Apex ANC Headphones
They’re not the prettiest, but it’s what’s inside that makes them superstars.
My time with Sony’s latest made it very clear to me that the model name “WF-1000…” should mean “Works for 1000 different uses,” so I highly recommend the Sony WF-1000XM6 if you’re looking for a “do-it-all” pair of headphones with almost non-existent compromises.
Advantages
- Clarity, nuanced sound
- LDAC hi-res audio
- Beautiful bass
- Smart geolocation features
- Excellent offline voice controls
- Superior insulation and ANC
Cons
- Price
- IPX4 rating
- Pad Selection
Samsung
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
The best of Samsung just got better!
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro produced notable sounds, but this time it’s even better, letting me nod my head to the beat, a gesture that can now answer your incoming calls. They have better ANC and have fixed a potential charging flaw, making the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro the best earbuds on the market for those in the Samsung ecosystem.
Advantages
- Great sound with SSC UHQ codec
- Great clarity and recovery of details.
- Cost versus market leaders
- Integrated voice/gesture controls
Cons
- Limited eartip sizes
- There is no true multipoint
- Newer Samsung device required for full functionality
Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are, without a doubt, the best flagship headphones they have released to date. They tick so many boxes that I said they are the best active noise canceling headphones you can buy if you are the new owner of a Samsung Galaxy phone. Even if not, given their price, excellent sound quality, and smart features like offline voice controls, they may be worth purchasing if you have an older or non-Samsung phone.
So, I put my hands on it Sony WF-1000XM6and wow! Like Samsung’s Buds 4 Pro, Sony’s XM6 are the best flagship headphones they have published, to date! They listened to customer feedback, improved what was already arguably market-leading ANC, and made their headphones even smarter than before. However, all of this comes at a cost. You’d spend $80 more than the Buds 4 Pro, but would it be worth it?
Let’s unpack the differences and help you make the decision that makes the most sense for you!
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Beauty and rhythm
Right out of the box, Samsung’s offering is more visually appealing and, although both offer only two color options in large chain stores, Samsung.com And the Samsung Experience Stores have a beautiful and exclusive Pink Rose colorway that you can purchase!
The Buds 4 Pro’s industrial design, with its stem-style design with metal-accented stems and polymer buds, looks sleeker than the bulbous, jellybean-shaped WF-1000XM6. Even the Buds 4 Pro case is a more visually interesting piece of hardware.
Sony finally released a Smoky Pink color for the WF-1000XM5and they have multiple color options for other headphones, so it’s a safe bet that if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll eventually be able to get your XM6 in something other than black or platinum silver.
Today, however, I’ll give the edge to Samsung for the attractive styling of the earbuds and case.
Fashion suffering only applies to clothing and footwear. Headphones are a different beast. They may look amazing, but if they’re not comfortable, you’re less likely to wear them regularly.
That was not my case. I prefer the foam eartips in Sony’s offering more because the oval silicone tips on the Buds 4 Pro, as comfortable as they were, weren’t as comfortable in my ears. The foam ear pads also have better passive noise cancellation.
That said, I’ve been browsing the web for user posts and it seems that the fit and size of the XM6 may be polarizing compared to the Buds 4 Pro. This is despite Sony offering an extra set of ear tips to help you get the right fit.
Some users said the XM6 seemed huge in their ears, even though they didn’t have small ears. Personally, I don’t care how big they look on my ears, as long as they don’t feel huge and has a great sound.
|
Categories |
Sony WF-1000XM6 |
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth® 5.3, multipoint support |
Bluetooth® 6.1, automatic switching |
|
Drive units |
8.4mm “single” driver |
Upgraded two-way (11mm super wide woofer + 5.5mm flat tweeter) |
|
Codec support |
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 with Auracast |
SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec) HiFi, SSC UHQ (Samsung proprietary), AAC, SBC, LC3 with Auracast |
|
Waterproofing |
IPX4 |
IP57 |
|
Battery life |
Up to 8 hours/Total up to 22 hours (ANC on) Up to 12 hours/Total up to 30 hours (ANC off) |
Up to 6 hours/Total up to 26 hours (ANC on) Up to 7 hours/Total up to 30 hours (ANC off) |
|
Charging |
USB-C, wireless charging; Quick charge 5min = 60min playback |
USB-C, wireless charging; Quick charge 5min = 60min playback |
|
Application support |
Android, iOS |
Android |
|
Audio tuning |
10-band EQ (app), Sony DSEE Extreme |
9-band EQ (APP) |
|
Microphone |
8 microphones in total |
6 microphones in total |
|
Flag |
Black, Platinum Silver |
Black, white, rose gold (online, Samsung Experience stores only) |
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which is the better “daily driver”?
