has the most difficult task: combining compactness, good sound and convenience. To combine high technology and compactness, the company's engineers replaced the traditional “garland” with a massive neckband with a soft leather pad on the inside.
The result is “mainstream luxury” - they seem to be in-ear headphones, but you can see them and feel them. The owner stands out in the crowd, the headphones attract the eye.
Although the WI-1000X is significantly larger than a typical Bluetooth headset, it is actually much more comfortable. The wire does not get tangled or twisted - if necessary, the excess is hidden in the rim. Mikk noted the ability to remove the headphones without fear of losing them - a rare quality for wireless headphones.
The headphones fit quite tightly. This is more due to the soft inner pad and weight of the rim than to its loose fit. Therefore, winter clothing may dislodge the headphones.
The rim plays another role - a means of notification. A vibration motor is hidden in the back. You can’t count on a massage, but it will break through a thick sweatshirt. And no more missed calls!
The WI-1000X does not have a conventional remote control. All controls are located directly on the rim arms in the form of mechanical buttons, distinguished only by pictograms (so as not to cause unpleasant sensations). The buttons are tight; you cannot accidentally press them with your hand, neck, or clothing.
In order not to clutter the earpiece with an infinity of buttons, Sony engineers made another compromise: there is only a power button, volume change button and a universal key for controlling music.
If you are familiar with this type of control, there will be no problems. But for those who have used headsets with a different set of keys, it will be at least unusual.
Another unique feature of the Sony WI-1000X is the possibility of a wired connection using a microUSB->3.5 mm . Even ordinary Bluetooth plugs cannot boast of this, let alone non-standard shapes.
And by the way, it doesn’t interfere at all. And music lovers will even like it.
How active noise cancellation works
Active noise cancellation (ANC) involves the use of a microphone (two) to analyze the surrounding acoustic environment. Acoustic vibrations picked up by the microphone(s) are transmitted to the microprocessor. It causes the noise canceling speaker to emit a similar wave in antiphase. Due to interference (superposition), the waves suppress one another. A second microphone can be placed in the ear to pick up the difference between the sound being reproduced and what the user hears.
In addition to ANC, NC is also required - it is unacceptable for sounds from wearing headphones to escape into the environment. Firstly, they will disturb those nearby, and secondly, they will get into the microphone and be filtered.
Hybrid without compromise
The sound quality and passive noise isolation provide the quality of active noise cancellation. They should always be heard.
Therefore, an interesting hybrid design was chosen for the Sony WI-1000X: a 9mm wideband dynamic driver and a high-frequency “fitting” in a separate camera. The border works as a crossover - a frequency divider.
This has led to the almost impossible: the speakers are perfectly matched, do not interfere with each other, and each range is reproduced separately from the other. Yes, and passport data inspires.
When connected wirelessly, the Sony WI-1000X reproduces the standard range from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Wired turns these tiny plugs into an audiophile's delight that play audio from 4Hz to 40kHz! Hi-Res certification is more than deserved for them.
Of course, this is beyond the limits of human hearing, but such a reserve keeps the maximum ranges of compositions unchanged. In addition, ultra-low frequencies can be felt with the power of the WI-1000X, while hybrids always have an abundance of high frequencies.
And we should not forget that if such sounds are present in the recording, reflected waves are created in the auditory canal - we are quite able to hear them. However, you won’t find this in Apple Music—you’ll have to download the music. Well, or change the service. And it's worth doing.
Then, and only then, will the WI-1000X reveal itself fully. If with a wireless connection they sound like good “plugs”, then a wired connection turns them into a serious competitor to many overhead “Cheburashkas”.
Of course, the WI-1000X has no problems with low frequencies. Absolute bassheads should still buy on-ear headphones, but for everyone else, bassheads may even be in excess.
Power and dynamic range open up any composition. From sub-bass-filled breakcore and dubstep to complex classical compositions. Even the early recordings of my beloved Motograter, Wagner and Liszt sound like they are on large audio systems.
Seriously, these seem to be some of the best in-ear headphones on the market. If you don’t like it right away, or the composition suddenly smacks of “plasticity,” everything can be solved using the Sony Headphones Connect companion application (App Store or Google Play).
Types of Noise Canceling Headphones
Based on their design, noise canceling headphones are divided into three categories:
- Headphones with active noise reduction on cable.
- Wireless with electronic filling located in the headphone body.
- Full-size models with excellent passive noise reduction.
By type of noise reduction - two:
- Passive - sound insulation is achieved due to the headset materials (silicone, foam rubber) and design. In-ear headphones fit tightly into the ear canal, preventing sound from spreading. Full-length over-ear ear cushions surround the ear, and the soft materials from which they are made absorb sound waves.