The companion apps on both earbuds are very solid, making everyday use intuitive and easy. That said, their onboard controls are different, which will be an important consideration for some. The Buds 4 Pro feature touch and pressure-sensitive stems, while Sony only offers touch controls.
That said, I found that both sets of controls worked almost effortlessly during use, and the only advantage I would give the Samsung is for gym-goers. You’ll never have to worry about wet hands with the pressure controls.
It’s a bit tricky, though, because while both headphones offer excellent offline voice controls, Sony gives you a more extensive set of things you can control using offline commands, so your need to touch them is greatly diminished.
One last note on humidity affecting the performance of your headphones: You’ll also have less to worry about if the Samsung headphones get wet, because they provide IP57 submersible protection against the ingress of water and dust, while the Sony offers less protection with an IPX4 splash-resistant rating.
I’m a bit of a big guy (6′, 225 pounds), so the cases for both earbuds fit well in the coin pockets of my jeans. For smaller people, I can see the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro fitting better into less spacious pockets.
With Samsung, you’ll need to take that case out of your pocket more often to charge it. In my testing, I got about six hours of use, while the Sony got about eight.
Both pairs of earbuds offer fast charging, so you can quickly recharge them if you need to hit the gym after a long day of battery use. If you need enough power to get you through long days, the Sony is the clear winner here.
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which Sounds Better?
Sound quality should be the most important feature of a pair of headphones, but when I talk to people, it seems to take a backseat to the features I’ve explored above. Both pairs of headphones offer solid sound signatures and each offers the best sound reproduction in their lineup to date. That said, Sony gets the win for its default sound profile.
At default settings, Sony handles dynamics better than Samsung. If you play with Samsung’s excellent presets (Dynamic, for example) or the robust equalizer, you’ll get much closer to Sony. When listening to Charles Mingus’ track “Moanin’,” the Buds 4 Pro blend the sounds during the more frenetic parts of the song, as I said in my full review. The Sony handles the load more deftly, providing solid instrument separation despite the tumult of brass bombarding your auditory senses.
The other issue here is the choice of device. Sony includes the High resolution LDAC codecin addition to SBC and AAC, while Samsung offers its Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC and SSC UHQ), which only works with newer Samsung phones. Both headphones are compatible THE AUDIO with Auracast. That means Android users get broader support to get the best possible audio quality from Sony. Additionally, Sony has a true multipoint, which Samsung lacks.
The Sony’s driving dynamics are better than the Samsung’s, and this extends to the ANC quality as well. Both are powerful, but the WF-1000XM6 cancels out more sound at the low and high ends of the frequency spectrum. Part of the reason is that the Sony has eight microphones versus the Samsung’s six, so it captures more ambient sound data. This disparity in microphones also manifests itself in call quality. Although both have bone conduction sensors, the Sony handles call quality better in more dynamic conditions, such as on a windy day.
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which one should you buy?
For $80 less, and even though the WF-1000XM6 is better in many ways than the Buds 4 Pro, when you add the ecosystem connection to Samsung devices, it is the best all-around option for those investing in the Samsung ecosystem.
For everyone else, Sony has better ANC, voice controls, sound, and battery life. Without Samsung’s ecosystem to contend with, Sony wins.
Apex ANC Headphones
My time with Sony’s latest made it very clear to me that the model name “WF-1000…” should mean “Works for 1000 different uses,” so I highly recommend the Sony WF-1000XM6 if you’re looking for a “do-it-all” pair of headphones with almost non-existent compromises.
Samsung
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
The best of Samsung just got better!
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro produced notable sounds, but this time it’s even better, letting me nod my head to the beat, a gesture that can now answer your incoming calls. They have better ANC and a Buds 3 Pro charging failure fix, making the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro the best buy for those in the Samsung ecosystem.