- Active - a microphone or microphones pick up ambient sounds, a microprocessor processes the received data and generates an inverted sound wave (out of phase). As a result, background noise is absorbed and muffled. There are noisemakers with reverse ovary, without it and hybrid.
Also look:
- 15 Best Wired Headphones with Good Sound
- The best wireless headphones from Aliexpress
Complete collection of “improvers”
Or changing your smartphone. WI-1000X work with all necessary transmission protocols, including aptX HD (available in new Androids) and working only in Sony LDAC . The latter is a serious reason to wave your iPhone.
Compared to aptX HD, LDAC has twice the data rate (990 Kbps vs. 576 Kbps) and sampling rate (96 kHz vs. 48 kHz). For iPhone owners, this is possible with a wired connection.
For iPhone owners, Sony's proprietary enhancements will come in handy: digital audio enhancements DSEE HX allows you to restore songs when transmitted via Bluetooth. It's interesting that the technology works for mp3. Apparently, different algorithms pull up exactly what the transmission and encoding “eats.” It turns out well.
Mikk and I compared the sound of the WI-1000X via aptX HD on OnePlus 5 and on an iPhone with the features from the application - the difference is almost imperceptible. Small “gaps” at high frequencies appear in some test compositions - but these are more likely audiophile nitpicking and a reason to mock.
“Smart” noise reduction in your smartphone
Moreover, the variety of settings in the companion application solves absolutely any problem. The wideband equalizer applies to all applications, although each type can have its own, separate settings.
You can even “steer” the stage and the place where the sound should come from right on your smartphone. This is incredibly cool. There are ready-made presets with which you can evaluate the effect - we, musicians, are familiar with it firsthand.
Another cool feature: the Sony WI-1000X very coolly implements the effect of changing the sound by moving the source (virtual, of course). If you want, it’s like in a club, or if you want, it’s like in a stadium. The differences are serious (especially for live recordings), and playing with the settings won’t get boring.
The Sony app also allows you to configure noise reduction. The younger model WI-1000X got ear pads, the older one got noise reduction settings: a complete set of automatic profiles for suppressing external sounds Smart Listening ( “Walking” , “Travel” and “Waiting” ) and an atmospheric pressure sensor.
The headphones independently measure the difference between the noise level between the auricle and the surrounding space using a pair of microphones (from the outside and from the side of the auricle), and correct for pressure. It turns out great.
For example, the rumble of an old carriage turns into a barely audible clatter. You can get rid of it completely - but then there is a chance to lose a little in detail. The crowd noise disappears completely.
If you are afraid of missing an announcement about a stop, turn on “Waiting” and don’t worry. The crowd quiets down, but you can hear all the important sounds as if you were without headphones at all. By the way, the noise of nearby vehicles can also be heard.
What could be more useful in a metropolis? Moreover, the WI-1000X can independently recognize activity, distinguishing between traffic and walking.
I emphasize: only important, distinct sounds can be heard: announcements, increasing and approaching sounds. But not background noise.
Oppo monocle with assisted reality technology
Oppo Air Glass monocle
Photo: Oppo
There are already many virtual and augmented reality headsets on the market that can project an alternative world or overlay some of its elements on top of the real one. The monocle from Oppo - a device with one display on a clip cannot be called otherwise - works with assisted reality (aR) technology, that is, it projects some virtual symbols in the form of two-dimensional images in front of the user’s eyes.
The benefit of Oppo Air Glass is that this device can display various help information (such as notifications from instant messengers, weather forecasts, route directions to a given point), but not visualize three-dimensional virtual objects. Thus, the monocle does not distract the user from the main task and allows him to engage in business correspondence, reading a report, watching a movie, and even driving a vehicle. The price of Air Glass has not been disclosed, but the device should go on limited sale in China before the end of the first quarter of 2022.
This music will last forever
If it is not important, you can save battery power and turn off the noise reduction. In general, even so, the WI-1000X shows good sound insulation if you choose the right ear pads. And there are more than enough of them in the kit.
The manufacturer claims up to 10 hours of operation with noise reduction, up to 13 hours without it. The stated battery charging time is 3.5 hours. In real use, of course, the numbers are completely different.
In the subway with noise reduction turned on, they lasted for 7 hours at medium volume (maximum volume will knock out the eardrums). Without it - from 9 to 11 hours, depending on the transmission profile used. For some reason, voice communication eats up the battery faster.
Unfortunately, the carrying case, unlike the younger plugs, does not hide the battery. But if necessary, the nearest outlet in 15 minutes gives a couple of hours of listening.
On the other hand - this is only important for smartphones without a mini-jack - a wired connection with good recordings gives this option the right to life.
